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November 17th - 38 Days to Christmas

"Alright, alright, settle down everyone! Let's get this meeting out of the way so we can start prepping tomorrow."

Mingi quietly looks around the staff room from his seat in the back as the others slowly stop their chitchatting. There are fewer staff than he'd imagined: only the manager he'd interviewed with up front leading the meeting and four other men who look around his age sitting at the table in front of him. No wonder the pay is so high for a simple mall elf job.

His eyes fall to the back of one of the men's heads. He's sitting at the edge of the group of four, but he was happily chatting with them all until the manager called the start of the meeting. With the way they're all sat together, friendly, Mingi realizes they've probably worked together before, and it sends a spike of irritation through his system that he isn't proud of.

He's been irritable for months now, steadily getting worse and worse, but it's still been manageable for the most part. He can play at happy and well-adjusted when he has to, like during job interviews, but the anger still flashes in quick bursts inside of him. Some part of his body that he doesn't like seems to be convinced that if he's having a bad holiday, everyone else should be too; no one should be allowed to be cheerful when he can't.

The bigger part of him recognizes that isn't fair to anyone, but he's not ready to deal with that just yet, content to wallow in his unhappiness instead. He's just looking to survive Christmas and earn a solid paycheck in the meantime.

"…and we have a new face joining us this year, as you might have noticed."

The manager's voice filters back into his ears in the same moment that Mingi registers the rustling sound of the men in front of him turning around.

Blinking, Mingi takes in the other men's faces, some of them looking at him in curiosity, polite smiles on their faces. The blond right in front of him, though, smiles far too brightly for roughly eight thirty in the morning. He even waves.

"Hi! I'm Yunho, resident Santa here. Welcome to the team!"

Any other time, Mingi knows he would be flustered by the attention, might even have little butterflies tickling his stomach. Because Yunho is handsome, undeniably so, but in a sweet and non-threatening way that's entirely his type.

Now, though, he just feels angry again.

His face remains blank, and he musters a stiff nod to acknowledge the other's greeting.

The other men slowly, awkwardly turn back around to face the manager when he clears his throat. Yunho hesitates only a moment longer to watch Mingi before he, too, turns away.

"Right, so… for the rest of the week," the manager says, starting to explain what they'll have to do to prepare the North Pole scenery.

Mingi starts to worry if he really can handle this next month and a half.

November 18th - 37 Days to Christmas

The next day finds Mingi hunched over a large folding table in the open space that needs to become the North Pole within just a few days. The staff are all hidden behind large curtains, so as not to ruin the magic for any children who come to the mall before it's all finished.

He's painting little wooden gingerbread men, giving them all a solid coat of brown paint until they resemble the sweet, spiced treats. He'll have to add frosting details and different color buttons later, but for now he's monotonously painting the same brown, over and over, in broad, boring strokes.

A sigh heaves its way up from his chest and out of his mouth before he can begin to stop it, but his brush never stops. Up and down, over and over, until the little wooden shapes are covered, even if the way it's getting on his fingers only makes the low thrum of boredom and annoyance grow just that tiny bit louder.

He's so caught up in the tedium of it all that the repetitive Christmas carols over the mall speakers and the chatter of his coworkers falls away. They'd all been assigned various decorating tasks, with Mingi on gingerbread duty. Hongjoong is fluffing up fake snow and positioning it around the space, but Mingi thinks he heard that the man will have to cut snowflakes after that. Seonghwa is painting ornaments, which will eventually join Mingi's “cookies” on the oversized fake tree.

Even Wooyoung, the photographer hired to take pictures of the kids with Yunho once they actually open, doesn't get to miss decorating duty, stuck untangling lights and tinsel with the abundantly cheery Yunho.

He's on his sixth gingerbread man when the cookie suddenly looks about three shades darker than it should. Glancing up to figure out what's blocking his light, he realizes it's Yunho's shadow. The man is standing just across the table, but he's tall enough that his head momentarily blocks some of the light coming in from the mall's center skylight.

The shadow shifts as Yunho tilts his head to the side, another shockingly bright smile on his face.

“Hi, Mingi! I hope you're doing well today,” he says, and Mingi knows he has to be civil. He can't be as rude as yesterday, no matter how much he wants to keep his head down and get through the holiday as quickly as possible.

“Morning, Yunho,” he manages, though even he can hear how flat his voice is.

There's a small pause as Yunho figures out what to do with the barely there answer, but he doesn't let it fluster him long. He's annoyingly unflappable, it seems.

“Right… well, I just wanted to say you're doing great so far,” he continues.

Mingi wants to scoff, because Yunho isn't the manager. What does it matter to him if Mingi is doing a good job? He's painted six pieces of wood flat brown, which isn't exactly rocket science.

“Uh huh… thanks, I guess.”

“You're welcome!” The genuine appreciation in his voice is simultaneously grating and sort of sweet, but Mingi doesn't have it in him to care about anything other than earning a paycheck. He can pretend to be happy when the kids start coming in on Friday, but until then, he doesn't have the energy for more than the bare minimum.

“I also just wanted to let you know that I'm really excited you're joining our little team this year!”

“Well that makes one of us.”

It's out of his mouth before he can stop it, rushing up and over his lips like a pot boiling over. Emotions flare up through his system rapidly, synapses firing all over the place. A bit of anger here, self-blame there, disappointment in his life choices and lack of accomplishments, a desperate ache to be somewhere else—his emotions run the gamut of negativity, and they force his hand. They force him to be crueler than he ever would be under normal circumstances.

Almost immediately, he deflates, looking up from his paint-stained fingers to figure out how to apologize even through the sudden numbness he feels.

But Yunho is already turning away, head down as he heads back to his tinsel untangling station. He isn't quick enough to stop Mingi from seeing the dejection on his face. It's clear in the bite of his lower lip, the downturn to his brow, as he walks away.

Mingi only feels even more reason to be disappointed in himself. Another log to the fire of self-immolation.

November 19th - 36 Days To Christmas

The next day, Mingi wants to be better, he truly does. He wants to be kinder, friendlier to his coworkers. He wants to try to engage, because even if the Christmas cheer doesn't make him feel better, maybe it can at least distract him from all that's pulling him down.

He has the presence of mind to admit that might not be healthy, though the energy and will to change it are both still woefully absent.

He starts the day with lofty goals, planning to smile and let himself be roped into small talk instead of shutting it down with silence. He walks into the staff room and sees Hongjoong and Seonghwa talking, hesitating a few seconds in the door before he sits across from them instead of in the back corner.

“Good, um,” he clears his throat, “Good morning.”

Their faces both express varying levels of confusion, though Seonghwa's is tempered by a smile that almost seems proud, an emotion Mingi doesn't think he deserves to be on the receiving end of as of late.

