⁴┆𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐁𝐢𝐭 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐫⋆.𐙚 ̊

⏔⏔⏔ ꒰ ᧔ෆ᧓ ꒱ ⏔⏔⏔

The weeks slipped into a new rhythm—lectures by day, café shifts by evening. It was exhausting, but strangely, I didn't mind. No matter how long the day was, walking into the café and seeing Jungwon behind the counter made everything feel lighter.

One night, after the last customers had gone and the chairs were stacked, I pulled out my laptop at a corner table, groaning at the sight of my unfinished essay. Sohee:"I swear, if I have to read one more boring article, my brain is going to explode."

Jungwon walked over, drying his hands on a towel. Jungwon:"What's it about?" he asked.

I looked up, blinking. Sohee:"You want to know?"

He gave a small shrug. Jungwon:"You look stressed."

So, half out of desperation, I explained my assignment. To my surprise, he listened carefully, occasionally nodding. Then, after a pause, he pointed to a sentence I'd written.

Jungwon:"This part's good," he said.Jungwon: "But here... it's a little repetitive. Try to explain it simpler."

I stared at him. Sohee:"Wait—you're actually good at this."

He smirked faintly.Jungwon: "I read a lot, remember?"

Before I knew it, he was helping me rephrase a few lines, quietly suggesting words, and somehow making my essay sound better than I thought possible. It wasn't just the help—it was the way he leaned over, focused, patient, like he did with coffee.

When we finished, I let out a dramatic sigh of relief. Sohee:"You may have just saved my grade. Guess you're not only a barista but also my unofficial tutor now."

He shook his head, but I swore I saw his lips twitch. Jungwon:"Don't get used to it."

I grinned. Sohee:"Too late."

From then on, it became part of our routine. Some evenings, while I cleaned or made drinks, I'd slide a question about my assignments toward him. And even though he always pretended to be reluctant, he still helped—calm, patient, like always.

The silence between us wasn't really silence anymore. It was something else. Something warmer.

The weekend came faster than I expected. With university, shifts at the café, and stolen late nights at my desk, I barely had time to breathe. So on Saturday afternoon, I decided to take a slow walk through the city, just to clear my head.

The streets were busy, vendors calling out, people laughing, the smell of roasted chestnuts mixing with the crisp autumn air. I pulled my jacket tighter, wishing I had brought a scarf.

And then, in the middle of the crowd, I froze.

There he was.

Jungwon.

No apron, no coffee cup in his hands, no quiet counter to stand behind—just him. He was wearing a simple hoodie, the hood slightly pulled up, like he wanted to disappear. His gaze was down, his pace steady, as though he was walking without really having a destination.

I almost didn't recognize him. Outside the café, he seemed... smaller somehow. Quieter.

Sohee:"Jungwon?" I called before I could stop myself.

He looked up, startled. For a second, he seemed like he might turn and leave, but then his eyes landed on me.

Jungwon:"Oh," he said softly.

Sohee:"Oh?" I laughed, jogging the few steps to catch up with him.Sohee: "That's all I get? I run into you on the street, and all you can say is oh?"

He gave a faint smile, the kind that barely touched his lips.Jungwon: "Didn't expect to see you here."

Sohee:"Well, lucky you," I teased. Then, without thinking too much, I added, Sohee:"Actually... perfect timing. I was about to get food. Come with me."

He hesitated instantly. Jungwon:"I don't—"

I didn't let him finish. Grinning, I reached out and tugged at his hand, ignoring the surprise on his face. Sohee:"No excuses. You're coming. You can't hide behind the espresso machine forever."

To my shock, he didn't pull away. His steps were slow, reluctant, but he let me guide him down the street, through the glowing signs of restaurants until we stopped in front of a small sushi place.

Inside, the warmth wrapped around us, carrying the smell of rice and fresh fish. I slid into a booth, gesturing for him to sit across from me.

Sohee:"My treat," I declared. Sohee:"And don't argue."

He sat, still stiff, his hands folded on the table as he scanned the menu like it was written in another language. Finally, his voice came quiet, almost uncertain:

Jungwon:"It's been... a long time since I've eaten out."

I frowned. Sohee:"How long?"

He shrugged, his eyes dropping to the table. Jungwon:"Years."

The word hung between us, heavy.

For a moment, I didn't know what to say. Years without something as simple as going out to eat? What kind of life was that?

But instead of asking, I leaned back and grinned. Sohee:"Then tonight's special. You're officially breaking your streak. And you better order a lot, because I'm starving."

