♫ : seoul (prod. honne) - rm

You walked on the quiet street, the only sound being the soft crunch of snow under your boots. You pulled your scarf tighter as the wind blew harder.

Seoul in winter was like a picture you'd see on a postcard in souvenir stores - snowflakes falling, painting the rooftops and streets white.

You hugged the bag of steamed dumplings closer to your chest, enjoying the slight warmth it gave you. You soon arrived at the entrance of your apartment building and your fingers trembled punching in the door code as your breath formed small, white clouds in the air.

The door clicked and you quickly pushed it open, slipping inside and sighing in relief as you felt the warmth of the building's lobby enveloping you. Shaking the snow from your boots, you made your way into the elevator.

"Hold the door please!" you heard a voice call from behind. You instinctively pressed the open button and the stranger jogged inside as he brushed the snow off his white puffer jacket.

"Thanks," he said, flashing a warm smile that seemed to make the cold in your body disappear.

"You're welcome," you replied.

There was something familiar about him - those eyes, that laid-back posture... you smiled politely but your mind raced two-hundred kilometers per hour to figure out why he seemed so familiar.

You glanced over, capturing his reflection in the mirror-lined walls. He was really... something.

His face was defined, his hair messy but in that effortless way that looked like it should be on a magazine cover. Whoever he was, he looked like the kind of guy who could turn heads without even trying.

As the doors opened to your floor, you stepped out first. To your surprise, the guy followed, matching your steps.

You slowed down, wondering if maybe he was heading to a different apartment. Or if he wasn't as nice as he seemed and had other intentions.

Your heart skipped a beat when he stopped in front of the door directly across from yours.

No one lived in that apartment for as long as you've been here and it had only been a few weeks since the workers of the moving company dropped brand-new furniture. Could he be the new owner?

"You live here?" you blurted out, pointing at the door.

He turned his head, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Yeah, I just moved in, actually. Didn't think I'd be seeing someone familiar so soon."

You froze, your brain processing his words. Someone familiar? You don't think you've seen this person before.

And then, a voice sounded in the back of your mind. It was something your mother said a few weeks ago, about an old friend of yours that was moving back to South Korea and bought an apartment near yours. You didn't really put much thought into it until now...

You stared at him, eyes wide as the dots connected and a certain someone's name appeared in your mind. The only person this man in front of you could possibly be was the old friend who moved to another country more than a decade ago.

"Wait... Jaeyun? Jake?"

His grin widened. "Ah, so you do remember me. I was starting to think that you'd forgotten."

Sim Jaeyun. Jake. Your childhood best friend, the one who moved to Australia when you were kids. There were some occasional family meet-ups and you were in touch for a few years before you grew apart.

But your mom never said that his new home in South Korea was this close...

And this Jaeyun - he looked absolutely nothing like the boy you remembered. The Jaeyun you knew had been smaller, a little shy, and always smiling with that soft, awkward grin.

But puberty probably hit hard because this Jaeyun? He was tall, confident, and hot. Like, really hot. And the hotness was honestly a bit overwhelming.

"No way..." you shook your head with a surprised smile. "You're really Sim Jaeyun?"

"Last time I checked," he chuckled, leaning casually against his door frame. "You can call me Jake, though."

You slowly nodded.

"It's been a while, hasn't it? Fifteen years, almost?"

"Yeah," you nodded. Your families were next-door neighbors and the two of you'd walk back home together after school. You used to play in the park every day and he used to chase you with snowballs in winters just like this.

You'd always wondered how he was doing after his family moved away and you stopped going to the occasional meet-ups, but this reunion was the last thing you expected.

"You've... changed a lot," was the only thing you managed to say. It was an understatement, but words were failing you at the moment.

Jake laughed, that same playful tone you remembered, but deeper now. "You too. You've grown up a lot, and beautifully."

You could feel your cheeks heat up at his words. You quickly looked away, taking out your keys. He tilted his head, watching you with a small smirk on his lips, clearly enjoying the awkwardness.

You opened your door and hesitated. "It's good to see you again."

"Good to see you too," he said, stepping closer. "You know, we should catch up. Properly."

"Yeah, maybe-" you stuttered. Who wouldn't be like this with an attractive guy standing right in front of them?

There was a light, teasing look in Jake's eyes like he knew exactly what he was doing to you. The old Jake would never have been this bold.

"I'll hold you to that," he leaned back against his door. "Goodnight, neighbor~"

"Goodnight," you muttered as you quickly stepped inside and shut the door behind you. Once inside, you leaned against it, heart racing as you tried to calm yourself.

Jake was back... And, well, he wasn't the same Jake you once knew. Not that it affected you too much, but you're having a new neighbor who's really hot and was once your best friend.

You peeked out the peephole, catching him unlocking his door and stepping inside. He was definitely different now. More confident, more charming, and somehow a lot more alluring than you could ever imagine.

The snow continued to fall outside, and you couldn't help but wonder what this winter would be like now that Jaeyun - Jake - was back in your life.