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The town was wrapped in a soft hush, the kind that only winter could bring. Snowflakes drifted lazily from the sky, dusting rooftops and tree branches like powdered sugar. Taehyung pulled his scarf tighter around his neck, his breath misting in the crisp air as he walked beside Jungkook.
They had spent the afternoon wandering through the quieter streets, Jungkook stopping every so often to take a picture of something Taehyung would have otherwise overlooked—a row of footprints disappearing into the distance, the way the light caught on frozen windowpanes, a child laughing as they stuck out their tongue to catch snowflakes.
"You see things differently," Taehyung murmured, watching as Jungkook lifted his camera once again.
Jungkook grinned, lowering the camera just enough to glance at him. "What do you mean?"
Taehyung hesitated, trying to find the right words. "Most people just… walk past these things. But you stop. You notice them."
Jungkook tilted his head, as if considering this. Then, with a small chuckle, he turned his camera toward Taehyung and snapped a picture before Taehyung could react.
"Hey," Taehyung frowned, caught off guard.
Jungkook only smiled. "That's what I mean. That expression—you wouldn't have noticed it, but I did. Life moves too fast sometimes. I just like capturing the little moments before they're gone."
Taehyung wasn't sure how to respond to that. He had spent so much of his life focusing on his music, on perfecting every note, that he had never considered the beauty of the imperfect, fleeting things. His songs were carefully composed, his emotions measured. Jungkook, on the other hand, seemed to embrace life as it came, without hesitation.
"Let me show you something," Jungkook said suddenly, nodding toward the town square.
Curious, Taehyung followed him. The square was quieter now, the holiday lights twinkling like stars overhead. A small group of children ran past them, their laughter ringing through the air as they tossed snow at each other.
Jungkook stopped near a bench dusted with snow and gestured around them. "Look at this place. What do you see?"
Taehyung glanced around. "A town covered in snow?"
Jungkook laughed. "Sure, but look closer." He pointed to a nearby streetlamp where snow had piled delicately on its edges. "See how the light makes the snowflakes sparkle?" He gestured to a couple walking hand in hand, their matching scarves brushing together as they talked. "Or how they lean into each other, like they've been doing this for years?" Then he motioned toward Taehyung himself. "And you—right now, with that thoughtful look on your face. I wish you could see yourself the way I see you."
Taehyung felt a warmth spread through him that had nothing to do with his scarf or coat. He swallowed, looking away for a moment. "I never really thought about it like that."
Jungkook smiled, soft and knowing. "You will."
The snow continued to fall around them, gentle and unhurried. For the first time in a long while, Taehyung felt the world slow down, and maybe—just maybe—he was beginning to see it through Jungkook's eyes.