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Rumi squinted and yawned as consciousness slowly returned to her. Judging by how much light filled the room, she was fairly certain it was already daytime.
And she felt well rested and comfortable.
They had spent months working on collaborations, released a new album, and wrapped everything up with a massive concert in Seoul alongside other idol groups, including the Saja Boys.
So waking up to Zoey’s arms wrapped around her waist, holding her close, while the peace of knowing she had absolutely nothing to do for the next two weeks settled into her mind, was deeply comforting.
Although… She still had to make an appearance at one last meeting with the agency that had organized the final mega-collaboration concert.
She had postponed that meeting twice already and were among the last groups who hadn’t gone in person to receive payment for their participation. Not that they needed it, really. They could retire right then and there and, with the money they had, live comfortably for the rest of their lives without worrying about expenses.
Still, Bobby had mentioned wanting to host a small lunch for the leaders of the participating groups, so Rumi could no longer keep delaying it.
On top of that, given all the help Jinu had provided in particular, she felt it was only right to give him something.
It was supposed to be a Christmas dinner, after all, and she had discussed it with Bobby, who said it could be a way to publicly acknowledge the closeness between both groups, their professionalism, and, on a personal level, strengthen their ties.
A formality that would drive the media insane and make headlines before the end of the year.
The lunch wouldn’t be until tomorrow, however, Bobby was so busy that he didn’t have time to pick something out for Jinu… for her to give him.
So she had offered to do it herself.
Rumi bit her lip as she felt the arms around her waist tighten slightly, the warm body pressed against her back shifting just a little.
Zoey probably wouldn’t like the idea. But then again, she already had her own gift this year… and she was looking for Jinu’s gift for work reasons, so in theory there shouldn’t be any issue.
“What are you thinking so hard about, tiger?” A warm whisper brushed against her neck, making her shiver as her lips curved into a smile. She felt one of Zoey’s hands snake under her sleep shirt, resting softly against her stomach.
The gentle caresses there made her sigh.
“About how much I love being on vacation and being able to write songs at my own pace,” she said lightly, feeling Zoey’s lips touch just behind her right ear, making her gasp softly and close her eyes in contentment.
“Waking up late, going out together in disguise, watching movies…” Zoey whispered, planting chaste kisses over and over as she trailed down toward her neck. Rumi arched into the touch.
“Yes…” she breathed, shifting and trying to turn around to face her girlfriend.
“Doing fun things,” Zoey murmured, letting Rumi turn fully until they were face to face, meeting Rumi’s affectionate gaze.
Rumi leaned forward, her smile widening.
“Like what we did last night?” she asked, pitching her voice up slightly. She noticed Zoey mirror her smile.
“Just like last night. Or even better.” Zoey leaned in, their lips meeting briefly, prompting both of them to move instinctively, finding the rhythm they adored so much.
When they pulled apart, their foreheads rested together. Zoey’s hands had settled on Rumi’s shoulders, while Rumi’s rested at her waist.
“So, what’s on the itinerary for today?” Zoey suddenly asked, leaning in to kiss her cheek before pulling away and flopping down beside her, stretching out lazily like a cat. Rumi shook her head at her antics.
She took a moment to respond. Because… what was she supposed to say?
“Buying a few things for Bobby’s last meeting…” she began, shifting to lie on her side and wrapping her arms around her pillow as if it could protect her. “He was really busy, and I offered to help him out a bit,” she finished, her tone slightly forced as she glanced sideways at Zoey, gauging her reaction.
“Oh… the one with the leaders of several groups? The one that didn’t bother inviting all of us?” Zoey glanced at her with an arched eyebrow, but she didn’t sound upset.
Rumi nodded stiffly.
“That one…”
“Well, if Bobby was having trouble and needed help, I don’t see the harm,” Zoey yawned loudly as she stretched again and sat up, running a hand through her loose, messy hair. Rumi tried not to let her gaze drift to Zoey’s modest, bare chest.
“I don’t think the shopping will take long, and if you want, later we can-”
Zoey crawled over and sat straddling her, placing her hands on Rumi’s shoulders.
