Taesan Fanfic | You met me in the prologue of youth - 17. Why are you here

The late night after the noisy daytime program and all the camp talent show performances were over. The night air at the training camp, nestled in a mountain valley, was pretty cold.

Inside the lodging, the place was filled with the steady breathing of kids who had worked themselves to exhaustion all day and were dead asleep. Yuri couldn’t fall asleep, so she quietly pulled on a thick hooded zip-up and carefully opened the door to slip outside.

When she sat on the small bench behind the lodging and lifted her head, countless stars that you couldn’t see in the city were densely dotting the night sky. Her cheeks were freezing in the cold wind, but with her heart feeling all soft and warm, Yuri quietly let out a breath. White mist burst into the air.

한태산

Why are you awake and out here alone?

Then came the familiar voice, softly from behind. Before she even turned around, a big, puffy, warm padded jacket was dropped over Yuri’s shoulders.

It was Taesan.

김여주

Ah, Taesan... You didn’t sleep?

한태산

How could I sleep? I came out after seeing you were gone, and here you are by yourself blowing out puffs of breath.

Though Taesan grumbled, he naturally sat down beside Yuri. Then he pulled out two warm canned coffees, like he’d just bought them, from his pocket. He gently pressed one of the warm cans to Yuri’s reddened cheek.

김여주

Ah, it’s warm ...

한태산

If you stay somewhere cold, you’ll catch a cold. How’s your face? Does it still ache?

Yuri shook her head, clutching the canned coffee tightly with both hands.

김여주

No, it really doesn’t hurt anymore. You were the one who kept doing ice packs for me in the infirmary during the sports day.

한태산

You should at least know how to shut up. I seriously thought my heart was going to stop back then, Kim Yuri.

Taesan clicked the lid off the canned coffee and handed it to Yuri with a low sigh. Then he turned his gaze and quietly took in Yuri’s profile, as she stared blankly at the night sky. Yuri’s eyes glittered in the starlight, and her slender, warm hands were held timidly together.

Taesan quietly reached out and wrapped his hand around Yuri’s small one, which was peeking out a little from the sleeve of her coat. Then he gently intertwined their fingers and laced them together.

한태산

... Your hands are really cold.

김여주

Ah... uh, sorry...

When Yuri shyly tried to pull her hand away, Taesan held on a little tighter and wouldn’t let go. Instead, he pushed Yuri’s hand into the pocket of his big padded jacket. The warmth inside the pocket, and each other’s body heat, traveled hotly across the skin.

한태산

Don’t run away. I’m holding it for you.

김여주

... Yeah.

With her face flushed red, Yuri lowered her head and smiled shyly.

The night wind in the mountain valley was cold, but the warmth the two of them shared was softer and cozier than anything else in the world. It was a night when countless stars gently poured down over their heads.