The winter night had settled over the city, sharp and biting, yet you found comfort in the little café tucked along the corner of the street. Golden light spilled through the windows, the faint hum of soft music and the steam. For a while, it felt like time had slowed—just you, the quiet chatter around, and the steady rhythm of your thoughts.

But when the last streaks of sunlight began to fade beyond the glass, you knew it was time to leave. Stepping outside, the air nipped at your skin, You pulled your coat tighter, slid on your headphones, and let the world shrink down to the familiar cocoon of music. The streets were quieter than usual.

Lost in thought, you turned a corner only to collide with someone. The impact jolted you back to the present. Your headphones slipped slightly, and as you looked up, your eyes locked on a face that made the world feel suddenly unfamiliar.

Jungwon. He stood before you, framed by the glow of the streetlamp, wearing a navy blue hat pulled low, a loose white sleeveless shirt beneath an unbuttoned navy overshirt. In his hand, an umbrella hung loosely, as if even he hadn’t expected the winter drizzle that whispered against the pavement.

For a moment, neither of you moved. His gaze softened when it met yours, and then his lips curved into an apologetic smile. The kind that disarmed, that felt both sincere and fleeting.

His voice, low and earnest, broke the hush of the night. “I’m really sorry for bumping into you. I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going. Are you alright?”

The cold lingered in the air, but the warmth in his tone reached you first.