“Let’s go together! We can have a lovely romantic date while we look for whatever it is Bobby asked you to get.” Zoey smiled, and Rumi’s eyes widened as she calculated her options in a split second.
“Are you sure? It’s really cold, and-”
“Don’t you want me to go?” Zoey pulled away and opened her eyes, sitting back and placing her hands on her thighs. “I get it if you want your own space to buy things, that’s okay,” she said, her voice suddenly much more nervous.
“Zoey, that’s not it, it’s—”
“I really do understand! Sometimes I get distracted and we end up going somewhere else, so it’s perfectly fine if you want a planned outing with no distractions.” Zoey held her hands stiffly in front of her, emphasizing her point.
Rumi reached out and took her wrists in a firm grip.
“I’m buying a gift for Jinu. I don’t know if you’d want to come along,” Rumi said, raising her voice slightly as she looked at her uncertainly. Zoey barely blinked.
“Why do you want to buy something for Jinu?” she frowned faintly.
That was the big problem. Zoey didn’t like Jinu… just as much as Rumi didn’t like Mistery.
“Bobby suggested it as a thank-you for covering for me at past events and as a simple formality!” Rumi tried to explain, her fingers tracing circles over Zoey’s wrists.
She watched as Zoey tried (really tried) to hide her displeasure, but it was painfully obvious in the way her brow furrowed and her head tilted from side to side.
“Just buy him a gift card or something…” Zoey murmured, turning her hands to catch Rumi’s and lace their fingers together.
“I don’t want it to seem lazy, like I don’t care,” Rumi muttered, looking away.
“But you don’t want to do it, do you?”
Silence.
“Rumi?” Zoey’s voice came out firmer than she meant it to, making Rumi lower her head.
“I know you don’t like him, but he’s helped me a lot this season, and overall… he’s not as bad as he used to be.” Rumi caught the slightly irritated look in Zoey’s eyes but knew she wouldn’t comment further.
“…Alright. If you feel like it’s the right thing to do, let’s go buy him something.” Zoey’s resigned tone made Rumi look up immediately, a small smile forming on her lips. She leaned in and kissed Zoey’s cheek.
“Thank you,” Rumi whispered as she let go of her hands and pushed herself up to sit, pulling Zoey into her lap so she could wrap her arms around her and hold her comfortably.
Rumi could see it in the tension on Zoey’s face. She was trying to keep a good attitude, not letting her emotions or past grudges surface. Rumi knew Zoey wasn’t blaming her for any of it…
In the past, unpleasant rumors had circulated about her and Jinu going out together. It had been a source of stress( she and Zoey hadn’t been officially together at the time) but it caused a wave of jealousy and discomfort that led to some very awkward conversations.
Rumi had found a friend in Jinu, and they often went at night to a nearby park, where she could unload some of her burdens and talk about her life, she felt that he understood her quite well.
However, she never expected Jinu to spread the rumors himself to provoke a reaction from Zoey. And Zoey, for her part, had done nothing but distance herself from Rumi because she believed she had something going on with Jinu and wanted to respect that.
A damn soap opera.
In the end, everything turned out fine, but Zoey had never forgiven Jinu for what he did… which was understandable. And according to Zoey’s theory, Jinu had feelings for Rumi, which only made it worse.
The good part was that, thanks to all that, Zoey and Rumi were finally together.
The bad part was that Zoey’s hatred toward Jinu’s very existence was eternal.
Which brought them to the present.
Rumi could feel how tightly Zoey was holding her hand as they sat in the back seat of her personal SUV.
They could afford a driver and had modified the vehicle so that the interior resembled a limousine, complete with a glass divider separating the front from the back.
Not everything had to be work and sacrifice.
Rumi leaned a little closer to Zoey.
“It’s kind of cold, don’t you think?” she remarked, noticing Zoey’s eyes fixed on her.
“Only you would think of going out at this time of year, when it’s about to snow,” Zoey protested, taking her gloves with her free hand and holding them near Rumi’s face, offering them.
Rumi took the gloves and slipped them onto her hands, momentarily breaking their grip. Then she waited a few seconds.