“Good morning, Mingi,” Seonghwa says softly. “Are you feeling alright today?”

Mingi nods jerkily, somehow having forgotten basic human niceties in the turmoil of the last couple of months. “Y-yeah, yes, I'm okay, a little tired. How are you both?”

Hongjoong opens his mouth to answer, but the door swings open once again and the room instantly feels ten times smaller, so filled as it is by Yunho's boisterous presence.

“Coffee and hot chocolate delivery!”

He announces it loudly, in a sing-song voice, and Mingi fights down his immediate irritation. He beats down the voice in his head that says everyone should be having a Christmas as bad as he is. Reminding himself that what Yunho is doing is normal, that this is what nice coworkers do, he watches the man set down three drink carriers, each loaded with two hot beverages in festive cups.

The blond starts passing them out, quickly handing them off one-by-one as he names the drinks. A mocha for you, when he passes a cup to Wooyoung, and black coffee for you, of course, when it's Hongjoong's turn.

There are only two cups left now, one of them presumably for Yunho himself, and Mingi almost feels like he dissociates when the man sets a garishly green and red cup in front of him.

Because he hears Yunho say, “And a peppermint hot chocolate with extra whipped cream for you, Mingi,” and his body runs cold.

For once, it isn't annoyance, but instead the frigid burn of sadness. He hasn't felt sad in months, wavering only between varying levels of anger and nothing, and its a cold shock to his system to be faced with a new emotion after so long.

Peppermint hot chocolate is his mother's favorite drink around the holidays. Every year, she finds a new cafe in their hometown that offers it and takes Mingi with her to try it, determined to figure out the best one.

It hits him, suddenly, that that's yet another tradition he'll be forced to miss out on this year. He's struck by the realization, rendered frozen and heartbroken all over again, reminded so plainly just what he's being forced to miss. There's no one to blame but himself.

If he hadn't lost his job in September, if he had more to show for himself so he could find a new one more quickly instead of getting no responses. If he'd had the guts to tell his mom and ask for her help, even.

If he'd just been better, he wouldn't be stuck in the city on their favorite holiday; he wouldn't be stuck in Christmas hell day in and day out.

For a brief, horrible moment, he wonders if he's going to cry in front of virtual strangers.

“Maybe our resident scrooge just needs a bit of sweetening up, hm?”

Yunho speaks again, a teasing tone to his voice as if he and Mingi are friends who can joke like that with one another. Instantly, Mingi's gut fills with hot anger again, an emotion he's unfortunately all too familiar with.

“I don't want any of your stupid drinks, Yunho,” he says, staring at the cup as if it, too, personally harmed him.

He feels the leaden weight of dark, dusty coal sitting heavy in his stomach. He feels rotten from the inside out.

He leaves the room before he can say something even worse. Lofty goals mean higher levels of disappointment in the end, Mingi finds out.

November 21st - 34 Days to Christmas

Today’s the day: the day children will start to make visits to Santa, the day the North Pole opens in the shopping center. Mingi and Hongjoong will greet and direct the children as elves, keeping them in line and entertaining them while they wait if needed. Yunho is, of course, Santa, ready to ask the children what they want for Christmas and help them feel like dreams really can come true. At his side is Seonghwa, playing a sort of head elf. In reality, Seonghwa's elf costume just has a bit more red on it rather than green, and he was given a fancier hat and a prop clipboard.

Wooyoung is also dressed in the same outfit as Hongjoong and Mingi, though Mingi gets the sense that he hates the green elf costume from the way the others teased him for it.

The early morning passes in a whirlwind, all of them coming together to frantically finish the last little details on their decorations. Before Mingi can even blink, they're done and taking a quick, fifteen-minute break to gather themselves before the curtains fall. He realizes he can hear the low chatter of people, interrupted by happy squeals and giggling. The crowds are here, and it's time for Mingi to act every bit as cheerful as the others.

He walks with Hongjoong to the line's entrance, taking a deep breath before he smiles in preparation to see the kids. The expression feels unnatural for someone who hasn't felt very happy at all as of late, but he hopes that it looks genuine enough.

Then, the curtains fall.

There are sudden cries of “Santa!” as the children collectively see Yunho, seated on his big red and gold chair, for the first time.

Yunho, though his mouth is largely hidden behind a fluffy fake beard, visibly beams, waving at the children with both hands as he laughs heartily. He somehow does the perfect deep, jolly laugh, clearly fake to any adults listening, but just right for the kids to think he really is Santa, come down from the North Pole to hear their wishes.

Their manager guides the waiting crowds to get into the line that Mingi and Hongjoong are supposed to manage, and Mingi does his best to smile happily at them all as they approach. He starts to take careful steps backwards, in sync with Hongjoong, to guide the families up through the roped off line until the first guests are all the way up front.

Yunho watches them, big grin still noticeable despite his beard, and waits for the line to settle a bit before he gestures the first child up. While Hongjoong points the parents over to Wooyoung, so they can watch as pictures are taken, Mingi waves the child, a little boy, forward towards Yunho.

"Are you ready to meet Santa?" He asks, hopeful the cheer in his voice is believable, but it's ultimatey unneeded. The boy is so excited that he's bouncing on the balls of his feet, nodding frantically before he takes off towards Yunho's chair.

"Santa!" He yells, his little jacket slipping off one shoulder in his haste to get over to Yunho.

"Woah!" Yunho's voice descends into a laugh as he speaks. "I'm so happy to see you, but let's not rush! You have all the time you need," he says, reaching forward to fix the boy's jacket as he helps him up onto his knee.

Immediately, the boy is leaning in to hug Yunho around his padded out belly, and Yunho continues to laugh as he asks the boy what he'd like for Christmas. They chat happily for a bit longer before Yunho tells him to look at Wooyoung and his parents for a photo. The whole exchange only takes a couple of minutes, but the boy's laughter as he hops down and waves goodbye, walking away with his parents, makes it clear those minutes alone have brought his Christmas so much joy.

From the line, Mingi continues doing his best to entertain the children waiting, asking them questions about their day, their Christmas plans, whether or not they're excited to talk to Santa. One-by-one, each child moves up the line, their parents going to stand with Wooyoung while they go to Yunho. As Santa, he tells each and every one of them about how they're wonderful, good children, deserving of being on the nice list. He wishes all of them a merry Christmas, and it never sounds forced. It's abundantly clear that Yunho genuinely wants all of them to feel the magic of the season, to have a good Christmas where they get at least one of the presents they want so badly.

The time passes exceedingly quickly, and they're at least twenty or thirty children down the line when a little girl walks up next, holding her mother's hand in a tight squeeze as she watches Yunho with concern. She can't be more than five, so she has no practice hiding her emotions on her face, but even if she had, her body language gives it away, too. Her feet are turned into each other, one of them balanced on the toe of her patent leather flats as she fidgets it back and forth.