That earned me the faintest twitch of his lips—almost a smile.

The plates came one after another—sushi rolls, miso soup, tempura. I dug in happily, while Jungwon ate slowly, almost like he wasn't used to having so much in front of him.

Sohee:"So," I said between bites, pointing a chopstick at him, Sohee:"I've decided something. Tonight, I'm paying. No discussion."

His brows lifted slightly. Jungwon:"You don't have to—"

Sohee:"I want to," I cut him off, puffing my cheeks dramatically. Sohee:"Think of it as a thank you for all the tutoring. And for... not firing me after I nearly destroyed the espresso machine on my first day."

That earned me something rare—an actual laugh. Soft, short, but real. It made me pause for a second, watching him. The sound felt warmer than the restaurant itself.

Jungwon:"You're ridiculous," he murmured, shaking his head.

Sohee:"And you're too serious," I shot back, grinning.

For a moment, the heaviness I'd sensed around him seemed to fade, replaced by something lighter, almost normal. We talked about small things—music playing in the background, my messy professors, even the odd customers we got at the café. Nothing deep, but enough to make me forget how guarded he usually was.

When the meal ended, I stretched happily. Sohee:"Alright, my treat. No sneaky wallet moves."

But when I approached the counter, the woman behind the register gave me a smile. cashier:"It's already been taken care of. Your friend paid."

I blinked. Sohee:"Wait—what?"

She nodded toward Jungwon, who was standing by the door, hands in his pockets, pretending like it was nothing.

I hurried over, glaring at him. Sohee:"You—! I told you I was paying!"

He shrugged, calm as ever. Jungwon:"Too slow."

Sohee:"Unbelievable," I muttered, though I couldn't stop the laugh escaping me.

Outside, the night air was cool, the streets quieter now. I hugged my jacket closer as we walked side by side. At first, I thought he might just leave me at the corner, but he didn't. His steps matched mine, steady, until we reached the street near my apartment.

Sohee:"You didn't have to walk me," I said softly.

Jungwon:"I know," he replied. Jungwon:"But it's late."

Simple words. But the way he said them carried something I couldn't quite name. A quiet kind of care.

When we stopped in front of my building, I turned to him, smiling. Sohee:"Thanks... for everything tonight."

He nodded, hands shoved deeper into his pockets. Jungwon:"Goodnight, Sohee."

And before I could say anything more, he was already walking away, disappearing into the shadows of the street.

I stood there a long moment, my heart racing for reasons I couldn't explain.

Winter❄️

The café windows fogged over from the cold, people rubbing their hands together as they ordered steaming drinks. Winter had settled in for real, and even though the work was exhausting, I couldn't help but smile. The city looked beautiful under a blanket of frost.

After my shift, Jungwon and I lingered in the quiet café, wiping down the last tables. The streets outside glowed with Christmas lights, the kind that made everything feel a little more alive.

Sohee:"You know..." I started carefully, tossing the cloth back onto the counter, Sohee:"you're too much of a hermit."

He looked up from stacking cups. Jungwon."A hermit?"

Sohee:"Yes," I said firmly, grinning. Sohee:"You work, you read, you disappear. It's winter. You should do something fun."

He raised an eyebrow. Jungwon:"Fun?"

Sohee:"Yeah." I leaned forward on the counter, eyes sparkling. Sohee:"Like ice skating. There's a rink near the square. You, me, slipping around, probably falling on our faces—sounds perfect, right?"

His expression was unreadable, but I caught the smallest flicker in his eyes, like he wasn't sure if I was serious.Jungwon:"I don't skate."

Sohee:"Neither do I!" I laughed. Sohee:"That's the whole point."

For a moment, he hesitated, lips pressed together like he was about to refuse. But then, almost reluctantly, he said, Jungwon:"Maybe."

Sohee:"Maybe?" I echoed, pretending to pout. Sohee:"Come on, that's basically a yes. Don't think you can escape now."

That rare, faint smile tugged at his lips again, and for the first time, I felt like I was chipping away at whatever wall he'd built around himself.

At the ice skating hall⛸️

The rink glowed under strings of fairy lights, the ice shimmering like glass. Families, couples, and groups of friends filled the space with laughter, the sound of skates scraping and music echoing softly through the winter air.

I laced up my skates with shaky hands, already nervous. Sohee:"Okay," I said dramatically, wobbling to my feet. Sohee:"If I break a bone tonight, it's your fault."

