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"Is Yoongi here?"
"yes."
"Did you meet that woman today too?"
"Yeah, I guess so."
"You're really persistent."
Yoongi sat down next to a woman with bobbed hair and crimson lipstick, laughing heartily, and picked up a bottle of alcohol. "Would you like me to pour you a drink?" His low, low voice, still holding onto his smile, echoed through the stale air.
"How long will this go on?"
"I'm going to finish it soon. I've already embezzled a lot of money."
"It always seems like the people who came up from the bottom are the most foolish."
"That's right. Stupid. Not even realizing that I'm walking around with my vagina clouded."
"Would you like a drink too?"
"Good."
The classical music emanating from the store and the strangely suffocating air made Yoongi laugh like a maniac. He looked back on his life, a life he had lived for these moments. Everything had gone according to plan. When he took a sip of his drink, he pictured the back of Yeoju, left alone.
"...stupid."
The corners of his mouth rose in a mean smile. Then, he quickly turned off the phone that was calling the female protagonist.
"Yoongi. Do you want to sleep with me today?"
"Without clothes?"
"Of course not."
"Sister, should I take it off for you?"
"Phew, good."
Their lips entangled. His large hand stroked her hair. His warmth spread through her body. He unbuttoned his button, and the red flowers bloomed.
The cold winter winds mercilessly attacked the heroine. It was a pain as if her skin had been pierced by the cold winter wind. The endless darkness of the night seemed to engulf her, leaving her helpless in the winter.
By the time she started coughing, she was finally able to enter the house. Unable to remove her outer garments in the warm air of the house, Yeoju fell into a deep slumber, clutching her phone tightly, as if waiting for Yoongi's call. The cold winter hadn't given her warm, cozy dreams.
When Yeoju opened her eyes, it was 4 a.m. Her phone was clean, without a single alarm. She hung her outerwear on a hanger and started filling the bathtub with warm water. The sky was still a dark, engulfing black.
"...Yoongi. Why is winter always so cold?"
After waiting for a long time and not hearing an answer, Yeo-ju sank to the ground, leaning against the wall. She called Yoon-gi's name several times, but there was no answer. Even with the overflowing water in the bathtub, Yeo-ju couldn't get up. Only the smoky air of the bathroom hid her frail self. In that hot air, Yeo-ju shed the tears she had been holding back.
The next day, Yeoju was scheduled to meet Yoongi. Her long, wavy hair suited her perfectly. Only after wrapping herself in a checkered scarf could she finally ward off the cold. Seeing Yoongi near her, Yeoju silently embraced him.
"...Yoongi..."
"... Ah. Sister, it was a mistake..."
But Yoon-ki slapped her arm away. Surprised, perhaps even by his own actions, he immediately embraced her again. Tears welled up in her eyes again, but she forced herself to push Yoon-ki away, telling him it was okay. Her shaking eyes and welling tears revealed her helplessness to Yoon-ki. Unable to sink beneath the surface, she simply floated upward.
"Sister..."
"...you're a little weird."
"... Let's go somewhere first."
"... okay."
As Yoon-gi held Yeo-ju's hand tightly as they walked, Yeo-ju seemed to hesitate for a moment before beginning to babble as usual. Yoon-gi's tension eased as Yeo-ju returned to her usual behavior. Everything flowed as usual until they finished their meal and headed to the cafe.
"Yoongi. When will spring come?"
"Well, why is that?"
"Winter... is so cold and lonely."
"...Why do you think so?"
"The air is cold, and the sky is bleak. It's even worse at night. The sky is endlessly dark. I always feel infinitely small in winter like that."
"..."
"That's why I like warm spring. It's different from winter."
That winter night, beneath the sky, Yeoju simply held Yoongi's hand tightly, blowing out her breath. Through the white, rising breath, Yeoju's winter deepened.
"It was fun today, Yoongi. When do you have time again?"
"I have some free time after school on Wednesday. Shall we meet then?"
"Okay. I heard the new movie is fun. Let's go see it and eat some seafood, which Yoongi likes."
"Okay. See you on Wednesday."
Yoongi kissed Yeoju's forehead, her cheeks and nose flushed. "Goodbye. Warm yourself up and sleep. Yeah. You too, Yoongi." Yeoju waved at Yoongi and went into the house.
"...Why do you say that?"
Yoon-gi leaned against the wall next to Yeo-ju's house, fiddling with the pack of cigarettes he'd kept in his right pocket. There was no lighter. He put his hand in his empty left pocket and turned toward home.