Her clothes are cute and clearly provided by her mother. She stands there in a red velvet dress, a matching bow in her hair, and the hand that isn't holding her mother's is fiddling with the bottom hem.

As Yunho waves goodbye to the current child, he turns and spots the little girl. His mouth was open, ready to call out to her and ask her to come over, but it closes as his face visibly softens. In a much softer tone, though he still uses the put upon lower register, he speaks.

"Well hello there," he starts. "Would you like to join me over here? Your mother can come with you if you'd like."

The mom turns and looks at Mingi as she hears this, raising an eyebrow as if to double check with Mingi that it's alright. Immediately, Mingi nods.

"You can stay with her, of course, if it will make her more comfortable."

The mom smiles softly, leading her daughter over to Yunho's chair, but she only seems to shrink the closer she gets. As Yunho appears to her to get bigger and bigger, she only grows smaller with fear.

Somehow, Yunho spots it and immediately knows what to do.

Mingi watches in awe as Santa, for the first time that day, stands out of his chair. He crouches, careful to act like it's a bit difficult for his "old" joints, until he's as small as he can be in front of her.

"Would you like to climb up here? Sometimes I like to get up, or sit down here, but I don't want my chair getting lonely."

When the girl nods slowly, her mother helps her into the seat. From the higher vantage point, she's suddenly bigger than Yunho, and she seems to begin to relax. His voice is suddenly much quieter, to the point that Mingi can no longer make out what he's saying from his place at the front of the line.

He talks to her just like that, gently and quietly, and her face slowly transforms from a concerned frown to a shy smile, her eyes starting to sparkle as she listens to Yunho. Eventually, she must tell him what she wants for Christmas, because Mingi catches the man saying something like, "That's a wonderful gift!" and the girl suddenly beams.

It's time for the photo, and her mother tries to tell her to get down so she can sit with Santa properly, but Yunho waves her away. He happily stays on the ground, letting Wooyoung take the unconventional photo as long as the girl stays smiling.

After the flash, she hops down and hugs Yunho while he stays crouched, and she leaves with a big smile. Yunho watches her go before he makes another big show of moaning and groaning as he stands back up, settling back in his chair.

Mingi blinks quickly, conflicted emotions in his chest, but he gets back into the routine again as the next child takes her turn with Santa.

As he focuses back on the kids in front of him, Mingi catches Hongjoong's eye.

"He's really good with the kids," the other man says in a low voice, practically inaudible to the children around them.

Mingi only manages a quiet yeah… as he takes another look at Yunho before he fully turns back to his duties as an elf.

He stays focused on the children in line, pointedly ignoring his new conflicting feelings, until it's time for a dinner break. They all shuffle into the breakroom with hastily procured food court garbage, fast and cheap but good enough. Still determined to be a bit better, a bit kinder to his coworkers, Mingi sits beside Hongjoong at the break table, with Wooyoung across from him and Seonghwa across from Hongjoong.

Yunho is the last to shuffle in, and he sits in the empty chair beside Mingi. Immediately, something in his body instinctively bristles, but he tamps it down as they all tuck into their food. They all seem to be so hungry and tired that at first, they eat in silence. A few minutes later, he hears Yunho take a loud sip from his to-go cup of soda and set it back down before he's clearing his throat.

"So, Mingi, not as much of a scrooge around the kids, huh? You were doing a great job with them."

There's that word again, scrooge. Prickly irritation at the stupid nickname rushes up his spine, flaring out over his shoulders and down his arms. It settles in his jaw, even, making him itch to speak, to lash out. He thinks with everything he's going through this Christmas, he's earned being a bit of a scrooge, but Yunho says it like it's something silly. Like it's some part of Mingi's normal personality, something that can be used to tease. Like Mingi doesn't actually love Christmas and wish more than anything that he could be enjoying it this year.

Ultimately, he doesn't respond, slowly chewing through his bite of food when Yunho pipes up again.

"What are your plans this Christmas anyway? Seeing family?"

Just like that, Yunho manages to skillfully shatter Mingi's anger and turn it into heart-crushing disappointment. Without realizing, he always seems to know just what to say to have Mingi's emotions careening around hairpin turns.

Swallowing his last bite of food is suddenly more difficult now that he's reminded, again, that he has no plans other than sitting at home alone and drowning his sorrows. Still, he chokes it down and stands up, bunching his food wrappers up into little crumpled masses.

"None of your business," he mutters.

He doesn't stay to watch Yunho's, or the others', reactions. Leaving the breakroom, he allows himself to spend the last few minutes of their dinner break in the bathroom, just breathing.

When the break does end, Mingi returns to his post at the line, and the rest of the day passes just as the afternoon had. Children continue happily meeting Santa and taking photos with him, and Mingi continues smiling and joking with them as best he can.

Once the last child takes their photo, he trails behind the others on the walk back to the breakroom. Yunho turns at the last moment, heading to the bathroom to take off his fake beard and jolly belly. Hongjoong, on the other hand, hangs back to fall in step with Mingi.

"Good work today," he says quietly. It's clear he's trying to ease into the conversation. "A great first day overall."

There's silence for a few beats until, "Thank you…" Mingi responds softly.

Hongjoong also seems to hesitate, looking down at his ridiculous elf shoes before he finally speaks again.

"I have to ask though… why do you seem to, like, hate Yunho?"

Instantly, Mingi feels something akin to shame burn in his chest. It's a different sort of burning to the anger he's so used to as of late. That sort of fire makes him want to explode; it demands to be seen and heard. This kind, though, makes him want to shrink into himself until he's no bigger than a speck of dust.

He's speaking before he can think through his words, urged forward by some self preservation instinct to defend himself.

"I don't hate him, I just think his Christmas joy is annoying as fuck," he blurts. "No matter how nice or handsome or whatever he is, it's irritating, especially when he won't stop calling me scrooge."

He only realizes what he's said when Hongjoong laughs at him, but he's too exhausted to do much more than roll his eyes.

"Whatever, this Christmas sucks anyway."

November 25th - 30 Days to Christmas

The days continue to pass in much the same manner, with seemingly endless lines of children eager to meet Santa Claus. Mingi didn’t even realize there were this many kids in the city to begin with.

Every day, as he watches Yunho talk to the children, he feels his mind grow more and more tangled.

Yunho is undeniably so good with the kids. It's impossible to watch him interact with them, tailoring his manner of speaking to suit each child's comfort level, assuring them their gift choices sound lovely, wishing them happiness and fun in the new year—it's impossible to watch it all and not see that Yunho is painfully genuine in his holiday cheer. He clearly loves what he does and wants nothing more than to spread that love and joy to others.

And maybe, just maybe, the sheer strength of Yunho's true Christmas spirit is starting to melt Mingi's frozen heart just a little bit.

