Kate shivered against the raw Canadian December wind. Her boots made soft crunching noises against the snow covered sidewalk. The breeze was so cold she was beginning to think that her face would freeze solid if she didn't make it inside soon.

Thankfully, she finally made it to Copper Cup, the coffeeshop were she spent her free time. It was a wonderfully warm and cozy place; peaceful. Usually anyway. It would seem that today, the day before Christmas Eve, it was busier then normal. Kate stepped up to the counter and ordering a hot peppermint tea to keep her company while she read her favourite chick-lit. The centre tables plus the seats near the fireplace were all occupied, so Kate chose the booth by the front window.

She slid onto the cool leather seat and made herself comfortable before pulling a Melanie Dickirson novel out of her purse and finding her page. Kate glanced up momentarily, before she had a chance to be drawn completely into the fantasy world of her book. The large window beside the booth showed a clear view of the street, which was pleasant as Kate enjoyed people-watching from time to time as she rested her eyes from the small print of her softcover novel.

Just as she was about to continue her reading, she noticed a figure outside the window. She wasn't sure why this particular person caught her attention, but he did. His white-blonde hair was styled up at his forehead in a flawless quiff and his eyes were such a blue that she couldn't describe, so icy cold and bright that she instantly caught sight of their colour despite him being some distance from her. He wore a leather trench coat, along with a pair of dark grey jeans and some black combat boots.

Kate pulled her eyes away from his face just as he entered Copper Cup, trying hard to focus on her book. She forced herself to keep her gaze fixed on the words on the page, trying to comprehend their meaning instead of looking up at the stranger. Interestingly, half way through her chapter, a voice cut into her thoughts.

"This seat taken?" A male monotone asked. Kate's eyes shot up to meet with those icy blues she'd been admiring previously. The young man's cheeks were rosy from the cold, and it appeared as if he'd shoved a hand through his pale hair, dishevelling it slightly.

"Uh, no." Kate answered slowly. The request to occupy the seat across from her was usual, but the weight of this young man's presence was to an extent that she could hardly think straight enough to respond coherently. "Go ahead." She finally managed, still staring up at him as she motioned to the seat in front of her.

The stranger nodded his thanks and took his seat, an iced coffee in hand.
"No late Christmas shopping to do?" His voice filled the air in a low rhythm once again, and Kate found herself shivering in the best possible way.

"Oh no, I've done all my shopping. I'm actually in an internship here in the city so I'm going out to visit my family the day after Christmas." She explained.

"Fair enough." It was only at this point that Kate noticed his accent. She supposed at this point she'd been paying so much attention to his other features, such as his squared jaw or prominent cheekbones, his curved cupid's-bow or long dark lashes. The edge to his words was foreign; she couldn't place it.

"I'm Kate by the way," she suddenly said, reaching across the table for a hand shake. He accepted it, and as he took her hand she nearly recoiled at his chilling touch.

"Jokul." He introduced himself with a smile, revealing flawless pearly whites.

Kate glanced down at his coffee once again. "Iced coffee in minus 30 weather?" She asked with a light laugh.

"I don't mind the cold," Jokul answered.

"Hm." Kate hummed with a slight nod. "I mean, I love the snow and Christmas, but the freezing weather isn't my personal favourite." She said.

"Everyone's got different preferences," Jokul leaned back in the booth and sipped from his iced coffee. "I mean, I usually don't prefer having conversations with odd strangers, but now I'm finding I quite like it." He said, smiling again. His monotone and accent seemed to blend so well and along with his statement, created the absolute perfect combination to make Kate blush.

"I guess it's a good thing Copper Cup gets so full over Christmas," Kate said with a smile.

"Yeah. It's nice to stop and talk with someone for a change." Jokul's cold blue eyes met Kate's. She'd always been told that her brown eyes could melt the soul, but with this particular person she felt as if she'd met her match. His eyes were like pure ice, so frigidly blue and yet still held so much emotion within them. It made Kate want to find out what kind of soul they windowed. No doubt one of mischief and heart; that was what she saw. True beauty laying beneath a layer of ice.

"I should be off, thanks for the use of your table." Jokul suddenly stood up. Kate found herself wishing he didn't have to go so soon, but nodded with a smile.

"No problem," she responded. Jokul nodded and was off, disappearing down the street. Kate wished she could talk to him more, get to know the person behind that beautiful face. But he was gone now, so she supposed she was too late. She took a sip of her tea again, realizing it had gone lukewarm in that short amount of time. Without bothering to order another, Kate went back to her reading, trying to get the image of Jokul out of her mind. His blue eyes seemed imbedded into her memory. She shook her head, trying to clear it enough to focus on the story.

She glanced up again to check the clock on the wall, and as she did she noticed something different about the large window. The glass was frosted over with mystical shapes and swirls, and in the middle, there was some words.

"The cold isn't all bad." They read.