Chapter 28 The First Fall Of Snow #2
I reached for a navy scarf in the back, everything was so organized. What man was this put together? It was almost intimidating. Everything was set in rows of colour and garment. “Jesus you’re so meticulous.” I huffed, “Have you ever worn this?”
“That scarf was from a shoot so no,” I informed him.
“Exactly what I thought.” I scoffed, then turned to face him with my hands on my hips. “You should totally let me go shopping in your closet someday There’s lots of stuff I could probably fit in here.”
“Ok.” He said plainly.
“I was joking by the way.” I blushed.
“You don’t have to be.” He sighed, “Bae does it all the time and she doesn’t even ask so you could just line up right behind her, or in front of her. Pretty soon you will get the first choice on all that’s mine.”
“I don’t think Bae would very much like being pushed aside.” I cleared my throat nervously.
“Oh never pushed aside just made to take the backseat, so you can sit up front beside me.” He explained, then glanced away.
He sighed but didn’t argue as I picked out a pair of fleece-lined gloves and his heaviest coat. I could feel his gaze on me as I worked, but when I turned around, he quickly looked away.
“Alright, stand up,” I said, motioning for him to move.
“I don’t need—”
“Stand. Up.”
He rolled his eyes but obeyed, towering over me as usual. I picked up the sweater and held it out to him. “Arms up,” I ordered.
“I’ll have you know that this is mortifying.” He commented.
“Oh suck it up.” I sighed.
Muttering something under his breath about how bossy I was, he raised his arms, and I slipped the sweater over his head. His hair stuck up in all directions when he emerged, and I couldn’t help but laugh as I tried to smooth it down.
“Now for the scarf,” I said, wrapping it around his neck carefully. My fingers brushed against his skin as I adjusted it, and I felt a sudden warmth rise to my cheeks. I stepped back quickly, trying to shake it off.
“Is this really a necessity?” Wynter asked, his voice softer now.
“Yes,” I said, ignoring the fluttering in my chest. “You’ll freeze without it.”
“You bloody Americans, who think the New York winter is the worst thing you’ve ever experienced are yet to set foot in London in December.” He complained.
“Call me American one more time.” I threatened.
“I get the sense I probably should not….” He replied.
“Bingo.”
I leaned in to tuck the ends of the scarf into his coat just as Bae’s voice rang out from the doorway.
“Oh my God!”
I spun around to see her standing there with her hands over her eyes, her voice dripping with mock horror. “I get that you two are dating now, but this is crazy, why is Wyn shirtless!”
“W-we’re not dating!” I blurted out, stepping back from Wynter so quickly I almost tripped.
“We’re not,” Wynter said at the same time, his voice rising slightly.
“What the hell are you waiting for loser? The second coming of Christ?” Back scolded, “Stop wasting the poor girls time.”
Wynter's face contorted into this impressive shade of red as his sister spoke, he attempted to open his mouth in a quick retort, but failed and Bae laughed heartily.
“Oh this is Gold!” She giggled.
“Bae, disappear.” He directed and she lifted up her hands up in surrender.
“Oh, absolutely not this is better than anything showing on Comedy Central right now, way better than anything I had planned. Seriously what’s the hold up you’re taking longer to court than they did in the Regency Era?
” Bae jested. “You have the girl picking out clothes for you if that’s not that Disney fairytale kind of love I don’t know what is! ”
“Bae.” I smiled, I had to admit the girl was hilarious by nature. “Let your brother be.”
“See she’s already speaking to me like an aunty would.” She laughed.
“Bae.” Wynter warned once more.
“Fine fine I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone.” She said in defeat, “But for the record, get it together, you’re embarrassing all of us.”
The sound of her laughter then echoes down the halls.
“Sorry about her.” Wyn apologized.
“Eh, don’t worry about it.” I assured him.
We shared an uneasy quiet until he eventually cleared his throat.
"Thank you, you know...for The jumper and stuff," he explained.