In the same breath, though, Mingi can't deny that seeing someone so happy, so dedicated to bringing that happiness to everyone, is frustrating. It's a daily reminder that he can't figure out how to find that joy again. He knows, logically, that his having a bad Christmas doesn't mean he's allowed to ruin everyone else's, but he also can't even start to figure out how to crawl his way out from this swamp he's found himself in emotionally. The healthy thing would be to find ways to still enjoy the holiday even when it's not what he expected or wanted, but the reality of what he's capable of is unfortunately not always the same as what he knows he should do.

He's still mulling over the mess he's in when he shuffles into the breakroom for dinner. His food took a bit longer, so he's the last to come in. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Yunho's head pick up from his food, watching as Mingi walks into the breakroom.

"Mingi, hi! Do you want to sit with…"

The blond's voice trails off as Mingi pretends not to hear him and passes by, settling into a seat across from Seonghwa and Hongjoong instead.

He isn't proud of it, but then, he's not proud of so much of the way he's been behaving lately. What's a little more shame to add to the twelve-car pile up in his mind?

Distantly, he registers Wooyoung starting up a conversation with Yunho instead, the two of them immediately launching into a discussion of presents. Seonghwa and Hongjoong quietly greet him, the three of them focusing more on their food than any talking. Unfortunately, that means Mingi clearly hears Yunho excitedly tell Wooyoung that his last gift for his brother has arrived, so the man is all prepared to spend Christmas with his family. Mingi can't help the way his face falls before he can keep eating to distract from the sharp pangs of disappointment cutting across his chest.

The two seated across from him notice it, though, sharing a look over their food.

Wooyoung and Yunho wrap their meals up quickly, getting up to throw their trash away and run off to buy ice cream before their next shift starts. Mingi keeps shoveling food into his mouth, trying to stuff himself with something other than confusing emotions. Belatedly, he realizes Seonghwa and Hongjoong aren't eating anymore, only noticing when Seonghwa clears his throat quietly.

"Mingi…" the man says, voice betraying the gentleness that seems second nature to him. "We're a bit worried about you."

Mingi stares at the table top, dropping his fork to instead wring his hands under the table, out of view. When it becomes obvious that he doesn't intend to reply, Hongjoong speaks up instead.

"You're doing a great job at work, but it's clear that you're…"

He looks at Seonghwa, not that Mingi can see that with the way he's looking down.

"It's clear that something is on your mind, something bringing you down," Seonghwa continues. "And it's hard to deny that it seems worse around Yunho."

Mingi finally opens his mouth, throat clicking from the emotion choking him up just slightly. "Guys, I…"

He heaves a sigh, trying to figure just how much he's willing to reveal. "You're not wrong, but I just want to get through this holiday as quickly as possible." Finally peeking up at the other two, he adds, "I don't hate him, okay? I can tell you that much. But otherwise… please leave it alone."

The two share another look, but they ultimately do as Mingi requests. The last few minutes of their break pass by silently, until they all get up to tidy and head back out.

December 1st - 24 Days to Christmas

It's officially December, the peak of holiday season, and Mingi is running late.

Traffic, as well as life in general, wasn't on his side this morning. A small spill during breakfast forced him to change and leave just a couple minutes later, which snowballed into being at the station when a train too packed for him to squeeze onto arrived. He had no choice but to wait for the next train, cutting it incredibly close to missing their report time to the North Pole.

He skids through the door to the staff room just a minute or two before eight, rushing in to four pairs of eyes staring at him. Three members of the team are seated around the room, clearly in conversation until Mingi showed up, but one of them meets his gaze at eye level.

Yunho. He's standing to pass out drinks he's brought in yet again, and Mingi crashes into the room right as he's passing in front of the door. When Mingi stumbles, Yunho catches him around the shoulders, steadying Mingi while he stares at him, wide-eyed.

"Mingi, woah! Careful," Yunho says, but it only vaguely registers in his mind, more focused on the feeling of someone's hands on him. It's been so long that he's shocked by the sensation.

There's a few beats of silence where they simply stare at each other, and Mingi wonders if Yunho's eyes have always been as sparkly as they look now. Belatedly, he realizes it's the result of new decorations added to the staff room to celebrate the start of December: lights and garlands and glitter and—

"Mistletoe!" Someone who sounds a lot like Seonghwa calls out. "You're under the mistletoe we put up."

Yunho's eyes widen further somehow, his hands squeezing slightly before he drops Mingi's shoulders.

"It's silly, Mingi, the mistletoe is just a joke," he says, clearly not wanting to force anything on Mingi, placating him.

Mingi nods stiffly, still processing the whirlwind of things that have happened since he crash landed in the breakroom.

"Would you accept a hot chocolate this time, though?" Yunho suddenly asks, gesturing towards the last drink carrier on the table. "I brought you one just in case."

Mingi contemplates taking it for once. He wonders if allowing himself this one kindness, the comfort of having his mom's favorite drink even when he isn't with her, would actually help him heal more than just ignoring everything.

"I—"

But Yunho just has to open his mouth again, saying, "I'm determined to melt our resident scrooge's heart if it's the last—"

And Mingi finally explodes.

"Stop! Okay? Just stop."

He knows his voice is too loud in the quiet room, too loud in front of their coworkers, all who can hear everything he's saying. The fire that near constantly simmers in his gut bursts into a blaze, jumping up his throat and out his lips in the form of a tirade.

"I don't want hot chocolate, I don't want mistletoe, I don't want any of this. I just want you to stop being so fucking cheerful and in my face about it all the goddamn time!"

The second he finishes, though, the fire shifts, morphs into something else as it travels up his body until it burns behind his eyes. He feels suddenly, staggeringly, like he might burst into tears now instead. He feels mortified, in fact, as if he doesn't deserve to be seen by anyone at all anymore. As if they would all be better off if he left entirely, but he also knows he can't quit this job. The agony of knowing he'll be forced to spend more time with the man who he's just screamed at and the men who bore witness to it is almost unbearable. That's all assuming he isn't going to be fired, of course.

He can't be in this room anymore, he realizes. At least not for the next few minutes. Stuttering broken little sounds before he gives up on speech altogether, he rushes out of the room and down to the staff bathrooms.

It's there that Yunho comes to find him only a minute or two later.

He must look awful, arms braced against the sink with his head dropped between his shoulders. He knows his breath is so ragged that it's likely audible to the other man, standing in the doorway.

"Mingi…?"

The man's voice is far too kind, too gentle for what Mingi deserves.

"I know I'm the last person you want to see right now, but… do you want to talk? Or would you at least… listen? And let me apologize?"

Mingi's heart shatters all over again, hearing Yunho think that he owes Mingi an apology.

