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RIKU X JAEHEE

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BEHIND YOUR COLD HEARTH

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Word count : 1358

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The small village of Wintervale was blanketed in pristine white snow, the kind that sparkled under the weak winter sun. Jaehee trudged through the snow-covered ground, his boots crunching with every step. The air was crisp, his breath visible as small puffs of mist. In his gloved hands, he held a list of groceries he needed to buy from the local shop.

The shop, a cozy wooden building at the edge of the village, came into view. Its frosted windows glowed warmly, promising a reprieve from the biting cold. As Jaehee approached, he felt a flicker of unease in his chest. Rumor had it that Riku, his once-best friend, was now working at the shop.

Riku. The name alone stirred a mixture of emotions in Jaehee’s heart.

He and Riku had been inseparable as children. While Jaehee was quiet and shy, Riku was the embodiment of sunshine—always smiling, always kind, and adored by everyone. They had shared countless adventures, from building forts in the woods to sledding down the steepest hills. But then, one cold, rainy night, everything had changed.

It had been a heated argument—one neither of them liked to talk about. Riku had retreated after that night, shutting himself off from the world. The warmth he was known for had disappeared, replaced by a distant, icy demeanor. Over the years, the boy everyone once adored became a shadow of his former self, his coldness driving a wedge between him and the rest of the village.

Jaehee missed him.

As he pushed open the shop door, a small bell chimed overhead. Warmth enveloped him, carrying the comforting scent of firewood and freshly baked bread. At the counter stood Riku, his expression as unreadable as ever.

He had grown taller since their childhood, his sharp features accentuated by the harsh lines of adulthood. His once-bright eyes were dulled, their warmth hidden behind a mask of indifference.

Jaehee hesitated, his heart pounding.

“Welcome,” Riku said curtly, not looking up as he handed change to a customer. His voice was as cold as the winter air outside.

Jaehee swallowed hard and wheeled his cart forward. He filled it with the items on his list—flour, sugar, canned goods—before making his way to the counter.

When it was his turn, Riku’s eyes finally met his. For a brief moment, a flicker of recognition passed through them, but it was quickly buried beneath his stoic exterior.

“Jaehee,” Riku said, his tone neutral.

“Hi, Riku,” Jaehee replied, trying to sound cheerful. “It’s been a while.”

Riku scanned the items in silence, his movements precise and mechanical.

“You work here now?” Jaehee asked, attempting to fill the awkward silence.

“Yeah,” Riku replied shortly.

Jaehee bit his lip, unsure how to bridge the gap between them. When Riku handed him his total, Jaehee hesitated.

“Riku,” he began, his voice softer. “Can we talk? Maybe after your shift?”

Riku’s hands paused, gripping the edge of the counter. For a moment, Jaehee thought he might refuse. But then, with a reluctant sigh, Riku nodded.

“Fine,” he said. “I finish in an hour.”

An hour later, the two of them walked side by side down the snowy village road. The silence between them was heavy, broken only by the crunch of their boots on the snow.

“I missed you,” Jaehee said finally, his breath forming clouds in the frigid air.

Riku didn’t respond, his gaze fixed on the horizon.

“I mean it,” Jaehee continued. “We used to be so close. I don’t understand what happened that night—why everything changed.”

Riku stopped abruptly, his shoulders tense. “You don’t understand?” he repeated, his voice edged with bitterness. He turned to face Jaehee, his eyes flashing with something raw and unspoken.

“Riku…” Jaehee began, but the words caught in his throat.

“You were supposed to be my best friend,” Riku said, his voice trembling despite its coldness. “But that night, you made it clear you didn’t trust me.”

Jaehee’s heart sank. He remembered the night vividly now—the storm raging outside, their voices raised in anger, the accusations thrown in the heat of the moment.

“I was angry,” Jaehee admitted. “I said things I didn’t mean. But I never stopped trusting you, Riku. I was just scared.”

“Scared of what?” Riku demanded, his voice cracking. “Of me?”

Jaehee shook his head. “No. Scared of losing you.”

The vulnerability in his voice seemed to catch Riku off guard. For a moment, the mask slipped, and Jaehee saw a glimpse of the boy he used to know—the boy who had once been his closest confidant.

“I never wanted to hurt you,” Jaehee continued. “But when you shut me out, I didn’t know how to fix things.”

Riku looked away, his jaw tightening. “You wouldn’t understand, Jaehee. You’ve always been the sunshine, the one everyone loves now. You don’t know what it’s like to feel… replaceable.”

Jaehee’s chest tightened. “Riku, you were never replaceable. Not to me.”

They walked in silence for a while, the tension between them easing slightly. Jaehee decided to try a different approach.

“Remember when we built that snow fort behind my house?” he asked, a small smile tugging at his lips.

Riku glanced at him, his expression softening despite himself. “Yeah. You insisted it needed a ‘secret escape tunnel.’”

“And you said it was a waste of time,” Jaehee added with a laugh. “But then I got stuck, and you had to dig me out.”

Riku’s lips twitched, the faintest hint of a smile appearing. “You were always getting us into trouble.”

“And you were always bailing us out,” Jaehee said, his tone warm.

For the first time in years, Riku laughed—a genuine, unguarded sound that made Jaehee’s heart swell.

“I missed this,” Jaehee said softly. “I missed you.”

Riku’s smile faded, but the warmth lingered in his eyes. “I missed you too,” he admitted quietly. “I just didn’t know how to go back to the way things were.”

“We don’t have to go back,” Jaehee said. “We can start fresh. But only if you let me in, Riku. I want to understand what happened, why you’ve been so distant.”

Riku hesitated, his breath visible in the cold air. Then, slowly, he began to speak.

“It wasn’t just the fight,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “It was everything. The expectations, the pressure to be perfect. Everyone loved me for being ‘sunshine Riku,’ but no one saw how much it hurt to always be the happy one. That night, when we fought, it felt like you saw me the way everyone else did—like I wasn’t allowed to be anything but perfect.”

Jaehee’s eyes filled with tears. “Riku, I’m so sorry. I never meant to make you feel that way.”

Riku nodded, his gaze softening. “I know that now. But back then, it was easier to push you away than to face how I was feeling.”

Jaehee reached out, placing a hand on Riku’s arm. “You don’t have to face it alone anymore. I’m here, Riku. I’ve always been here.”

As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of pink and orange, the two of them found themselves back at the shop. The tension between them had melted like snow under the warm sun.

“Thank you,” Riku said, his voice steady but sincere.

“For what?” Jaehee asked.

“For not giving up on me,” Riku replied. “For reminding me that it’s okay to let people in.”

Jaehee smiled, his heart full. “That’s what best friends are for.”

Riku’s smile finally reached his eyes, and for the first time in years, Jaehee saw a glimmer of the sunshine that had once defined him.

As they parted ways that evening, Jaehee felt a warmth in his chest that rivaled the cold winter air. They had a long way to go, but for the first time, he was certain they were on the right path—together.

Behind Riku’s cold heart, Jaehee had found the boy he once knew, and together, they would rebuild the bond they had lost.

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