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The air inside the ice rink was crisp and freezing, but Yoonchae didn't mind one bit. She felt like she was vibrating with excitement, her breath coming out in small, white puffs of steam. She adjusted her thick gloves and looked over at Moka, who was currently focused on tightening the laces of her skates.
"Are you ready, Moka?" Yoonchae asked, her eyes bright. She was always the one with the most energy, her movements quick and bouncy even before they had stepped onto the ice.
Moka looked up and gave a small, calm smile. She moved with a quiet grace, even when she was just sitting on the bench. "I think so," Moka said softly. "I just want to make sure I don't trip the moment I stand up."
Yoonchae laughed, a bright sound that echoed against the high, frozen ceiling of the rink. She stepped closer, her tall frame casting a shadow over Moka. "Don't worry! If you trip, I'll catch you. I'm your personal bodyguard today."
Moka giggled, poking Yoonchae’s arm. "A bodyguard? You're more like a hyperactive puppy."
"A very helpful puppy!" Yoonchae defended herself playfully, before reaching out a hand to help Moka up.
The rink was mostly empty, the lights reflecting off the smooth, white surface like tiny diamonds. As they stepped onto the ice, the sensation was immediate—the cold biting at their cheeks and the slippery glide beneath their blades.
For the first twenty minutes, it was pure magic. Yoonchae was in her element. She glided across the ice with long, confident strides, occasionally spinning around just to see Moka’s reaction. Moka, on the other hand, was much more careful. She moved with a gentle, rhythmic grace, her small stature making her look almost like a porcelain doll gliding across the frost.
"Look at me!" Yoonchae shouted, performing an enthusiastic spin. She wobbled for a second, her long arms flailing, before regaining her balance with a triumphant grin.
Moka laughed, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "You're going to fall one of these days, Yoonchae!"
"Never! I have perfect balance!" Yoonchae teased. She skated back toward Moka, reaching out to take both of Moka’s hands. "Come on, let's try to skate together. Hold onto me."
Moka felt a little shy, but she nodded. She placed her smaller hands into Yoonchae’s warmer ones. They drifted across the ice, talking about music and their recent practices. The height difference was very noticeable as they moved; Yoonchae had to lean down slightly to keep their pace synchronized.
However, the ice was faster than it looked.
As they were gliding near the edge of the rink, a small patch of uneven ice caught Moka’s blade. It was a tiny mistake, but for Moka, it was enough. Her foot slipped outward, and before she could grab onto Yoonchae, her balance vanished.
"Whoa!" Moka gasped.
"Moka!" Yoonchae exclaimed worry, reaching for her, but she was a second too late.
Moka went down with a dull thud. She didn't fall hard, but she landed awkwardly on her side, her ankle twisting under the weight of her skate. For a moment, there was silence, save for the distant sound of a skate cutting through ice.
Yoonchae was by her side in an instant. The playful, energetic girl had vanished, replaced by someone deeply concerned. "Moka! Are you okay? Are you hurt?"
Moka winced, her face turning a little pale. She tried to sit up, but a sharp sting in her ankle made her hiss through her teeth. "I... I think I just slipped," she whispered. "I'm okay, really. It just hurts a little."
"Don't try to move," Yoonchae commanded, her voice soft but firm. She looked at Moka’s ankle and saw it was already starting to puff up slightly.
Yoonchae didn't wait for an attendant to come over or for Moka to try and walk. She knew Moka wouldn't want to be a burden, but Yoonchae wasn't going to give her the choice. She knelt down, carefully sliding one arm behind Moka’s back and the other under her knees.
With a sudden, strong movement, Yoonchae lifted Moka into her arms.
Moka’s eyes widened, and a bright blush crept up her cheeks. "Yoonchae! What are you doing? Put me down, I can walk!"
"No, you can't," Yoonchae said firmly, though her eyes were full of tenderness. "You're hurt, and I'm not letting you walk on that ankle. Just lean on me."
Moka wanted to protest more, but the movement of being carried was actually quite soothing, and she found herself resting her head against Yoonchae’s shoulder. Yoonchae carried her across the ice with steady, careful steps, making sure not to jar her too much, until they reached the wooden benches near the warming area.
Gently, Yoonchae set Moka down on the bench. Moka sat there, feeling a bit small and shaky, her ankle throbbing.
Yoonchae immediately went to work. She realized that while she had been focused on carrying Moka, she hadn't noticed how much the cold was affecting her. Moka was shivering slightly in her thin skating gear.
Without a second thought, Yoonchae reached for the zipper of her own heavy, oversized puffer jacket. She pulled it off, leaving herself in just her thin base layer, and draped it carefully over Moka’s shoulders.
The jacket was huge on Moka. It swallowed her small frame, the hem reaching down past her hips, and the sleeves were far too long, covering her hands. But it was warm, and more importantly, it smelled like Yoonchae—a faint, comforting scent that made Moka feel instantly safer.
"There," Yoonchae murmured, tucking the edges of the jacket around Moka to keep the warmth in. "Better?"
"Thank you," Moka whispered, pulling the collar up to her chin. She looked up at Yoonchae, noticing that the younger girl was now shivering a little herself, having given up her only layer of warmth. "Yoonchae, you're going to be cold now."
"I don't care about being cold," Yoonchae said, dismissing the concern with a wave of her hand. "And besides, the warmth that radiates off of you, warms my heart."
Yoonchae hurried over to the vending machine and returned a few minutes later with a steaming cup of hot cocoa and a small bag of ice. She sat down right next to Moka, pressing their shoulders together. She wrapped the ice pack in a soft cloth and carefully placed it against Moka's ankle.
"Does that feel okay?" Yoonchae asked, watching her closely.
"It feels perfect," Moka said. She took the warm cup of cocoa from Yoonchae, the heat from the paper cup seeping into her palms.
They sat there in the quiet warmth of the side area. The loud, bright energy of the ice rink felt miles away. Yoonchae stayed right by her side, occasionally reaching out to squeeze Moka’s hand or to adjust the heavy jacket.
Moka leaned her head against Yoonchae’s shoulder, feeling the steady rhythm of the other girl's breathing. The pain in her ankle was still there, but it felt far away, muffled by the warmth of the cocoa and the overwhelming sense of being cared for.
"You're a very good bodyguard," Moka teased softly, her voice heavy with relaxation.
Yoonchae smiled, a soft, genuine expression that reached her eyes. She leaned her head against Moka's, closing her eyes for a moment. "I told you. I've got you."