Work Text:
Cold Siberian winds have captured Seoul, but one week into December and the city has yet to see a single flake of snow. Seokmin is kind of sad.
“It’s not the holiday season without snow!” He pouts to Mingyu in the middle of an aisle at Nature Republic. They’ve started their Christmas shopping later than usual because Seokmin had been busy with taking on finals for five modules as a second-year life sciences major, and Mingyu had been finishing up an internship at an accounting firm.
“Seokmin, it has never not snowed any year,” Mingyu sighs. He picks up a set of scented hand creams and puts them back, then twiddles his fingers around face creams and puts those down too. “God, what is a linen or frosted berries scent?” He arranges his face into an exaggerated contemplative expression. “Why are we even here? How did I let you drag me into your shopping crisis?”
“Roa’s secret santa wishlist said anything from Nature Republic and I thought it’d be super easy and we’d be in-and-out in five minutes,” he says defensively. “But I guess it’s harder than what those ads make holiday shopping out to be.” This is the third Nature Republic store they’ve walked into in under an hour, and his nose is red, his feet are killing him, and more importantly he’s nowhere near checking off the names on his Christmas gift list. Seokmin is usually the bubbly sort, but he’s finding it really hard to get into a merry mood right now.
“Why can’t you just get those holiday gift packs and then we’d have been eating ice cream 45 minutes ago?”
“Um, sorry, but have you met Roa? She’d string me up alive if I got her a generic present.”
“Oh sorry, but I didn’t know that we weren’t doing Christmas shopping at a highly generic store,” Mingyu quips back.
Seokmin ignores him in favour of making a beeline towards a shelf of highly-recommended - and unfortunately probably highly boring and predictable - holiday gifts, but at this point he’ll take whatever suggestion that’s thrown his way.
“How about this moisturiser? It seems good for cold and dry weather.”
“Umm…what’s the difference between ‘fresh watery’ and ‘moisture watery’?” Mingyu says unhelpfully as he squints at the tiny font plastered below the giant words AQUA SUPER AQUA MAX.
“Ugh, I don’t know, how about I just get the fresh one because it sounds nicer.” He doesn’t wait for Mingyu’s answer and grabs a new box off the shelf with a sudden, great decisiveness and hurries to the cashier.
“That will be 25,000 won.”
“25,000?!” Seokmin chokes out. That was easily the price of at least four instant noodle meals, and he cries internally as he counts out exact change. Is this why his sister is always broke?
“Not that I want to burst your bubble,” Mingyu drawls after they leave the shop in relief, “but what are you getting Jaehyun? He’s your other secret santee, right?
Seokmin groans aloud. He’d almost forgotten that the student council had also suggested doing a gift exchange this year. “I just finished making what was possibly the most stressful purchase of my life, and now you’ve gone and made it worse. Thanks.”
“Always glad to help out a friend in need,” Mingyu says cheerily. Seokmin kind of hates him.
***
For the first time in the four years since he’s known Mingyu, Seokmin finds himself having to go on round two of Christmas shopping alone. Mingyu had bailed at the last minute to pick Jeonghan up from the other side of campus, leaving Seokmin without both a car and moral support. Damn you and your crush on Yoon Jeonghan, Kim Mingyu.
He hightails it to the student council room first to drop off Jaehyun’s present - he had finally settled on a fake Yankees cap after he’d asked (read: begged) Doyoung to give him a hint on anything that Jaehyun might have been needing. He’d only been okay with getting a rip-off when Sicheng happened to mention that he needed to have a cheap cap that would survive tons of mud and sweat during baseball training.
“Honestly, Doyoung could have mentioned that part too,” he gripes to Jungkook, their team’s programmes head and the only other person in the council room at the moment. “He just mentioned a cap and then proceeded to list all the expensive brands he wears too. Isn’t that kind of a dick move?”
Jungkook sets down his phone, reluctantly pausing his WoW game because he knows that he won’t get any peace until he gives Seokmin some due attention. “Well, not to be a dick myself and remind you of the most embarrassing moment of your life or anything, but you did try to drunkenly kiss Jaehyun last year as a way to confess your feelings when he was already with Doyoung.”
“How do you know about that!” He gasps.
“Dude, literally everyone in our year knows.”
Seokmin thinks he wouldn’t mind never leaving his house for the rest of his life.
“But I didn’t know they were together!” He’s explained his innocence a hundred times already, but that’s also why more interesting rumours were made up. Like that he tried to battle Doyoung - in a rap battle, no less - for student council president to win Jaehyun’s heart (this was really a dumb one), or that he serenaded him with a cover of Lauv’s I like me better when I’m with you - alright this was partially true, except the song was 7 rings (it was this year’s hit song, okay?)
“Well, you know Doyoung. He holds really long grudges. Like, really long grudges. Doesn’t change the fact that you tried to make out with his boyfriend though.”
“Augh, okay, just. Stop. Go back to your game, please.” He adds Jaehyun’s gift to the existing pile of presents, making sure that the tag is in place. He’d kept the note painfully neutral, with just a ‘Merry Christmas! From, Your Secret Santa’ squeezed onto the tiny card. He thinks Doyoung might find a reason to keep up the dagger eyes next year if he so much as included a smiley face.