"Yunho, you…"

He doesn't have the strength to pick his head up, not yet. But he pushes forward. "You don't need to apologize, I do."

He has to pause, to heave a deep sigh before he finally admits all that he knows he's done wrong over the last few weeks. "The truth is, I've been an asshole to you this whole time, and I know it. I've been an asshole to everyone, you know? But especially you. I just…"

Finally picking his head up, he meets Yunho's eyes in the mirror.

"This is the worst Christmas of my life," he whispers, and he's so ashamed at how weak his voice is that he has to look away again, staring at his hands as finally releases everything that's been weighing him down. "I lost my job a couple months ago, but I was too much of a coward to tell anyone. I've been applying and applying, but nothing."

A pause. Another shaky breath.

"I-I've got savings," he stutters, "but I need to be careful with them… I told my mom something came up at work so I wouldn't be home for the holidays, but the truth is I'm too scared to tell her I can't afford the train ticket. This job pays well, but being surrounded by so much holiday cheer is so much worse than I imagined."

He fights with himself for a moment before he reckons with the fact that he knows he has to do the right thing and look Yunho in the eye when he apologizes. Looking up from his hands, he meets Yunho's gaze through the mirror once again, doing his best to ignore the devastation clear on the other man's face.

"I'm sorry," he says, but it comes out as another weak whisper.

"Mingi…" Yunho says quietly, and Mingi doesn't know how to respond to the hurt in his voice. He doesn't sound hurt by Mingi's actions, but rather hurt by learning how difficult things have been for him. He sounds heartbroken, and Mingi doesn't know just what to do with that. No one has felt sorry for him lately other than himself.

Of course, that's self pity more than actual sympathy, which it sounds like Yunho wants to give him.

Through the mirror, Mingi watches Yunho hesitate before taking a step closer, careful to walk softly so as not to make any loud noises.

"You've been dealing with so much," he says gently.

Mingi loses control of his emotions once again, a few quiet tears spilling over his cheeks as he looks back down at the sink. They drip onto the porcelain with a quiet plunk, barely audible.

There's a hand on his back, suddenly, a steady, calming weight.

"Thank you, Mingi, for your apology," Yunho says then, hand drifting upwards to squeeze his shoulder. "But I owe you one, too. I know I can be a lot sometimes, and that I get excited. I like to poke fun at my friends, but I should have never teased you so much for being… grumpy."

Grumpy is putting it mildly, and Mingi isn't sure if Yunho is softening it for his own comfort or Mingi's benefit.

"I'm sorry," he says then, "for not considering that you might have had a good reason. I'm sorry for doing it over and over even when it clearly bothered you."

Mingi sniffles loudly, and the sound echoes harshly off the tiled room. There's not much else to say other than a quiet thank you, but something in his chest settles with the end of the conversation. For the first time in months, he thinks he's done something to be proud of by owning up to his mistakes with at least one person.

The rest of the day passes quietly, no one acknowledging Mingi's outburst directly. He greets the kids as always, and though he still isn't happy about this Christmas, he finds the cheery smile just a bit less painful to force.

The only notable difference is that Yunho is much calmer around him. He even sits next to Mingi at dinner break, just settling in without asking. He makes no move to ask Mingi anything or force him to speak; he only eats his food quietly, silently offering Mingi a french fry at one point. He hesitates only a moment before taking it, holding out one of his onion rings to Yunho in exchange.

It's not much of anything, not much at all. But it's a start.

December 4th - 21 Days to Christmas

Shuffling into the breakroom, Mingi and Hongjoong somehow sigh in unison. It makes them both chuckle lightly as they look at each other, easing some of the tension of the morning that's hanging over all of them.

The day has been rough so far—luckily not in any way that would be noticeable to the children, but there's still an air of exhaustion surrounding them.

The crowds were bigger than yesterday, forcing them to work on a tighter schedule and try to get kids through more quickly without making them feel rushed. Seonghwa has a sore throat, too, so he has to stay quiet while they all worry about him. On top of it all, the weather today is the wettest and windiest it's been all winter, adding to the weariness dragging them all down.

Mingi drops into one of the chairs heavily, pressing his forehead against the cool table while he lets his body go boneless. He listens to Wooyoung and Hongjoong talk quietly, not really paying attention to what they're saying so much as just absorbing the sounds and tones and letting his mind go blank.

He doesn't hear Seonghwa, which is unsurprising, but he is a little confused as to why he can't hear Yunho either.

His confusion isn't left to linger for long, though, when the breakroom door opens again and Yunho's shoes tap against the floor as he walks in. With his Santa boots, his footsteps are always noticeably different from the soft tap of the elf shoes the rest of them wear.

"I thought we could all use a pick-me-up drink," he says, but Mingi keeps his head down. After the way he's reacted every time Yunho has brought him a drink so far, he isn't sure there will be anything for him this time. Even with the way they're slowly warming up to each other after Mingi's outburst, he keeps his expectations low.

Moments later, though, he hears and feels Yunho settling into the chair beside him.

"Mingi?" he asks quietly.

Picking his head off the table, Mingi rubs at his forehead for a moment as he blinks at Yunho. The other man just silently slides a cup across the table to him.

"I noticed you bring in plain coffee when you get it for yourself, so I got that instead this time," he says, keeping his voice low so that only Mingi can hear him.

Staring at the cup for a moment, Mingi finally reaches out to take it, accepting Yunho's drink offer for the first time. He doesn't take a sip yet though, just holding it in his hand and feeling the warmth of it spread across his palm.

"Hot chocolate is my mom's favorite," he murmurs. "We drink it together every Christmas."

Yunho just looks at him, a slight furrow forming between his eyebrows as he nods.

"You must miss her so much," he finally replies.

"Yeah… she's like my best friend."

The two sit there for a few more quiet moments, and then Yunho shifts in his seat, reaching up to squeeze Mingi's shoulder lightly in a silent show of support.

Mingi clears his throat and finally picks the cup up off the table to take his first sip.

"Thank you for the coffee," he whispers.

Some part of his chest feels like it relaxes, just slightly. He didn't even realize how long he'd been holding all that tension until now, until it's started to finally loosen up. The warmth of the coffee as he takes another sip travels down, down from his throat to his stomach, settling in until it seeps all throughout his bones and skin.

Maybe this is what it's like to start to heal.

December 7th - 18 Days to Christmas

"Tell me about your mom," Yunho says. "Only if you want to, of course."

The two of them are sitting together again, sharing a shitty food court pizza for dinner. Yunho is careful to keep his voice low, always aware of the fact that Mingi might not want everyone to hear about his Christmas struggles.

Mingi chews on the thought while he chews on a bite of pizza, wondering about whether he really wants to share. His love for his mom, though, overflows within him, and he has no choice but to let it out.

