Chapter Text
He had heard of this tradition. It was something common in the west, something he didn’t think too much about. The holidays tended to be spent at work for him, or with his father and whatever girlfriend accompanied him for that weekend.
But now that you were married to him, things were going to be different.
He was determined to take the holiday off, and make sure that his employees did as well. That way there would be no concern for call-ins, nothing to ruin the special moment he would share with you once you were peacefully resting together in your home.
The only problem was, he wasn’t entirely sure how to make it special. At least, not until Seven started talking about that silly tradition that they had over in Europe and the Americas.
“I’m serious, you guys. It’d be so much fun to screw around with people!! Imagine all the smooches- maybe you’ll get a chance to kiss the right lady, Zen! Then you’ll finally have a girlfriend lololol”
“That’s not how finding a girlfriend works… You have to get to know the person, not kiss them and call it official.”
“Ooh, you think it’ll work that well, Seven?! Maybe I should give it a try, too!!”
“lol that’s the spirit Yoosung!! It’ll totally work!!”
“Did you not read what I just said?”
“I doubt women would just let you kiss them without warning, Luciel.” Jumin took this opportunity to jump in, “It has to be consensual, correct? Otherwise they could file a lawsuit for sexual harassment.”
“It’s totally consensual!! You don’t really have a choice on either side, so it technically evens out. I mean it can’t be helped if you both end up under the mistletoe at the same time! It’s destiny lol”
Jumin blinked. “Mistletoe?”
“You know about it, right?? It’s that tiny plant that you put up in a doorway or hang it from a wall so when people walk under it, they have to kiss. It’s an old tradition!”
“I have never heard of this.”
“Probably because you never do anything but work during the holidays.” Jumin resisted the urge to roll his eyes when he read Zen’s text, instead ignoring it to continue,
“Why are you talking about it now?”
“I was thinking about pitching the idea to MC so we could have mistletoe all over the next RFA party! It’s pretty close to Christmas anyways, right? Why not deck it out with some real holiday cheer! And having everybody kissing everybody would be so funny~ lolol I’ll bet I could get a kiss out of Jaehee or Yoosung-”
“Not happening.” Jaehee and Yoosung texted simultaneously, just as said assistant logged into the chatroom.
“Indeed. Are there no rules to this mistletoe?” Jumin asked.
“None! Whoever gets caught under the mistletoe has to kiss, no matter who it is!!” Upon Seven’s response, Jumin frowned.
“And if one of the individual’s is already spoken for?”
“Too bad! Gotta kiss anyways!”
“And if one of the individual’s is married?”
“I think I already covered that lol”
“Are you getting jealous, Jumin?”
“I think he’s getting protective over MC~” Yoosung’s text made his eyebrow twitch, his frown deepening.
“I am simply trying to gauge what the boundaries are. I will be speaking with MC about your suggestion, however. I will let you know if she shows interest, or not.”
“Why can’t she just tell us? She’s gonna be online in a little while, anyways.”
“I can assure you, she will not.” Jumin texted just as he rose, grabbing his coat and heading for the door. “She will be preoccupied this evening.”
“Busy party planning, I’m guessing?”
“Something akin to that, yes. I must leave now. Goodbye.” He texted finally, shutting the door to his office behind him. He then pulled up his phone contacts.
He had a very important call to make.
You’d barely made it in the front door before Jumin opened it for you, his gaze warm and expectant.
“Welcome home.” He greeted you cordially, taking your hand as you stepped into the flat. Your eyebrows rose, finding him looking particularly pleased with himself. Of course this was only in his eyes, which tended to betray his emotions far more than his actual expressions did. “Were you alright shopping alone?”
“I wasn’t alone- your bodyguards are around me 24/7, remember?” You said sarcastically, “But I did have a good time. I think I found you the perfect gift for Christmas.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” He smiled softly, pecking your cheek as he helped you remove your coat.
“I’m surprised you beat me home, though. That’s not something that happens often. Everything okay at work?”
“Perfectly fine. I simply wished to leave early so that I could spend more time with you.” He replied smoothly, to which you giggled. “I did have something important I wished to speak with you about, however. I’m not sure if you have seen the text conversation from earlier, but Luciel had mentioned possibly adding mistletoe to the decorations for the upcoming party.”
