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It was clearly Christmas in the penthouse. The usually tailored empty expanse was filled with decorations, from statues of animals wearing santa hats to the snowflake lights that were wrapped around almost every surface. The tree towered in the corner, emanating a warm glow of thousands of fairy lights and covered with tinsel. Baubles and ornaments hung from most of the branches, creating an explosion of colour.
Mira never knew she could be as happy as this. She was sat on the couch, content with watching her children open their presents as she held her phone in hand, snapping pictures. They were all wearing the ugliest Christmas jumpers they could find. They had almost finished unwrapping their gifts, but her youngest was having a bit of trouble.
“Like this Jing jing!” Azter said affectionately, the nineteen year old kneeling on the floor and showing the toddler how to tear through the paper. Ji-yeong looked up at her older sibling with wide eyes and a look of wonderment on her face before breaking into a wide smile.
“Yesh! I do like sibby!”
Ji-yeong reached out and grasped at the present, pinching with her fingers but not ripping it. A frustrated frown appeared on her face. Azter gently guided her tiny hands to the tear they had already created, encouraging Ji-yeong to pull. Ji-yeong gave a squeal of excitement as the paper shredded apart, revealing a teddy bear with a little pink bow. Ji-yeong picked it up and cuddled it to her little body, smushing her face into the soft fur.
“What’s do you have Ji-ye?” Mira called out, having recorded the entire scene. The little girl spun around with a wide grin.
“Bear! Jush like Momma.”
“It is just like mine, isn’t it?” Rumi replied as she walked back over to the couch. She was wearing an equally hideous jumper. Mira pretended not to notice Rumi had her hand behind her back as she sat next to her. “My bear is brown though. What colour is yours?”
“White!”
“Very good, Ji-ye! What do you say to Azter?” Mira prompted. She let out a small chuckle as Ji-yeong whipped around and hurtled into Azter, who instinctively wrapped their arms around their sister.
“Thanksh yous,” Ji-yeong cried out happily, doing her best to hug the bear and her sibling at the same time. Azter laughed and patted the young child on the head.
“I saw it and thought of you. It's good you like it.”
“Darlings, look this way for a moment?” Mira asked, holding up her phone to take a photo. Her children turned towards her, Azter still hugging Ji-yeong as she held onto her bear, the two both sporting wide smiles as their heads were pressed together. The phone clicked and the image was captured forever.
“Awwww,” Rumi cooed, leaning in and resting her head against Mira’s shoulder as she looked at the picture. “Our children are so adorable.”
“They really are,” Mira said, trying not to tear up. She loved her family so much. Mira sniffled, then quickly cleared her throat to cover it up. “Come here kids, let’s take a family photo.”
“I could take it, Mum?”
“No Azter, come on, next to me,” Mira said firmly, patted the empty space beside her. Her adopted child was a good kid, but they did like to try to get out of photos. Mira supposed it was part of being a teenager.
Ji-yeong had already crawled into Rumi’s lap and was being lightly bounced on her knee as Rumi cradled her. Azter sat next to Mira, who put her arm around them as she held out the phone in front of them, taking advantage of her long reach to get them all into frame. They had to shuffle slightly, but they quickly got into the perfect position and Mira snapped several pictures of the family pulling different expressions, including a goofy one.
Mira looked through the photos, a warm feeling burning in her chest. These photos were so different from the stiff family portraits she had to endure as a child. Azter got up, holding their hands out to Ji-yeong.
“Come on Jing jing, let’s go play that new game you got.”
“Mhm! We play.”
Ji-yeong reached out and Azter helped lower her to the ground. They picked up the game that had been unwrapped earlier and held Ji-yeong’s hand as they both headed to one of their bedrooms.
Mira watched them go with a soft smile, then turned towards Rumi only to almost get a face full of mistletoe.
“Have you been wanting a kiss that badly, baby?”
“Yes. Come here,” Rumi said, looking at Mira with hungry eyes. She wrapped her hand around the back of Mira’s neck and pulled her close, kissing her softly. They traded gentle kisses for a while, before Rumi pulled back so she could snuggle up against Mira’s chest.
“I’m so happy.”
“So am I. I can’t believe we got so lucky,” Mira hummed, wrapping Rumi up in an embrace.
They sat like that for a while, just enjoying being in each other’s arms. Mira ran her fingers through Rumi’s hair, toying with the short locks of her wolf cut. Every so often they would hear laughter or Ji-yeong’s excited babbling, but that only added to their feeling of contentment.
“I got you something,” Rumi said after a length of time, knocking Mira out of her reverie.
“Oh? I thought we had already given each other our presents?”
“This is something extra.”