“Hey guys!” Johnny swings the door open with a flourish, big friendly eyes twinkling with excitement. He’s a final year student, but he somehow always manages to find time to help out in council activities. “I’ve brought a stray with me and I need someone to take care of him today.”
He tugs a tall black-haired boy forward, slinging an arm around his shoulder. He looks familiar, but Seokmin can’t place where he’s seen him.
“I told you, I just need a favour, Youngho.”
He’s only got on a black sweater with black pants underneath a red windbreaker. Seokmin wonders how he’s not freezing. His features are really handsome - angular, with hair falling artfully and naturally over his eyes. His eyes are big and round and they seem to shine a little. His heart starts to beat a little faster.
“Whatever.” Johnny gestures arbitrarily. “Guys, this grumpy cat is Minghao. Minghao, this is Seokmin and Jungkook.” Minghao rolls his eyes.
“He’s a transfer student from China, and Yuta was supposed to be his partner for the international student association’s Seoul holiday photography trail, but he’s down with the flu, so we need a kind soul to be his partner and help him take photos just for today. I would, but I have to drive to the airport to pick up my cousin who's flying in from Canada.” Johnny's mouth turns down a little, and Seokmin is filled with the realisation that Johnny is really cut up about not being able to help.
“Where’s Junhui?” Seokmin asks. He and Jieqiong are on the council’s international student team and regularly help to plan activities and events with the university’s association too.
“He‘s busy taking a few Chinese exchange students around Seoul this week, so nope.”
“Seokmin learnt conversational Chinese,” Jungkook offers quickly from where he's lounging on the couch. Seokmin throws as much of a poisonous glare at him as he can muster.
“I’m fluent in Korean,” Minghao deadpans, but Jungkook has already plugged himself back into the game.
Johnny claps a hand on his shoulder appreciatively. “Thanks, Seokmin, I knew I could count on you.”
“Wait, Johnny -" But he’s already out the door. Seokmin sighs but swings on a bright smile and turns to Minghao.
“So…where do you need to go?”
***
The photography trail actually involves covering a host of districts in Seoul, but Minghao had already covered more than three-quarters of them with Yuta, with Hongdae being one of the last few stops left on the list, so that’s where they head to.
“Um, do you mind if we also stop by some stores along the way? I really need to get some Christmas shopping done too.”
Minghao just shrugs coolly. “Sure.” He smiles a little, probably to assure Seokmin that he’s really fine. That’s kind of sweet of him. Seokmin is starting to really really like him despite his silent demeanour. Like A LOT.
“Um. Great. Yeah! Let’s go!” Get it together for crying out loud, Lee Seokmin.
Minghao shows him the different Korean foods that they need to take pictures with, as well as some famous landmarks and tourist spots, and Seokmin thanks his lucky stars that he’s more or less familiar with all of the locations just by sight alone. He helps him take a shot by a store just by the Hongik train station, and then another one at the NANTA theatre and the trick eye museum.
“How long have you been here? You seem like you know Seoul quite well,” Seokmin asks him when they’re queuing at a rice cake stall. Minghao has to take a picture with the shopkeeper for this particular one.
“About 5 months. I’m Junhui’s cousin, actually. I transferred here after my mom heard from his mom how much Junhui is enjoying himself here. I’m a year younger so I’m a second-year student.”
Ahh, no wonder. Seokmin had likely caught glances of him when he was with Junhui on campus, and maybe some classes since they’re in the same year. He kind of remembers seeing a strikingly handsome boy next to Junhui in recent months, but had probably told himself that Minghao would never look his way anyway.
“Oh, I’m a second-year too!” He grins.
“I know. You’re a life sciences major,” Minghao says easily. “Junhui’s mentioned some of his student council friends and shown me a couple of photos a few times,” he clarifies.
He knows it’s just Minghao having a good memory, but he feels his face turn pink and his ears burn. He quickly tugs his scarf up and around his neck to look busy and anywhere but at Minghao. “I don’t know how you can just wear a windbreaker. It’s sooo cold.” God, he’s becoming one of those people who uses the weather as a conversation topic.
“I love it.” Minghao pushes lightly on Seokmin's arm as a silent indication to move up the line. “I’m from Anshan, and it doesn’t really get too cold and we’ve never experienced any kind of snow, so coming to Korea is like fulfilling a small wish.”
Seokmin’s jaws drop. “You’ve never seen snow?!”
“I just said that.” But he smiles again, so Seokmin knows he’s teasing.
“Yeah, but WOW,” he replies intelligibly. His smile is so pretty, he thinks.
“We’re up,” Minghao says, pulling Seokmin by his wrist sleeve, and Seokmin resumes his role as photographer, greeting the shopkeeper and buying a takeaway plate of rice cakes to munch on while they walk so that they wouldn't just be leaving after snapping a photo with her.
“You’re as kind as Junhui says,” Minghao says when they’re at their final stop at the busking area.
Seokmin looks at him quizzically, lowering the camera to look at Minghao properly.