"She's… she's my best friend," he begins, "and she's like the best mom anyone could ask for."

Taking another bite of pizza, he pauses to chew before he speaks again, and Yunho just waits patiently and doesn't interject to fill the silence.

"It was always just us, you know? She taught me everything I know, like, she suffered with me through any shit at school I didn't understand, and she made sure I knew how to cook and do my laundry way before I left for university."

He laughs then, remembering a moment long past.

"God, one time, I was just starting to help her in the kitchen, and I needed to put salt into the stock that we were boiling, and sugar into the marinade for something else, and I switched them up. Neither of us realized until it was too late, and the food was pretty disgusting when it was all done."

He leans his chin in one of his hands as he talks, staring off into the distance.

"She didn't even get upset though. She just told me that I'd get the hang of it someday soon, and she ate it all anyway. I, uh," he stops to clear his throat. "I was always pretty good at giving up on things, and I think she knew just what to say to make sure I kept cooking."

Yunho is smiling when Mingi looks up at him, something that looks close to fondness in the curve of his lips.

"She didn't want you to starve in college," he says, and Mingi laughs easily, agreeing.

"She didn't want me to survive on ramen, I think."

He goes quiet then, allowing himself to think about his mom and all the reasons he loves her. Instead of letting those happy memories upset him, as reminders of what he's missing this Christmas, he just lets them wash over him as a reminder of the good times.

When Yunho realizes he's done sharing for now, he speaks up. Though Mingi isn't looking at him, the smile on Yunho's face is clear in his voice.

"She sounds so lovely," he says. "I can understand why you miss her so much."

"Yeah…" he responds, picking at a napkin on their shared tray for something to do with his hands. "It's really hard not seeing her this Christmas."

"I can only imagine," the other man murmurs. He reaches over then, stopping Mingi's hand from ripping up the napkin any further with a light touch.

"I know it won't be the same, but I hope you can still find some joy this Christmas," he says, voice somehow dropping even lower in volume. Silently, he takes the napkin away with the rest of the trash and stands to throw it all away.

As Yunho walks away, Mingi realizes he feels lighter than he has since maybe September. The weight of losing his job, the weight of each outright rejection or just lack of response to his applications—it all feels just the tiniest bit easier to bear now that he's letting Yunho carry some of it for him.

December 12th - 13 Days to Christmas

There's a rare lull in the Christmas crowds, no children currently waiting for a turn with Santa and the one talking to Yunho now is nearly done. Mingi is watching them, a little boy bouncing on his lap as he excitedly tells Yunho about a Lego set he wants to build with his dad.

"So…"

Hongjoong's sudden voice makes Mingi flinch, turning to glare at him, though there's no real heat behind his eyes. The other elf just laughs, and Mingi's glare falls away easily.

"What?"

"I hope this isn't overstepping," Hongjoong starts, "but are you and Yunho… okay now?"

Biting at his bottom lip for a moment, Mingi decides to be honest. It's been nearly two weeks since he blew up at Yunho and spilled everything going on in his life right now, nearly two weeks of quiet conversations and slowly learning better ways to get through this Christmas without his family. His anger, his disappointment in himself—they haven't fully gone away, but they're getting lighter. Easier to manage. His other coworkers deserve to know the truth, and sharing it will only help him, too.

"Yeah, we're… we're okay. I was being a dick to all of you because I'm having a rough Christmas," he says. "I'm sorry about that."

Hongjoong nods, something like understanding passing over his face. "I've had a few… difficult holidays myself. I get it."

"You do?"

"Being surrounded by all those happy people when you can't be is rough. I'm here if you ever want to talk about it," he responds gently.

The moment passes, another child excitedly running through the roped-off line and cutting off their conversation. Mingi just looks at Hongjoong and smiles, laughing when the other elf throws him a cheesy wink. Then it's back into work mode, greeting the little girl and chatting with her until Yunho is ready for her to come up to him.

The day passes easily after that, nothing out of the ordinary happening until Mingi is getting his things ready to leave. He's already changed back into his street clothes and is putting his things in his backpack when Yunho walks up, crossbody bag slung across his chest.

"Mingi, before you go," he starts, and Mingi is surprised to see Yunho picking at his lower lip as if he's nervous. "I was wondering if I could walk with you to the subway?"

"O-oh," he stutters. "That's… sure, that's fine. You ready to go?"

Yunho nods, and the two make their way out of the breakroom, walking through the mall to the east exit closest to the subway line Mingi needs to take home. They don't say much at first, Yunho holding onto his bag's strap in a tight grip that makes Mingi question what could be making him so anxious.

"Do you have weekend plans?" Yunho suddenly asks, like he's been working up the nerve and needed to get it out quickly before he lost it.

"No, I'll be stuck at home as always," he replies, though he doesn't love admitting that he's been holed up alone outside of work hours.

"Great! I mean," the other man splutters. "Not great that you… are stuck at home… just, um."

Mingi laughs at the frantic way Yunho tries to explain himself, having never seen him act like this before. Yunho is often excitable and hyperactive, a bit silly when he wants to be and a calm and steady presence when he wants to be, but Mingi has never seen him so flustered.

"Do you have something better I could be doing this weekend?" he asks.

"Yes! Yes." Yunho practically yells at first, but tones it down when he repeats himself. "Would you like to go ice skating with me after work on Sunday? I don't want you to be stuck at home."

Mingi's brows furrow. He's not sure what he expected, but ice skating isn't it. For a moment, he wonders where all this is coming from, but he can't deny that getting out of his house for something other than work sounds very appealing.

"You know what? Yes, let's go ice skating."

The way Yunho beams at him has warmth blooming in his chest, a type of happiness he hasn't felt in god knows how long. The two of them silently walk the rest of the way to the subway station, and Mingi waves at him happily before he descends the stairs.

For once, he has something to look forward to this weekend.

December 14th - 11 Days to Christmas

Two days later, Mingi waits at the breakroom entrance for Yunho to finish getting ready to leave. He's a bit nervous because he hasn't spent time with a friend in quite a while, but he does love ice skating.

It suddenly occurs to him that he's thought of Yunho as a friend, and it makes him feel a bit weird inside. Is Yunho his friend? Are they friends now? With an odd sort of twinge in his chest, he realizes that he kind of hopes they are.

Yunho walks up before he can think about much longer, holding onto the strap of his crossbody bag just as he was Friday evening. He looks excited, that open, friendly smile that used to irritate Mingi brightening his whole face. Now it just makes Mingi smile broadly in return.

"Ready to go?" Yunho asks, and then he's leading Mingi out to the subway and onto the train that will get them to the ice skating rink. Luckily, since their job involves children, they don't work super late into the evening, so the rink is still open.