Jungwon gave me a flat look, already standing steady on his skates. Jungwon:"You're the one who invited me."

Sohee:"True," I admitted, clinging to the railing as we stepped onto the ice. Sohee:"But you're supposed to catch me if I fall."

He sighed, but there was the faintest curve to his lips. Jungwon:"Fine. I'll catch you."

I pushed off carefully, but within seconds, my feet slid in opposite directions, and I let out a squeak. Before I could crash to the ice, strong hands grabbed my arms, steadying me.

My breath caught. Jungwon was close—closer than he'd ever been. His face only inches away, his warm breath visible in the cold air.

Jungwon:"Careful," he murmured.

I swallowed, trying to laugh it off, though my cheeks burned. Sohee:"Guess you're better at this than I thought."

He held me steady a moment longer before letting go, but even then, I felt the ghost of his touch.

We moved slowly around the rink, me clinging to his arm half the time. Every stumble turned into laughter, every slip an excuse for him to steady me again. The world around us blurred—the lights, the music, the people—and all I could focus on was him.

At one point, I looked up at him, ready to make another joke, but stopped. He was watching me with an expression I couldn't quite read—soft, almost vulnerable.

Sohee:"What?" I asked quietly.

He shook his head, gaze darting away. Jungwon:"Nothing."

But I wasn't convinced.

By the time we left the rink, my legs ached, my hands were freezing, and my heart felt far too loud in my chest.

And I knew, deep down, something between us had shifted.

At the Café ☕️

We ducked into a small café near the rink, our hands still red from the cold. The air inside was warm and smelled of chocolate and cinnamon, and I sighed as I wrapped my fingers around the steaming mug of cocoa in front of me.

Sohee:"My legs are dead," I groaned dramatically, leaning back against the booth. Sohee:"I don't think I'll ever walk normally again."

Jungwon smirked faintly, stirring his drink. Jungwon:"You're exaggerating."

Sohee:"Am I? You had to save me at least five times out there." I nudged his arm. Sohee:"You're basically my hero now."

That earned me a small laugh—soft, but real. And for some reason, hearing it in this quiet space felt different. Closer.

For a while, we sipped in silence. Then, out of nowhere, Jungwon spoke, his voice low.

Jungwon:"You know... it's been years since I did anything like this."

I looked at him, surprised. Sohee:"Like what? Skating?"

He shook his head slowly. Jungwon:"No. Just... going out. With someone."

My heart tightened at the quiet honesty in his tone. There was no smile on his face now, no teasing in his eyes—only something vulnerable, something he usually kept locked away.

I wanted to ask why, wanted to know what had kept him so alone all this time. But I bit my tongue. Instead, I gave him a soft smile.

Sohee:"Well," I said gently, Sohee:"then I'm glad I got to be the one."

He blinked, as if the words caught him off guard. For a moment, he just stared at me, something unspoken flickering in his gaze.

Then he looked away, taking another sip of his cocoa. Jungwon:"You talk too much," he muttered, but his ears were faintly red.

I hid my smile behind the rim of my mug, warmth blooming in my chest that had nothing to do with the drink.

After we finished our cocoa, we lingered in the café a little longer, just talking about nothing and everything. For once, the conversation flowed easily, lighthearted and warm. We laughed about my clumsy skating, about the one couple who had nearly crashed into us, even about how terrible I was at walking in skates.

By the time we finally stepped outside, the streets were quiet, dusted with snow that sparkled under the lamplight. The cold nipped at my cheeks, but I barely noticed.

Jungwon walked beside me, hands in his pockets, his steps steady. Sometimes, I caught him glancing my way, though he always looked away quickly when I noticed.

When we reached my apartment, I hesitated at the entrance, not quite ready for the night to end. Sohee:"Thanks... for coming with me today," I said softly.Sohee: "It was fun."

He nodded.Jungwon: "It was."

For a moment, we stood there in silence, the air crisp between us. Then he added quietly, almost as if it slipped out: Jungwon:"You make things feel... less heavy."

Before I could answer, he gave me a small nod and stepped back. Jungwon:"Get inside. It's cold."

I smiled, warmth spreading through me despite the freezing air. Sohee:"Goodnight, Jungwon."

Jungwon:"Goodnight, Sohee."

And just like before, he waited until I was safely inside before turning to leave.

The day had started ordinary, but by the time I curled up in bed that night, replaying the sound of his laugh in my head, I knew it was something.

But what was it?

꧁⎝ 𓆩༺✧༻𓆪 ⎠꧂