“I mean, you didn’t have to take me around, and you could have been all sulky while helping me, but you weren’t. And we haven’t once stopped at a store to shop for your Christmas gifts.” Minghao sticks his hands into his pockets to pose for the photo just in front of an empty busking spot. Seokmin snaps a few pictures first before moving to show him.
“Um, it’s no problem, really!” He bounces on the balls of his feet as Minghao scrolls through the photos. “It was fun. And well, I figured you might have extra plans after, and I can do my shopping after this too. Shops close late here anyway,” he beams up at him.
“Like I said, you’re nice.” He loops his camera around his neck. “The photos are great, thank you so much.”
Seokmin shakes his head. “It was fun getting to explore Hongdae, so thank you.” He hikes his backpack over his shoulders. “Well, I gotta get shopping, but glad you got Hongdae down. I hope Yuta gets well soon so you guys can hit Gyeongbokgung Palace - it’s really pretty in the winter, especially when you wear the hanboks.” He raises his hand to wave goodbye, feeling a slight pang that leaves him mildly confused. “See you around?”
“I can help with your shopping,” Minghao says in place of a goodbye. “You know, to thank you for your help today.” He sends a shy smile Seokmin’s way.
Minghao was just being really nice, Seokmin thinks, but he's touched at the gesture. “You don’t have to trouble yourself, really. I just have a few stuff to get - won’t take me long.”
Minghao moves to grasp his arm and it's warm where he touches him. Seokmin thinks there's really something wrong with himself. “No, really, it’s fine. I want to. We can grab dinner after too, my treat. There’s a tonkatsu place I’ve been wanting to try. Plus, you're fun to be with."
“D-dinner?” He squeaks back. He doesn't even allow himself to compute the rest of what Minghao said.
“Yeah, I know we ate all that street food earlier, but I’m still hungry.” If this is the only day of good luck he's going to get in his life, Seokmin is going to take it.
“O-okay, yeah. Right. Tonkatsu sounds great.”
It’s Minghao’s turn to beam. “Okay, so what presents do you need to get?”
***
After a harrowing trip around Hongdae (again), Seokmin finally has gifts for his family and Mingyu - an earring and necklace matching set for his mom, an eyeshadow palette that’s apparently all the rage for his sister, a silk tie for his dad, and a beanie and leather bracelet for Mingyu.
“Oh my gosh,” he breathes out as they’re leaving the shop with Mingyu’s gift, “you’re a godsend. I swear. I don’t know how I would have done all this without you.”
“You’re welcome,” Minghao says, lips curling up. “I couldn’t have done today without you too.”
Seokmin stops to glance at Minghao, and then behind him.
“What?” Minghao furrows his brows. “Is something wrong? Did you forget to get someone else something?”
“Snow,” Seokmin whispers. “It’s snowing!”
Minghao’s eyes widen and he turns around to see a flurry of snowflakes falling gently around them. “My first snow,” he murmurs.
Seokmin grabs at his hand. “Come on, you gotta take a picture! This is momentous!” He pulls Minghao to the middle of the pathway, joining the rest of the people who have similarly stopped to take in the first snow of the season.
“Here, by the tree! This’ll be a great shot.” He tugs at the camera dangling around Minghao's neck. “I’ll take a picture for you with the camera, and then another one with your phone.”
Minghao lets him, bending his head forward to make it easier for Seokmin to loop it over, and the movement places their faces closer to each other. Minghao’s face colours and Seokmin’s hands stutter a little, but then Seokmin is moving away to take the photo.
“Smile!” He calls from his position. He takes it from a couple of angles, and by now the snow has fallen quite a bit, with some catching on his hair and clothes.
“They’re nice,” Minghao remarks. He moves to brush snow off Seokmin's hair, dragging his fingers through the soft strands. Seokmin is too shocked to do anything but stand there, frozen and wide-eyed. “You’re a good photographer, better than Yuta.”
Seokmin thinks his heart is going to explode out of his chest soon, and shakes his head subconsciously. “Give me your phone, I’ll take one on that too.”
Minghao passes him his phone, but then he catches Seokmin by the wrist before he can get too far. “Let’s take one together.” He smiles so sweetly that Seokmin can’t possibly say no.
“Okay.” He holds up the phone with one hand, and feels Minghao’s arm come up and around his waist and he almost drops the phone.
He takes 3 shots, and Minghao gives all 3 a stamp of approval. At this point, Seokmin thinks he’s just heavily biased against Yuta.
“So…tonkatsu?” He asks tentatively. Maybe Minghao had changed his mind and wanted to go back home instead.
Minghao smiles and nods, and his heart lifts. He pockets his phone and suddenly slips his hand into Seokmin’s, intertwining their fingers. Seokmin’s breath hitches loudly, blood rushing all the way up to his ears.
“Come with me to Gyeongbokgung tomorrow?”
Seokmin’s heart crashes into overdrive, and he squeezes their joined fingers, not really believing what Minghao is asking him. “A-are you sure?”
Minghao nods, squeezing his fingers back and bumping their foreheads together. “Like I said, you’re a better photographer than Yuta.”