“I don’t think I’m warming up…” Rumi drawled carefully.
Zoey straightened from her slightly slouched posture, and Rumi saw her glance at the glass to make sure they had privacy. Rumi smiled when she realized her suggestion had landed.
“Well, there are other methods, you know,” Zoey whispered as she leaned closer, a spark of excitement in her eyes… the same soft look she always had when they woke up together and had time to simply adore each other’s faces with small kisses and gentle touches. The same lovestruck expression as always.
Rumi smiled and leaned in halfway. Zoey didn’t dare look away, not even for a second.
Any lingering anger melted away as Zoey leaned in to capture Rumi’s lips, a soft, warm pressure that sent butterflies fluttering through both of them.
Zoey lifted her hands to cup Rumi’s cheeks, pressing a little more firmly, she was slightly more demanding. Rumi was more than willing to return the kiss with everything she had. She exhaled softly, feeling Zoey’s energetic intensity before tilting her head and pressing back, matching her rhythm, letting her know it was perfectly fine.
They barely parted to take a quick breath before Rumi was already chasing Zoey’s lips again, gripping her firmly by the waist and pulling her in for another kiss.
She felt Zoey’s energy slowly settle, the kiss becoming gentler, more controlled. They stopped pushing and instead searched for balance, playing with it. Feeling a little bold, Rumi nipped lightly at Zoey’s lower lip before pulling back, her cheeks flushed.
Zoey wasn’t doing much better.
But the look of pure adoration on her face made Rumi’s heart ache.
“Feeling a little warmer now?” Zoey asked, her hands once again caressing Rumi’s cheeks.
“We still have a few minutes left, and more if there’s traffic. I think I might need a second round,” Rumi admitted shyly, though her eyes sparkled with anticipation.
As they wandered through the shops, Rumi noticed that Zoey’s mood was undeniably much better.
“Look! I swear they put it up every year since we started living here!” Zoey pointed at a giant decorative bear wearing a Christmas hat, which she insisted appeared every single year.
“I don’t really remember it,” Rumi huffed with amusement as she intertwined her gloved fingers and adjusted her scarf against the cold.
The place was decorated in a charmingly festive way, and of course it would have been a shame not to walk around and see everything before starting a more serious search.
So there they were, strolling through the area in their incognito outfits, admiring shop windows and discounts.
Zoey had dragged them into a video game store that clashed badly with the surrounding clothing shops, but she spoke enthusiastically about the upcoming release of her favorite game anyway.
“No, seriously, it only came out three months ago and after fifteen minutes everything was sold out. Online sales completely collapsed, and we were at that concert in Bangkok, so there was absolutely no chance,” Zoey rattled off at lightning speed. The clerk barely blinked at the explanation.
“Ah…we went to see Huntrix in concert,” Rumi added with a smile, and the clerk seemed satisfied. Zoey appeared to realize her mistake and scratched the back of her neck with a nervous grin.
“They’re really good. Their performances move you right to the soul,” she said, placing a hand over her heart with a touched smile.
“Yes, but not as much as the new release of this another beauty,” Zoey replied, clasping her hands together as she turned her attention to another video game…one she already owned.
Rumi sighed with mild resignation as she watched her chat animatedly with the clerk, she was cute…
“All right. How about a shirt that says ‘I can’t flirt to save my life’?” Zoey winked at her, earning a sideways glare from Rumi, who lightly nudged her with an elbow.
“Be serious. A shirt or something like that would be fine, but definitely not with that message,” Rumi tried to keep a straight face, though the corner of her lips betrayed her.
“Why not? I think it would look adorable,” Zoey joked as she browsed the men’s section, picking out a few interesting options. In fact, her choices were pretty good.
“The black one you picked is fine.” Rumi took it to inspect it, she thought it would suit him just fine anyway. It had been surprisingly quick and easy.
“It’s boring, just like him,” Zoey said with a grin, shrugging as she nodded and put the other options away. However, halfway to the checkout, something in the women’s section caught her eye and drew her off course.
Less than five minutes later, Rumi was being called over by Zoey to the fitting room area.
