The Winter Night and the Sad Girl

On a bitterly cold winter night, snow blanketed the quiet streets, muffling every sound. The world seemed asleep under a layer of frost, and the moon's dim glow reflected off the icy ground. In the corner of a small attic room, a girl named Lina sat by the fogged-up window, watching the snowflakes swirl in the wind.

Her heart felt heavier than the winter sky. The warmth of the blankets around her did little to comfort the chill within. Tonight marked a year since her best friend, Hana, had left town. They were inseparable once, sharing dreams, secrets, and even silly laughter over hot cocoa during winter nights just like this. But life had pulled them apart, leaving Lina alone with memories that hurt more than the cold.

She traced patterns on the glass, her fingertips numb. Every now and then, she'd wipe a tear slipping down her cheek, feeling silly for still missing someone so far away. The world outside her window was a blur—much like her emotions—quiet, empty, and cold.

Suddenly, a gust of wind rattled the window, pulling Lina from her thoughts. She sighed deeply and reached for her phone, half-hoping for a message that would never come. The screen was blank, just like every night before. Her chest tightened with the weight of unspoken words and unanswered questions: Why didn’t Hana stay? Did I mean anything at all?

Lost in her sorrow, Lina almost missed the faint knock on the front door downstairs. She sat still, unsure if it was real. Who would come out on such a freezing night?

Curiosity stirred within her sadness, and she slid out of bed, wrapping herself in her oversized sweater. The wooden stairs creaked as she made her way to the door. She hesitated for a moment, her heart racing with an unfamiliar mixture of fear and hope. Slowly, she unlocked the door and opened it.

There, standing in the snow, was Hana. Her cheeks were flushed from the cold, and her breath curled like smoke in the air. She smiled—a smile Lina hadn’t seen in a year but remembered perfectly. "I couldn't stay away," Hana whispered, her voice trembling. "I'm sorry it took me so long."

Lina’s sadness melted away as tears of relief spilled down her face. She pulled Hana into a tight embrace, feeling the warmth she'd missed for so long. The winter night wrapped around them, but for the first time in a long while, Lina didn’t feel cold anymore.

Somehow, in that silent moment, Lina realized that even the coldest winters eventually end. And sometimes, what’s lost finds its way back—just like Hana on that snowy night.