TWISTED PATHS

Late at night, Sana was sitting at her vanity, humming her favorite song as she applied moisturizer to her face. The day had gone so well that she felt a warm sense of gratitude. Having a brother like Hoseok in her life was a blessing she never took for granted.

She was lost in her thoughts, replaying the happy moments of the day, when her phone buzzed, interrupting her peaceful mood. Frowning, she picked it up and checked the caller ID.

It was none other than

TAEHYUNG.

Her expression soured instantly, and she clenched her fist. The last thing she wanted was to hear his voice. Without a second thought, she declined the call.

But not even ten seconds later, the phone buzzed again. Letting out an exasperated groan, she swiped to answer.

"What do you want, Taehyung?" she snapped, her tone sharp and dripping with annoyance.

"Open the window, babygirl," came his reply, calm yet insistent.

"What?" Sana asked, her frown deepening.

"I said, open the window," Taehyung repeated, sounding as if he were explaining something to a child.

"Why on earth would I do that?" she demanded, her patience already wearing thin.

"Because if you don't, you'll regret it," he said cryptically, a hint of urgency creeping into his voice.

"Regret it? Are you drunk, Taehyung?"

"No," he retorted, exasperated. "But if you don't open the window, I'll freeze to death out here, and then you'll feel guilty forever. Imagine that on your conscience."

Her jaw dropped. "What? What are you talking about?"

"I'm outside your window," he said bluntly, his tone laced with a mixture of irritation and nonchalance.

Her heart skipped a beat. "What?" she whispered, barely audible.

"OPEN. THE. WINDOW. SANA," he repeated, as if she were slow to understand.

Shocked into silence, she ended the call without another word and hurried toward the window, her hands trembling. Pulling back the curtains, she unlocked the latch and pushed it open.

And there he was.

Taehyung stood outside, his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his black jeans, his black shirt hugging his frame in a way that should've been illegal. His messy hair was windswept, and his nose was a bright, cherry red from the cold. Despite the shiver that ran through him, he managed to grin up at her sheepishly.

"Why are you here?" she hissed, glaring down at him.

"Because I missed you," he replied with a smirk, his teeth chattering slightly from the chill.

"You're unbelievable," she muttered. "You're going to wake my parents!"

"Relax, I'm like a ninja," he said, straightening up with mock confidence. "Silent, stealthy, and-ACHOO!" His sneeze shattered any illusion of subtlety, making her flinch.

"Yeah, a ninja who caught cold," she deadpanned.

"Look, are you going to let me in or leave me out here to become a human Popsicle?" he asked, rubbing his hands together dramatically.

Sana sighed, leaning on the windowsill. "Why should I? You being frozen might actually solve a lot of my problems."

Taehyung gasped, clutching his chest theatrically. "Wow, cold-hearted and funny. I'm impressed."