“Rumi, this is going to look amazing on you!” she exclaimed, holding up the items, a couple of faux leather jackets in different colors with high-quality thermal lining, some turtleneck sweaters, and a pair of long trench coats. “You’re going to look incredibly elegant.”
Rumi glanced around quickly and sighed with a resigned smile. Chances were they wouldn’t make it through the day without being recognized, but seeing the excitement on Zoey’s face…and the clothes she had picked out for her…
She simply couldn’t blame her. And she really wanted to kiss her right then and there.
In fact, she did. She stepped forward discreetly and, as she took the clothes from Zoey’s hands, their lips met briefly, leaving Zoey staring at her, mouth slightly open.
“I’ll try them on. I’ll be right back,” Rumi whispered as her free hand brushed along Zoey’s jaw. Zoey remained frozen in place, unable to move.
Rumi went into the fitting room and tried everything on. Honestly, everything fit perfectly, and just as Zoey had said, she looked elegant. The brown trench coat paired with the turtleneck would look incredible with tall black boots and maybe white pants.
She wasn’t sure if she was committing some kind of fashion crime. Mira might kill her later.
The jacket looked amazing too, and she decided she was going to buy everything. When she stepped out, she immediately felt Zoey’s phone camera on her, which embarrassed her a little, but more than anything, it was the sparkle in Zoey’s eyes.
“I seriously can’t believe how lucky I am to be dating you,” Zoey whispered, biting her lower lip, her cheeks slightly flushed.
Rumi rolled her eyes fondly. “I could say the same.”
Zoey circled her a couple of times, inspecting the outfit and asking how the trench coat felt. Her fingers brushed softly over the fabric and seams, sending a pleasant shiver through Rumi.
And yet, Rumi’s eyes caught sight of a couple of aquamarine-green hoodies. The color and texture looked so comfortable… and she thought they would look perfect on Zoey.
“I also want to pick out some clothes for you,” Rumi said suddenly, heading straight toward the hoodies and leaving Zoey behind with an amused smile.
They completely lost track of time while picking out clothes for each other.
It was already night by the time they arrived at the tower, carrying a ridiculous number of shopping bags…most of them in Rumi’s arms while Zoey held a box of Dunkin’ Donuts under one arm and a wrapped package in her hand. It wasn’t very big, but it was unmistakably a Christmas present.
Mira was in the kitchen, it was obvious she was making dinner for the three of them. Still, she visibly brightened when she saw them arrive with so many new packages.
“You two had fun, huh?” Mira asked with a small, warm smile…the kind she reserved only for them, in the comfort of their little family.
“Yes! And wait until you see what we got for you!” Zoey rushed over clumsily, setting the pile of items down on the kitchen counter before starting to move the boxes they’d brought. Mira rolled her eyes fondly while watching Rumi, who looked slightly worn out.
“I’ll see it as soon as I finish making dinner. I don’t trust either of you with our safety,” Mira said, winking at them. Zoey shook her head as she continued stacking boxes, while Rumi frowned faintly.
“I can cook,” she protested, following Zoey’s lead and starting to unload her shopping bags.
“You? Not to save your life,” Mira replied with an amused smile as Rumi approached the stove with an indignant look.
“Mira!”
“Okay, okay, sorry. Just set the table, five minutes and we’ll be eating,” Mira said, nudging her playfully. Rumi bumped her back with the same energy.
They were already warm in their respective pajamas. They had said goodnight to Mira and thanked her for dinner, truly… they loved her so much.
Both of them were completely exhausted, and Zoey was the first to sneak into Rumi’s bed, slipping under the covers to steal some warmth.
Rumi, meanwhile, was organizing the shopping bags in her new home, putting everything away in her closet and separating Zoey’s purchases from her own. Most of what they’d bought was clothing, but she could also see Zoey’s new video games alongside a few collectible figures and even several fishing hats in different colors.
And there, on her nightstand, was Jinu’s gift.
Rumi could feel Zoey’s gaze lingering on the wrapped package. It wasn’t flashy, and she knew it was work-related… but she could still sense the faint discomfort.
