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When Jonghyun got a message from Minhyun to come over to his house, he never thought that they would go on a shopping spree the moment he stepped through the front door. He was still in the middle of removing his hoodie when Minhyun ran up to him, all bundled up and covered, and said, “Let’s go!”
He was a little blinded by the sunny smile on his boyfriend’s face but still managed to respond with, “What?”
“Go! Shopping! Christmas shopping!” Minhyun replied, bouncing on his feet in eagerness. His smile turned into a pout when he saw Jonghyun was still looking at him in confusion. “Did you read my last message, Jju-ya?”
Jonghyun frowned, and unlocked his phone. There, as Minhyun said, was unread messages from him:
Jonghyun
What about celebrating Christmas differently this time?
I mean
We haven’t had chance last time,
And—
I guess I want to spend more time with our friends
And of course, we can celebrate it in private too! I will treat my boyfriend with whatever he wants on Christmas day!
But I really, really want to celebrate it together. Just us five, in my place.
I think it will be the most wonderful Christmas, don’t you think so too??
Let’s go shopping once you come! Don’t forget to dress warmly, okay?
Jonghyun smiled sheepishly at Minhyun, but his gaze was warm and affectionate. Minhyun melted, and the slight irritation that Jonghyun missed his important messages vanished when Jonghyun gave him the look: the one that always made him feel like he could do anything. And when the smaller man leaned forward, Minhyun closed his eyes as Jonghyun pecked his cheek.
“That’s an amazing idea, Minhyun,” Jonghyun murmured against his skin.
Minhyun blushed. “I thought that was a selfish wish.”
“A wish is always selfish, but selfish isn’t always bad,” Jonghyun responded in a wise tone. Minhyun wanted to kiss him every time he did; it wasn’t his fault that Jonghyun looked so damn sexy when he’s in his ‘leader mode’. Before he could, though, Jonghyun already grabbed his hand and led him out of the door. After he checked the lock twice, he nodded at Jonghyun and smiled – although the latter couldn’t see it – like a little, eager boy.
“Let’s go!”
-:::-
“This is too many, you know.”
“Shut up, Minki will love this! And this, too!”
“Weeelllll—“
“Oh, look! You think he will like this too? Imagine his face when he sees this!”
“Minhyun—“
“Jonghyun.”
“Don’t be cheeky at me. Are you sure you want to buy this...much?”
“Yes!”
“Okay, fine. But we also have to buy for Aron hyung and Dongho too, you know.”
“Oh, they would be super easy. I already have it all planned on my notes here, I even have it for their pets too!”
“If you’re sure...”
“Thousand percent sure!”
“Okay, then...”
-:::-
“I told you we should have cut it half,” was the first thing coming out of Jonghyun’s mouth when they finally finished bringing the boxes up to Minhyun’s apartment. “This is too much.”
“Well,” Minhyun wheezed, tired from lifting boxes. “It will be worth it?”
Jonghyun shot a glare at his boyfriend, but it disappeared immediately after he saw Minhyun lying on his stomach on the floor. “Min? Are you okay?” he called out in concern.
A trembling thumbs-up was his only response.
Jonghyun laughed, and decided to do the unboxing on his own since his boyfriend needed a rest.
-:::-
“Hmmm... move it a little to the left.”
Rustle. A focused frown. “Like this?”
“Perfect.”
“Hey, what if we put some mistletoe here?”
Giggles.
“I’m serious.”
Giggles.
“I know, that’s why it’s amusing.”
“And we can be like, oh look a mistletoe!”
“—then Aron hyung will be like, ‘oh gross, do we have to see you kissing again?’”
Giggles.
“He will act like he hates it—“
“—but he will also be the first one to take pics of us!”
Giggles again. Eyes met.
“Dongho, though—“
Laughter.
“Okay, we will definitely put up that mistletoe.”
“Yes, sir!”
-:::-
Two men standing next to each other, eyes staring critically over their decoration for Christmas. Minhyun’s living room, which was always in the perfect, neat state was nowhere to be seen. After looking up Christmas decoration ideas on internet, both Minhyun and Jonghyun managed to make a simple, yet beautiful decoration.
Minhyun’s bookshelf had some greens and red in it, after Jonghyun put some ornaments that looked like a mini Christmas tree, a fake apple (that he was pretty sure they didn’t buy), and also hung some silver and green tinsels with some small, shiny ball ornaments and ribbon adorning it. He wasn’t sure if Minhyun would like garlands on his precious book shelf, so he suggested that they use it for the front door. Minhyun agreed, and began working on it. He also added some string lights weaving through the green leaves and gasped in wonder seeing the combination of the two.
The checkered throw blanket was replaced with a new one. Minhyun was adamant that they needed to keep up with the theme, and so a red and green blanket now adorned his couch. The pillows followed, and Jonghyun was amused to see deers and candy canes pattern on Minhyun’s usual black and white ones. What made him smile, though, was the sight of their stuffed character from Spoonz. Minhyun obviously favored his character, Ping, what with the different size of the yellow doll available in this house. However, Minhyun somehow also got the others and wrapped some red ribbons around their neck.