“Mistletoe? That could be fun.” You mused, “I’ll have to check in- I didn’t have a chance to log in today so I think I missed-”
“There is no need.” Jumin cut you off smoothly, “I thought I would talk to you about it, instead. Not adding the mistletoe, that is.”
“What?” You looked up at him, surprised. “Why not?”
Jumin didn’t meet your gaze as he hung your coat up beside his, rolling up his sleeves. “Luciel explained that the rules to mistletoe is that, should two people come beneath it, they have no choice but to kiss.”
“Where’s the problem?”
“The problem,” He began, coming up to you and taking your hand in his, “Is that rule applies to everyone...regardless of relationship status- marital, included.”
“Oh. I see.” You grinned, a mischievous sparkle in your eye. “And that bothers you?”
“Wouldn’t you be if it didn’t?”
“I suppose so,” You responded in a mischievous tone, “But you know, it’s just a friendly kiss. It doesn’t have to mean anything, you know.”
“Regardless of whether or not it has meaning,” Jumin murmured, drawing you into his chest and securing an arm around your waist, “It is my personal belief that no one should kiss you except me.”
“I can’t say I disagree.” You leaned close, your faces mere inches from each other. Your hands slid up his chest, drawing a twinkle in those stormy gray eyes of his.
“Then I have a proposition for you. I believe I found a better use for mistletoe. Follow me, will you?” He said softly, guiding you into the bedroom. You looked at him curiously, wondering what could be so important that he would pass up the perfect opportunity to steal you away.
At least, that’s what you thought. Then you walked through the door.
You gasped, eyes wide in shock. “J-Jumin?!”
“I thought it would be most prudent if we were to use the mistletoe in a more beneficial manner. At least, for the two of us. Like any business, I thought we could be most productive with it if we had it privatized.”
“Emphasis on privatized.” Your mouth was agape as you stared at your bedroom ceiling. What was once a clean, creamy space was now completely covered in mistletoe from corner to corner. A majority of it seemed to accumulate over the bed. Jumin’s hand tightened on your waist, drawing your gaze to him.
“This way, we can make the most use of it, without fear of one of us being stolen away by a stranger. Doesn’t it seem more suitable, this way?”
“I don’t know…” You trailed off, gazing up at him, “We’ll have to test it out, won’t we?”
“Gladly.” He murmured, before capturing your lips with his. Jumin turned so that you were flush against him, one hand cupping your cheek and the other sliding up your back. He pressed you close, deepening the kiss with the smallest movements.
You were more than happy to receive him, if you hadn’t already made that clear. You stiffened against his advance for only a split second before you melted into his hold, receiving everything your husband had to give.
When you pulled away, his face was stoic as ever, while yours was plenty flushed.
“Any feedback would be appreciated.” Was the first thing he said, only slightly breathless. You laughed weakly, hiding your face in his neck.
“I-I think I prefer to use mistletoe like this, personally.” You mumbled against his skin, “Do you?”
“I believe my answer has been made quite clear. But,” He pulled you away, hooking a finger under your chin, drawing your gaze to his rather alluring eyes. “We do have a predicament on our hands. If we are to follow the rules, we’ll have to kiss everywhere there’s mistletoe, correct?”
“B-but it’s everywhere!” You protested, realizing the gravity of the situation. Jumin’s expression morphed into one of smug triumph.
“Then I just suppose I’ll have to kiss you everywhere. That’s...not a problem, is it?”
You swallowed what was left of your dignity to utter your weak response.
“O-of course not.”
He grinned. “Then let us make the most of our evening.”
MC has entered the chatroom
“MC! You’re here!! Good morning!!”
“Hey there, Seven.”
“Jumin told me he’d talk to you about the mistletoe stuff. Did he? He did, right? He said he would!!”
“Trust me, he definitely did…”
“So? What did you think?”
“I don’t think we’re gonna use it as a decoration at the party.”
“What?! Why not?! ; A ;”
“Let’s just say he made a pretty convincing argument against it.”
“A convincing argument? ...Oh. OH. OHHHH HOHOHOHOHOHOHO~”
“Sorry, Seven- Jumin is asking for me. I think he needs me in the bedroom for something-”
“Something? Or something something?”
“...Idk what you mean.”
“You know full well what I mean!! Just don’t go too crazy in there, you naughty kids~ lolololol”
Despite Seven’s warnings, it was kind of impossible not to; considering how Jumin was so staunch about following the rules.
For once, you didn’t mind it.