Love and Pass (A Seventeen Fanfiction)

Cold

In the cozy ambiance of Myunghee and Kaede's room, the sound of excitement and joy filled the air as the latter couldn't contain her happiness. She paced back and forth, her heart racing with anticipation. Myunghee sat comfortably on the couch, smiling at her friend's overabundance of energy.

"Myunghee, I am so, so, so happy right now!" Kaede exclaimed, her voice bubbling with enthusiasm. "Joshua is finally trying to approach me! I might cry at this point!"

Myunghee chuckled at Kaede's excitement, understanding just how much this meant to her. "So, when are you guys going to this date?"

"After he returns from his summer break," Kaede smiles. "He's leaving for America, he asked me out before he goes so I don't find a new guy for myself in the meantime." She said blushing her cheeks away. 

"He said that?" Myunghee scrunches her eyebrows. 

Kaede rolls her eyes, "Of course he didn't! But that is what he means!"

Myunghee started laughing, "And how do you know that Ms. Kaede?"

"Because boys do not show their emotions." Kaede stomped her foot. "You don't know anything Myunghee!"

"I hope this time it works out for you both," Myunghee said, holding up her crossed fingers as a gesture of support.

"Cross my heart, hope to die, Myunghee!" Kaede nodded her head assertively. "It has to work out this time!"

As the evening progressed, Myunghee was momentarily distracted from her worries. They chatted late into the night until exhaustion finally took its toll on her, and she decided it was time to call it a day and head to bed.

In the calmness of her bedroom, Myunghee laid down and closed her eyes. But as she drifted off to sleep, her thoughts raced back to those thoughts, and her palms unconsciously clasped together in silent prayer.

"God, please, I can't lose them," she whispered, her words carrying the weight of her hopes and fears. She was not very religious, but she still believed in God. And this time, she hoped that her belief would make her friends return to her. 

"Please," she repeated once more. It almost sounded like a plead. 

~

As the days passed, Myunghee and Jeonghan's bond continued to grow stronger. He kept her company every day and moment, from sharing meals in the canteen to studying together in the library. Jeonghan even made sure to walk her back to her residence and wait outside her classroom after every lecture, ensuring she never felt alone. She also started hanging out with Jihoon and Seokmin. 

However, amidst this newfound happiness, there was a lingering worry in Myunghee's heart. She couldn't shake off the feeling of sadness caused by the strained relationships with Seungkwan and Minghao. Whenever she caught Minghao's gaze in the canteen, she sensed a deep loathing directed towards her and Jeonghan. It hurt Myunghee to think that their friendship was falling apart.

But it was Seungkwan's cold indifference that hurt the most. He acted as if she didn't exist, and that stung deeply. Myunghee cared about him, and it was painful to see their friendship crumble.

One day, Kamilla approached Myunghee, expressing her concern about Seungkwan's health. Myunghee had noticed the changes too - how he seemed to have lost weight over the past few weeks. It worried her deeply.

"I'll try to talk to Seungkwan," Myunghee assured Kamilla. She knew that Seungkwan won't let her talk to himself, but she just wanted to mend their friendship and help him. But when she reached out to Seungkwan through text, there was no response. It felt like an extra blow to her already aching heart.

Myunghee turned to Minghao, hoping he could help bridge the gap. She knew that Minghao couldn't ignore her existence like Seungkwan. But his reply was harsh and bitter, leaving her feeling even more shattered.

"If you thought you mattered so much to Seungkwan, you shouldn't have chosen Jeonghan over us."

Those words cut deep, and Myunghee couldn't help but feel torn between her loyalty to her old friends and her newfound happiness with Jeonghan. It was a difficult position to be in.

Kaede, being the supportive friend she was, comforted Myunghee and promised to talk to both Seungkwan and Minghao. She understood Myunghee's pain and wanted to help in any way she could.

The following days were filled with mixed emotions for Myunghee. Her heart yearned for her old friendships to be restored, but at the same time, she couldn't deny the happiness she found with Jeonghan. It was a delicate balance she tried to maintain, hoping that eventually, things would work out for the better.

~

Finally, the long-awaited Sunday had arrived, a day Myunghee loved and cherished the most. Typically, she would spend her Sundays in a state of relaxation, lying in bed, engaging in her hobbies like sketching and knitting, or making cute scarves to send to her mom in Korea. But now, Sundays held a special significance in her life as she had a boyfriend who delighted in taking her out on little dates every week.

Today's plan was to visit a café in Tomsk's bustling main market. Excited about the day ahead, Myunghee woke up earlier than usual, eager to dress up for their date. She found herself enjoying these little rituals and gestures she was making for herself, knowing that Jeonghan appreciated them too. She made a mental note to thank him for bringing such joy into her life.

As she made her way to the bus stop on a busy Sunday morning, she briefly wondered if she might have to go alone since she thought Jeonghan could have already reached the café. However, to her delight, she spotted him boarding the same bus she was on. He stood beside her seat as there were no vacant ones available. Her face lit up with a playful smile as she greeted him in Korean.

"So you're late too," she remarked. "I thought you might have reached by now."

Jeonghan responded with his usual lopsided smile, shaking his head gently. "I was waiting for you for over 45 minutes," he confessed, leaving Myunghee pleasantly surprised.

Her mouth agape, she looked up at him, noticing a faint pinkish hue on his cheeks. His sweet gesture of waiting for her filled her heart with warmth.

After a few minutes, as some passengers got off at the poultry farm, Jeonghan took the seat beside her. His hands, which felt cold as ice, reached out for hers. With a gentle squeeze, he playfully asked, "Care warming them up for me?"

She chuckled lightly, rubbing his hands between hers to warm them. It was beautiful how time would pass by without blinking when Jeonghan was beside her. It takes a leaf approximately 10-15 seconds to touch the ground after detaching itself from the tree. But with Jeonghan it felt like the leaf would just keep flying, and would never touch the ground.

Something was just very captivating about him that made her not believe Grandma Choi's words about men. Though she didn't know him well enough, she felt compelled to speak highly of him. She hoped that even after knowing him for a long time, she could still talk about him with the same tone of admiration and affection.

As they strolled towards the cafe, Jeonghan took the lead, holding Myunghee's hand tightly to protect her from the cold winds that blew through Tomsk. The weather was peculiar for the start of autumn, with dewy and chilly temperatures that defied the usual scientific expectations. Myunghee couldn't help but reminisce about her first autumn in Russia, the season that had welcomed her to this new place. Now, she found herself spending this autumn with Jeonghan, and it felt like a beautiful coincidence.

Wrapping her arms around his hands, Myunghee leaned in closer, finding warmth and comfort in his presence. Jeonghan raised an amused eyebrow at her sudden display of clinginess.

"You're never clingy, Butterscotch," he teased gently.

With a soft smile, she replied, "Hmm, but I am today."

Jeonghan chuckled lightly at her response, but his smile faltered as his gaze fixed on something or someone in the distance. Myunghee noticed the change in his demeanor as his hand tightened around hers, his forehead showing the faintest signs of sweat despite the chilly 9-degree Celsius weather.