Rumi reached back and grabbed a gift bag that she had somehow managed to hide from Mira’s view. Mira accepted it, glancing up at Rumi upon feeling the decent weight of the bag before pulling it open to see what was inside. It was rectangular in shape and gift wrapped. When Mira pulled it out, she saw that it was very likely to be a book.
“Did you get me a signed copy of your autobiography? Oh babe, you shouldn’t have. We have about twenty lying around the penthouse,” Mira joked. Rumi gave a look of mock offence and lightly slapped her arm.
“As if I would. Hurry up and open it!” Rumi gave her an eager look, as if she was the one receiving a present. In that moment Mira was reminded of the expressions Ji-yeong had pulled all morning.
Mira slipped her fingers under one of the folded ends and neatly unsealed it, then did the same to the other side. She unwrapped the gift slowly, mostly out of wanting to savour it but also because she could see Rumi was getting increasingly more antsy. Finally, Mira peeled back the paper and could see the gift in all its glory.
It was a photo album, bound in white leather with a golden filigree border, surrounding the text that was etched into the cover.
‘My Dearest Mira,
You have always been by my side and supported me through everything. I am so grateful that I get to call you my wife and we have the family we always dreamed of. These are the memories that we hold closest to our hearts.
Merry Christmas
Love always, your Rumi’
Mira’s hands were shaking as she slowly opened the album. The first photo to greet her was from their pre-debut days. Mira, Rumi and Zoey were all sat in the shade of the tree eating ice cream cones. Mira could still remember how unbearably hot that day was and Celine had taken pity on them.
Shortly after the picture was taken the three had a water fight using their bottles of water. Mira turned the page and there it was, the aftermath of that fight where the three sodden girls were grinning at the camera, Mira’s elbow perched atop Rumi’s shoulder as Zoey threw up peace signs. There were some more pictures of their early years, a couple of them in training while most of them were when the girls were goofing off.
Then they launched Huntr/x. Rumi and Mira in the recording booth, posing for the camera. A drunken picture from the afterparty of their first idol awards, where Rumi is sipping directly from a bottle of champagne as Mira makes a lewd gesture with her tongue and fingers. Mira and Rumi asleep together on a tour bus, Mira’s head resting on Rumi’s chest as she cuddled up to her. Mira remembered Zoey had taken that last one and had teased them about it for weeks.
More images of them throughout their career, all the intimate moments between the tv appearances and the stage. Mira noticed how in some of these pictures Rumi was more distant, how covered up she was as her smile was strained. It made Mira’s heart ache. Mira could remember how she was frustrated at the time, how all her attempts to bridge the gap between them seemed to be for nothing.
There was an obvious shift after the sealed the Honmoon. Rumi looked comfortable once again with her patterns on clear display, grinning like a dork as she holds Mira close. It hadn’t taken them long to get together once Rumi’s heritage was revealed, as Rumi felt there was nothing holding her back and Mira had already spent years pining.
There’s the selfie from their first date, Mira kissing Rumi’s cheek. Another drunk picture, this one a little salacious as they couldn’t keep their hands off each other as Mira pressed Rumi up a wall. There’s a photo of them in Paris, the Eiffel tower in the background as they had their arms wrapped around each other, then a similar one in New York with the statue of Liberty.
Mira gazed at the image of herself down on one knee, a ring held out in front of her as Rumi held her hands over her mouth. The next picture was them crushed together in a kiss, tears slipping down both their faces as Rumi had said yes. Their wedding had been the following year, with Rumi in a form fitted white tuxedo and Mira in an elegant backless dress.
A carefully selected array of memories of vacations, events and tender moments followed. The day they brought Azter home was one of her favourites, the young teen sandwiched between them as Mira and Rumi vowed to provide a good life for them. The sun shining on them at the park as they enjoyed a family picnic and more family days out.
Then Mira had a clear baby bump as she was pregnant with Ji-yeong. Her birth, a happy occasion even if it was slightly harrowing due to its earliness, Mira cradling their baby with an exhausted but joyful expression. Rumi sleepily smiling with Ji-yeong on her chest. All four of them posed behind a giant cake with a large number one candle.
Mira finished looking through the photos, feeling absolutely overwhelmed. It was a perfect gift. Mira treasured her family above all else and Rumi knew that, so she had taken her time to create something special. Mira reached out and grabbed Rumi’s hand.
“Oh sweetheart, I love it. I love you.” Mira bit back a sob as she blinked rapidly, a couple of tears already making their way down her face. She peeked up at Rumi who was wearing a proud smile.
“I love you too. Merry Christmas.”
Mira leaned against Rumi and kissed her softly, pouring all her gratitude into the kiss. She had years of memories sitting in her lap. They had many more years together ahead to make even more.