Right above ‘their’ couch, they put the mistletoe after finished laughing about it. They didn’t know why the Western people had this funny tradition, but they would surely honor it! Besides, it’s more kisses for them, although they didn’t need some plants to ‘force’ them to kiss.
The tree that they bought earlier was still standing alone and bare at the corner. They agreed to let the others to decorate it, because they remembered that it was also another tradition for Christmas. Aron once said he missed doing it with his family, and neither one of them forgot about it. They’re very determined to make this Christmas to be different—good different—and enjoyable to everyone.
They wanted to add some more ornaments, but figured it’d be best to involve the other three friends. Minhyun plopped down first on ‘their’ couch, and grabbed Jonghyun to sit on his lap. The latter instinctively shifted to be more comfortable. His head was tucked right under Minhyun’s chin, and one of his hand was intertwined with his boyfriend’s.
“This is nice,” Jonghyun murmured.
“I know.”
“We didn’t do it last year.”
“I know, and I still hate it.”
They fell into a comfortable silence after that, reminiscing about the old days when Minhyun couldn’t promote with them as NU’EST. Jonghyun remembered the times when Minhyun snuck into their waiting rooms, or even dorms, with that stupid, happy smile on his face. As a leader, albeit not the current leader for Minhyun at that time, he wanted to be angry with him. He was worried that his behavior would affect his job at Wanna One, but he also understood that Minhyun missed them. How could he not? They’ve lived and grown up together for years. They were so close. Jonghyun could meet with Aron hyung, Dongho, and Minki whenever he wanted to, but Minhyun didn’t have that privilege, especially when some fans expressed their dislike watching them together as five. So if Minhyun had to sneak around to see them, Jonghyun would let him.
“Hey, Jju-ya.”
“Hm?”
“Remember our first date?”
Jonghyun blinked his eyes open. “Um, yes,” he replied. “Isn’t it around Christmas too?”
“You spilled coffee all over my sweater. My white sweater,” Minhyun retorted with a laugh. He couldn’t say he wasn’t pissed at that time, but then he saw how upset Jonghyun was and his anger melted. “You look so cute with your teary eyes back then.”
Jonghyun slapped Minhyun’s chest. “I was so afraid that you’re angry with me, and there won’t be a second date!”
Minhyun grabbed Jonghyun’s hand and kissed it. “Of course there will be second, third, fourth...I’ve already asked for all of your dates, Kim Jonghyun,” he said. He tilted Jonghyun’s head up and kissed his forehead. “I like you a lot and I don’t want anyone else to steal you from me.”
“Possessive much?” Jonghyun teased, and giggled lightly.
“If you have the most perfect boyfriend in the world, then yes, you would be possessive too,” Minhyun defended himself. “You attract people so easily everywhere you go. Girls, boys, young, and old... There’s something about you that makes people want to follow your lead.”
Jonghyun’s cheeks flushed red. “I’m not that perfect. Nobody’s perfect, Minhyun, not even me.”
“You are, and I will always remind you how perfect you are.” Minhyun sounded so convinced, so matter-of-fact that Jonghyun himself felt it was wrong to refute his statement. It also brought a pleasant, warm feeling to his chest, one that he always felt whenever his members praised him. He snuggled closer to Minhyun and sighed in contentment.
Jonghyun closed his eyes when Minhyun started humming. A song that he distinctly recognized it as the one that Minhyun performed for his musical. He could see it now; Minhyun looking regal and handsome in his outfits, singing so beautifully—he was so entrancing! Jonghyun never felt this lucky to have Minhyun as his boyfriend. Heck, he didn’t even think Minhyun would ever like him? He’s just Jonghyun, ordinary Jonghyun who came to Seoul to pursue a career that had never crossed his mind before. He’s just Jonghyun who was too shy to even speak, while Minhyun was so bright, lively, and full of talent that Jonghyun wished he had. He often felt inadequate next to his boyfriend, and tried to ignore the budding feelings he had for his friend.
He just didn’t know yet that Minhyun liked him too.
Jonghyun wanted to giggle at his own obliviousness. It was so clear with the way Minhyun always encourage him, praise him, and even fight for his attention that everyone just knew Minhyun was whipped for him—but of course, Mr. Oblivious Kim Jonghyun wrote it off as Minhyun being a good friend.
Jonghyun smiled. Even so, he didn’t regret their past at all. Their budding romance was cute, and fluffy, and very memorable that he would never ever change it for something else. Not even the hard two years for acting as if there’s nothing going on between them will damper it.
He loved Minhyun, and vice versa. Their relationship had gone through so much, and they were certain it would only get stronger as time passed.
His last thought before he completely drifted off to slumber was the hidden small, red box and,
You better say yes, Hwang Minhyun.
-:::-