I dared a glimpse up at him and noticed that his ears were still red, but he had a faint, shy smile on his face.
"You're welcome," I answered with a smile of my own.
And for a brief time, as we stood there in the calm warmth of his room, the bitter cold outside forgotten, I couldn't help but wonder if Bae wasn't completely incorrect.
We walked to the park in giggles and the ground was blanketed in snow, we had succeeded in arriving before anyone else did much our fortune. all the benches were dusted with a thin layer of white as I flopped onto the ground that cushioned me with frost.
“You’re going to get your clothes wet.” He warned.
“Oh I don’t care, come lay down make one with me,” I asked of him.
He slowly sat down beside me and grabbed hold of my hand, we laid back and spread our arms and legs out making snow angels and for a brief moment time stopped, and I felt like we were little kids again.
Wynter sat up after his soft gaze encapsulating New York City in a world of his own, making, certainly something far brighter than I could’ve ever imagined. It was only when I heard the click, but I knew something was up. There was one, and then another we both glanced around.
I saw cameras, flashing and people moving towards us.
“Wynter?” I asked frowning, my voice small and his expression contorted into something of distaste.
“Shit.” He cursed I turned around and saw the crowd growing the flash of cameras coming from all directions.
“What the….” I muttered.
He stood up and grabbed a hold of my hand, insisting that we needed to go.
The sheer alert in his voice sent cold through me.
I didn’t have a clue what was happening, but I could see the focus in his shift as he pulled me towards the exit, the first few people in the crowd were calling his name and had their cell phones out.
Some professional cameras scattered here and there.
“Mr Kwon is that your girlfriend?” one of the reporters asked, unsure whether I should laugh at the absurdity of it. I witnessed as he shielded my face from the flashing with his arm.
“Do not pay them any attention just keep walking.” He instructed and I matched his pace.
I had never in my life experienced anything like this it was almost as if they appeared from nowhere, and we’re hungry for something worse than blood, for a story they could spin for countless amounts of money.
It was almost as if his life or some reality show to them.
And that was the first time that I felt as though he was no longer just the boy next-door, but a celebrity a real one the kind that you saw on TV walking down red carpets.
“Wynter they’re—”
“I’m aware.” He insisted. “To the car come on.”
it struck me to my core, how his voice remains so calm even in this kind of uncomfortable situation. It was almost like he dealt with it before. It was a practice kind of reassurance. The questions from the crowd continue to follow, nevertheless.
Are you dating Wynter, who is the mystery girl, what’s your relationship your fans are dying to know?
He ignored them all.
I felt like the world was closing and around me the snow, that at once felt magical with suddenly just this cold and overwhelming thing, the questions got louder and more intrusive but soon enough, we got to the car and shut the door, tinted windows up and all.
My heart was still pounding. When he turned to face me his expression shifted from something of annoyance to a deep concern, concern for me, he placed his palms on either of my cheeks, staring deep into my eyes.
“Are you okay?” He asked,
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I shrugged.
“it’s okay if you’re not, I wouldn’t be after experiencing something like that for the first time.” He insisted. “I’m sorry they ruined your day, I’ll make it up to you.”
“I just didn’t realize how crazy this could get,” I answered honestly.
“It’s not exactly my favourite part of the job either.” He responded both bitterly and sadly. “I do apologize.”
“You don’t have to say you’re sorry it’s not like you chose for this to happen.” I assured him, “How long have you been dealing with all of this?”
“it was easier before the gold medal, before the Olympics. But the second that I won, the second I was over 18– It’s like the press took that is free reign to get as close as they could as legally possible.
” He explained, “Sometimes I can get away with it though, and not be spotted. But sometimes I’m also not as lucky and I’m truly sorry you had to be there for it. ”
“I don’t blame you for it.” I assured him placing my hand over his. “At all.”
I smiled then, more honestly. It felt nice to know that, even in the midst of everything, he still cared about me—about making sure I was okay.