Once they arrive to the rink only a few stops away, they quickly pay their skate rental fee and get seated to put on their skates. Once he's done lacing his up, Mingi immediately stands and heads out to the ice, turning and looking at Yunho. He almost immediately has to cover a giggle with his hand as he watches the man wobble over to him, clearly unsteady on his skates.

Once he gets onto the ice, he's even worse. He teeters forward and grabs onto the wall beside him in a panic until he can get his balance back, an awkward laugh leaving his lips in the same moment. Gripping the wall tight, he stands back up straight and takes a deep breath.

"Yunho?" he asks, a bit of incredulous laughter following the question. "Are you sure you wanna skate?"

But the other man simply waves him off. "I'm fine, I'm fine! Just a bit slow. You seem good at this though!"

"I'm not amazing, but good enough to keep you steady I hope," Mingi says lightly.

The two do their best to make a lap around the rink then, with Mingi skating beside Yunho and doing his best not to go too quickly. With one hand moving along the wall for reassurance more than anything, Yunho keeps his other hand gripped tight around Mingi's forearm, and they make slow and steady progress.

The blond is decidedly wobbly, and the two of them get lapped by some of the other skaters, but Yunho is determined to keep going. He even seems to gain some confidence after a bit, trying to speed up a bit as he gets his bearings.

He gets perhaps too confident, though, pushing off with his left foot a bit harder to try and get more speed. He slips though, rocking forward and back as he starts to lose his balance.

"Aah!" he yelps, a sharp, short sound, and grabs frantically at both the wall and Mingi. Thankfully, they're both sturdy enough to keep him from falling, though there are a few tense moments where it seems he really might hit the ice. When he's finally got his footing back, they're both breathing heavily, and Mingi has his hands held tight around both of Yunho's forearms.

"Yunho! Are you okay?"

Still trying to catch his breath, Yunho just nods, but Mingi can't help but wonder why they're here when this is clearly not Yunho's sort of thing.

"Why did you bring me here? It doesn't seem like you love skating."

The smile he gets in response is a bit sheepish, but genuine.

"You mentioned you go with your little cousins every year… I didn't want you to miss out, stuck here in the city."

Mingi freezes, blinking at Yunho in shock. Embarrassingly, he feels his eyes welling up a little bit, and he knows it isn't simply due to the cold of the ice rink. It's because Yunho listened, remembered all the silly little things Mingi told him about Christmases at home. All the family traditions, all the games they play and the foods they share. Yunho asked him about them all, let him ramble about them during breaks at work, and he listened and cared enough to remember them and make sure Mingi got to experience as much as possible.

"I-I…"

He stutters, unsure how best to thank Yunho. Not just for the skating, but for all he's done to help Mingi get through such a difficult holiday as smoothly as possible. For doing what he can to help Mingi actually enjoy this Christmas, even if it's not the same.

"Thank you," he finally whispers, because he knows if he talks any louder, he'll likely cry. The sound might get swallowed by the music playing over the ice rink's sound system, but Yunho clearly understands him anyway. He uses Mingi's hold on his arms to pull him closer until Mingi lets go, and pulls him into a hug.

The cold feeling of Yunho's clothes seeps into him first, but the warmth of his body against his own soon follows. For a moment, Mingi is shocked at the closeness, but he lets himself be held. Lets himself sink further into Yunho's arms while he rests his head on the man's shoulder.

He's almost indescribably grateful to have Yunho with him this Christmas. He's not sure that he would have gotten through it without him, not without having some sort of breakdown, at least.

And a few minutes later, after they've let each other go and gotten back to skating, Yunho does, in fact, fall. He smacks his butt against the ice, shell-shocked look on his face before he giggles at his own clumsiness.

The loud, uncontrollable laugh that bursts forth from deep within Mingi's belly is yet further proof that Yunho is just the thing he needed this year.

December 18th - 7 Days to Christmas

"I have a surprise for everyone," Mingi announces near the end of dinner break. Everyone looks at him, confused, as he stands from his seat and goes to his bag, back to the room. He would be confused, too, to be fair. Even with the way he's been loosening up, talking to the others more and more now that despair and anger don't have as tight a grip around his heart, he understands why they wouldn't expect a surprise from someone like him.

Pulling out the plastic container, he holds it in both hands and stares at it for a moment, hesitating before he turns back around to look at them all once more. "I brought cookies," he finally says, a bit embarrassed at how shy his own voice sounds.

"Oh Mingi, that's so sweet!" Seonghwa says excitedly. He was always the most gentle with Mingi, even when he was being rude, until he and Yunho started getting closer. The oldest of them all immediately jumps up, grabbing his extra napkins to pass them around to everyone so Mingi has somewhere to set the cookies.

Circling the table, he gives two cookies to each of them, ignoring the way Yunho is watching him with a fond smile. He comes to his spot at the table last, giving Yunho two cookies as well as setting down two for himself before he sits back down.

Anxiously, he watches as everyone takes a bite, nervous anticipation filling him as he waits to see their reactions. Immediately though, he sees Hongjoong's eyes widen as he makes a happy sound, and Wooyoung starts to yell excitedly before he's even done chewing.

"Thee're'mazing!" he says around the mouthful of crumbs, and Mingi just laughs, thanking him quietly.

Turning to his right, he sees Yunho chewing his first bite with a big smile on his face and wide eyes, turning the cookie this way and that as if he can figure out exactly what's in it and why it's so delicious if he only stares at it hard enough.

Swallowing, Yunho finally looks away from the cookie to stare at Mingi instead. "These are so good! Where did you get this recipe? Could you share it with me?"

Mingi's lips roll inwards as he tries to hold in his smile.

"Actually… it's my mom's recipe."

In an instant, Yunho's eyes soften, and he looks at Mingi so gently that it almost makes his chest hurt.

"I thought… even if I can't make them with her, I still wanted to have some, and I wanted you all to get to try them, too."

Yunho nods, fond smile ever present, and reaches over to pick up one of Mingi's own cookies. "Thank you for sharing," he says. "Now say 'ah~'."

Mingi rolls his eyes but lets Yunho put the cookie in his mouth, reaching up to hold it himself before he takes a bite, ignoring the fluttering in his stomach at the way Yunho feeds him.

It's not as good as his mom's, but it's pretty damn close.

December 21st - 4 Days to Christmas

"Mingi, can I walk you to the train again?"

Mingi is finishing up with his backpack, zipping it up now that he's got all of his things inside, when Yunho walks up to him. He looks nervous again, somehow even more than he did when he asked Mingi to go skating the week before.

"Sure, of course you can," he agrees easily. "Are you going to ask me to go skating again?"

Yunho laughs awkwardly. "No, no, um, nothing like that. But I do have a surprise for you."

Eyebrows furrowed, Mingi throws his backpack over his shoulder and starts to walk out so Yunho will follow him to the train.

"A surprise?" he asks.

