#plot:soundandsilence

@himchanmi

Snowflakes fell from the sky as if angels were having a pillow fight in heaven. A crisp snow blanket covered the entire city, transforming the usually dark and grim landscape into a white and magical land. It was like he had woken up in a dream, as if he was in a different place like last night. A faint winter sun found its way through the snow-filled clouds. Its sunrays reflected upon the snow and covered the entire campus site in a yellow and orange glow.

Most students were hiding inside and only a couple of them dared to face the cold winter weather. Umbrellas, plastic binders and thick books shielded the girls’ hairdo while they hurried from one building to another. They screamed as if they would melt when the snow would touch their skin. Some students, on the other hand, were happy it was finally snowing. Winter was only winter when it snowed. A few freshmen were laughing as they attacked each other with snowballs. Some kids that had found their way onto the campus site, were building a snowman while their grandmothers kept a keen eye on them from the sideline. 

Jinki didn’t belong to one side. He didn’t particularly hate winter. He liked winter promenades while the snowflakes stick in your hair and the snow crunches underneath your thick winter boots. But, winter reminded him of the holiday season and the holidays reminded him of that one person he did not want to think about. He used to love Christmas and he still liked spending time with his mom, but the holiday was celebrated differently than in most households since they both associated the holiday with the man that loved everything about Christmas, Christmas decorations and Christmas lights, the man they wished to forget about, the man of their past. 

Jinki covered his nose with his scarf to protect him from the icy wind that was blowing. His satchel, loaded with books and paperwork, bounced against his hip as he hopped onto the stairs to the library.

Silence and a soothing warmth greeted him the moment he stepped in the library. The temperature difference between outside and inside the building was so intense that the snowflakes on his shoulders melted instantly. The water pooled together into a small puddle underneath his feet, smudging the clean marble floor.

A face with a welcoming smile popped up from behind the librarian’s desk the moment the heavy, wooden doors closed behind the student’s back.

“Hi,” Jinki greeted the man behind the desk.

The man was still young, about Jinki’s age. Maybe it was a student from another major who earned some extra money as the librarian’s assistant. He was handsome (objectively spoken of course) with sharp features and intense eyes but very soft, tender lips and a soothing smile.