By the First Snow

It was the first day back to school, the air buzzing with excitement, fresh uniforms, and a crisp breeze that whispered the arrival of something new. Ariel adjusted the strap on her schoolbag as she hurriedly grabbed a bite of toast. Despite living in the city for three years now, she still felt like the new girl. Maybe because she was always watching from the edge, never quite inside the circle. But this year felt different. She ran out the door, heart thudding not from the sprint, but from something else, anticipation. Outside, her best friends Eunji and Nari were waiting at the gate, already locked in their usual banter. "Still eating breakfast like a delinquent," Eunji teased, eyeing Ariel's half-eaten toast."Better late than empty-stomached," Ariel mumbled through a bite, grinning. As the three girls strolled up the school walkway, the chaos of first-day energy surrounded them: teachers yelling over the noise, students reuniting after summer, and freshmen looking completely lost. Then came the interruption.Two older boys stood casually in their path — Ha-Joon and Ji-Ho, infamous for charming smiles and harmless-but-annoying pranks."What do you want, Ha-Joon? Ji-Ho?" Eunji asked flatly, already suspicious.With synchronized devilish grins, the boys chuckled and shrugged.Just as Ariel raised her head to speak, someone else approached from behind. Jun-Seo. He barely glanced her way as he passed, but his voice was calm and cool as he addressed his friends."Guys, come on now, don't mess with Ariel. Our families are great friends and run the company together." Ha-Joon's smirk grew. "Relax, Jun-Seo, we were just messing around. Besides, she's kinda cute, don't you think?" Jun-Seo stopped walking. A moment of silence stretched between them."She's off limits. Leave her alone." His voice was sharper now. More final. Ha-Joon raised a brow. "Is that so? Does she have a boyfriend?"Jun-Seo hesitated. His jaw flexed slightly."No… I don't know if she does or not. I don't know her like that. I only see her on certain occasions, at business events. What's important right now is that we stay focused on our game. "With that, he turned and kept walking, not sparing Ariel another glance. But his words lingered like perfume in the air. The rest of the day passed in a blur. Teachers handed out class schedules. Lockers jammed. People gossiped. Ariel floated through it all like a ghost, half-present, half-lost in thought. What did he mean — off limits? Why did it sound more like a warning than a defense? And why… did her chest feel tight? Later that afternoon, in the school courtyard, Ariel sat with Nari and Eunji under a cherry blossom tree that hadn't bloomed since last spring. The branches were bare now, but they cast soft shadows on the pavement."So," Nari began, sipping from a juice box, "Jun-Seo knows your name. That's... surprising." "I guess our parents working together means he's had to at least hear it once," Ariel muttered. Eunji raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, but defending you in front of his crew? That's not standard chaebol behavior." Ariel shrugged, trying to play it off. But inside, her stomach flipped. "He probably just didn't want them causing trouble." "Or he's secretly into you," Nari said with a smirk. Ariel's face flushed. "It's not like that." "Sure," Eunji said. "But if this were a drama, that's exactly how it would start." Flashback Panel: 2 years ago, Ariel was at a formal gala, standing awkwardly near a buffet table. A young Jun-Seo was walking by, quietly placing a can of peach soda in her hand without saying a word. He walked away before she could thank him. Back in the present, Ariel's phone buzzed. A message from her mom: "Don't forget about the dinner this weekend with the Kangs. Please be polite." Her stomach dropped. The Kangs. That was Jun-Seo's family. She hadn't realized it was that weekend. End of day – walking toward the gates. As Ariel packed her things, a shadow fell across her desk. It was Ha-Joon.Alone this time."Hey," he said smoothly, leaning on the desk beside hers. "You headed home?" "Why do you care?" she asked, keeping her voice even. "Just making conversation," he replied. "Besides, I figured I owe you an apology." "For what?" "For almost making your bodyguard lose his cool," Ha-Joon smirked. "I don't need a bodyguard," she muttered, standing up and brushing past him. He followed, hands in pockets. "Look, I know Jun-Seo acts like he's too good for everyone, but don't let him fool you. He doesn't exactly have a perfect record with girls." Ariel froze. "Excuse me?" "He likes to keep things… distant. Professional. Cold. You'll see."She didn't respond."Anyway," Ha-Joon said, his tone shifting slightly, "you ever wanna talk, I'm usually hanging out near the rooftop vending machines." With that, he gave a lazy wave and walked off. Evening – Ariel's bedroom. She lay on her bed, music low in the background, staring at the ceiling. The conversation with Ha-Joon looped in her head, tangled up with Jun-Seo's words from earlier. Her phone buzzed again.Unknown Number: "Be careful who you trust." She sat up, eyes wide.Unknown Number: "Not everyone plays fair."Ariel typed back quickly: Who is this?No reply.Final scene: Ariel walking home the next morning. The wind was colder today.She clutched her coat tighter, eyes scanning the gray sky.There was something in the air — a stillness. A silence that pressed down.She stopped walking when something white drifted past her cheek.A snowflake.Then another.The first snow.Memories stirred — of a voice, maybe from years ago. A promise whispered in winter."When the first snow falls… I'll find you."Ariel blinked. The snowflake melted on her glove."Who said that?" she whispered to herself.But no answer came — only the soft hush of snow beginning to fall.