It wasn’t that Zoey didn’t trust her…
But Rumi knew Zoey tended to overthink, and she couldn’t stand the idea of those thoughts bothering her, even for a second.
So, with quiet determination, she dug deep into her closet and pulled out a small box wrapped in turtle patterned paper, with a handwritten note taped to it:
For Zoey 🐢
She then padded softly back to the bed and sat down on her usual side, looking at her girlfriend with visible nerves.
“Rumi?” the maknae asked, her eyes settling curiously on the second wrapped box.
“Jinu is just a coworker I’m relatively friendly with… but you, on the other hand…” Rumi held out the box and gently set it beside where Zoey was curled up.
Zoey immediately sat up and picked up the box, examining it carefully. Then she noticed how flustered Rumi looked.
“W-Wait! You can’t just give me my Christmas present like this!” Zoey complained, cheeks flushing as she set the gift aside and stood up. “I swear, you love planning in some areas and you’re completely spontaneous in others. You’re going to give me a heart attack!”
She hurried across the room and reached behind a few potted plants, pulling out a bigger, carefully decorated package.
“You hid my gift in my own room?” Rumi stared at her in disbelief.
“Those are the plants you only water once a month, so you wouldn’t touch them until early January… right?” Zoey grinned proudly, and a wave of affection hit Rumi straight in the chest.
“You listen when I ramble about my plants?” Rumi asked softly as she rested Zoey’s gift on her lap.
“Of course I do! I might forget some things, but I really try to pay attention to what you say.” Zoey’s cheeks were pink as she climbed back onto the bed and sat beside her.
Their eyes met, and they smiled at each other.
“So… are we really doing the gift exchange right here and now?” Zoey asked, a teasing smile playing on her lips.
Rumi brushed a hand near her ear as if adjusting her hair, though it was more a nervous reflex.
“I don’t want the first gift I give this season to be for Jinu instead of the woman I love most,” she admitted, cheeks burning.
Zoey blushed just as hard and looked down, clearly shaken by her words.
“Damn… I- I hope you like it, okay?” was all she managed before handing over the blue package, covered in tape and a bit of glitter.
Rumi placed the smaller gift in front of Zoey and nodded. Truthfully, she was eager to see Zoey’s reaction to what she’d bought her.
She had no doubt she’d love it.
They both picked up their packages at the same time. Zoey had no trouble opening hers, while Rumi struggled a bit. How much tape had Zoey used?
She had to use the tips of her nails, but she finally managed to tear through the wrapping.
She heard Zoey gasp, but her own attention was fixed on the beautiful plush in her hands, a blue tiger with stripes just like the ones on her own body…her birthmarks.
She’d stared at it for a long time during one of their tour stops, convinced no one had noticed.
Apparently, not only had someone noticed, she’d made her wish come true.
It was beautiful. Perfect. Rumi immediately cradled it gently against her chest.
When she looked up, she saw Zoey clutching the game she’d been trying to get for months, the one she’d never been able to find. She was already crying, and seconds later she launched herself forward, wrapping her arms around Rumi’s neck and squeezing her so tightly she nearly knocked the air out of her lungs.
“Do you have any idea how badly I wanted this game?! How did you even get it?!” Zoey buried her face in Rumi’s neck as tears fell, though Zoey also felt a couple of soft smacks against her forearm.
Rumi smiled when Zoey finally pulled back, then gently lifted her right hand to cup her cheek, wiping away her tears. Zoey leaned into her palm and sighed, content.
“Seriously, it was insanely hard to get. How did you do it?” Zoey’s hands slid up to rest on Rumi’s shoulders.
“A magician never reveals her secrets… though I might if you tell me how you knew I wanted this,” Rumi said with a smile, briefly pulling away to hold her new plush with both hands and press a kiss to its forehead. The simple gesture completely melted Zoey.
“You’re terrible at hiding it when you like something,” Zoey said, leaning in to kiss Rumi’s forehead the same way she’d kissed the tiger.
Maybe they’d spend Christmas Day watching Mira open her gifts together…but that was the least important part.
Rumi thought that seeing Zoey happy was all that really mattered.