Walking steadily beside him, bag strap clutched in his hands yet again, Yunho nods. "I'll give it to you when we get to the subway entrance."

They continue the walk in silence, though Mingi's mind is anything but. Thoughts are racing, questioning why Yunho would have a surprise to give him and why he seems so nervous.

Within a few minutes, they arrive at the subway entrance, stopping off to the side so they won't block anyone's path while they talk. Mingi turns to fully face Yunho, eyebrows raised expectantly.

"Right, well," the other man says. "I really hope this isn't overstepping, but I've got a Christmas present for you."

"Oh!" Mingi is suddenly nervous. Not because he doesn't want a gift, but because he hadn't thought to get anything for Yunho or the rest of the team. Yunho's obvious nerves don't do anything to quell his anxiety, either.

Finally letting go of the strap of his bag, Yunho opens it up, pulling out a mid-sized giftbag. It's striped like a candy cane, and Yunho even went to the effort to attach a large silver ribbon, though it's a bit crumpled now. Oddly, the wonky ribbon only makes Mingi feel more endeared, quickly taking the bag from Yunho's hands when he passes it over.

He unties the ribbon as soon as the bag is in his hands, too overwhelmed by the excitement of getting a gift to remember that he was nervous. Sifting through the tissue paper, he finds a fancy hot chocolate kit with a variety of flavors. There's dark chocolate, peppermint, and cinnamon, as well as what look like some gourmet marshmallows and mini candy canes. Mingi's brows furrow as he takes in the gift, but he spots a card and plucks it out to read.

I wasn't sure what flavor you two like the most, so I got a mix. I hope you and your mom enjoy them together♡ Merry Christmas, Mingi (:

Yunho ૮ ºﻌºა

He blinks.

He reads the card again. And again.

He looks up at Yunho, who looks genuinely frightened.

Cold slowly takes over his chest, spreading the way frost spreads across a window.

"You know I can't…"

He can't finish a sentence, he's so at a loss for words. After all Yunho has done for him, he doesn't understand what cruelty would make him do something like this, to dangle what Mingi can't have in front of his nose.

"Why would you—"

"Please look inside the bag again," Yunho says frantically. "There's still one more thing."

Mingi takes a shaky breath before he looks again, stuffing the note back inside. He tilts the hot chocolate kit forward, looking behind it, where he finds a plain envelope. Pulling it out, he slips the giftbag's handles over his wrist to free both hands so he can check what's inside.

Lifting the flap of the envelope, he feels every single cell in his body come to an immediate standstill as he registers what's inside.

Familiar white cardstock, with black blocky text bearing a familiar city name at the top and a barcode on one side.

A train ticket.

Behind the ticket is cash, enough to buy a return ticket for whenever he wants, Mingi assumes.

He immediately starts to cry, hot tears trailing down his cheeks that cool instantly in the winter chill.

Without a word, he lunges forward and throws his arms around Yunho's neck, pulling him into a squeezing hug. He doesn't even stop to think about the giftbag smacking against Yunho's back, but the other man thankfully doesn't complain. It's only when he hears a small sniffle next to his ear that he realizes Yunho is crying, too.

"Everyone deserves to see their family on Christmas if they want to," he whispers. "Promise to show me pictures of how great it was when you come back?"

Mingi nods because he doesn't fully trust his voice, and he keeps Yunho tight in his grip until the tears stop. Pulling back, he rubs at his cheeks roughly, looking at Yunho to see matching trails down his cheeks.

"The train leaves tomorrow, but I've told the manager already so you don't need to do anything. Just go home and pack."

Mingi nods, relief flooding his system at the idea of going home, seeing his mom, not needing to worry about any complications from work.

"I don't know how to thank you," he finally says, but Yunho is already shaking his head.

"Thank me by having a wonderful Christmas," he says softly. He pulls Mingi into one more hug, holding him tight around the waist before he pulls back. They both stare at each other for a few more moments before Yunho puts his hands on Mingi's shoulders, turning him to the subway entrance and giving him a light push.

As he begins down the stairs, he hears Yunho call out from behind him, "I better see you when you come back!"

He has every intention of making sure that happens.

January 7th - 352 Days to Christmas

Navigating the crowds pouring from the train, Mingi focuses on not bumping into people or hitting them with his bags more than he focuses on looking at all those waiting for their loved ones at the station.

"Mingi!"

He suddenly hears his name, head whipping up from where he's watching his feet. Mingi spots him immediately, the man who turned his entire holiday around. Yunho.

The blond is waving at him from across the station, both arms waving back and forth above his head. He looks ridiculous, but Mingi has realized that's one of the many reasons Yunho is charming. Ridiculous works for him.

Weaving his way through the people, he makes it to Yunho in just a few moments, and he pulls the man into a hug. With a jolt, he realizes that it feels almost just as much like coming home as it did when he saw his mother.

Mingi pulls back to lead Yunho out of the station and to a nearby coffee shop, but Yunho stops him to slip the duffel bag from his shoulder. Saying nothing, he swings it over his own arm and gestures for Mingi to lead the way. Immediately, Mingi takes a few quick steps forward, getting ahead of Yunho in the hopes that it hides the sudden burning in his cheeks.

The air outside the station when they get through the doors is frigid, and Yunho's nose and cheeks are bright pink when Mingi turns to check that he's following. The cafe isn't far, though, so they'll only have to brave the chill for a few minutes.

"How was your trip?" Yunho asks, falling in step beside Mingi now.

"It was the best Christmas I can remember, thanks to you," he replies, and it couldn't be more true. His mother was overjoyed to see him, and once he settled in, he told her the truth about his job that he'd been too afraid to share. Instead of disappointment or ridicule, like he'd been giving himself, she offered only understanding and love. He realized he was crazy to ever fear otherwise.

They walk the rest of the way in silence, finally stepping up to the cafe entrance. Mingi stops to open the door for Yunho, but hesitates when he hears the other man make an odd sound beside him.

"Look, there's…" the blond trails off, leaving Mingi to follow his gaze up, above the door and see for himself.

Mistletoe.

"They must have forgotten to take it down," he says quietly, desperately ignoring the way his cheeks are heating up again, something he knows isn't because of the winter cold.

"Am I going to get yelled at again like the last time we were under mistletoe?"

Mingi laughs with Yunho at the joke, but falls silent quickly. Worrying his lower lip between his teeth, he fully turns his body to look at Yunho.

Shaking his head, he takes a breath while he lets his eyes close for just a second, gathering himself.

"Would a kiss be okay instead?"

He's scared to see Yunho's reaction but he can't make himself look away, forced to watch as a few emotions flutter across Yunho's face. He looks shocked at first, but his expression quickly morphs into what can only be described as giddy. Eyes shining in the afternoon sun, he looks at Mingi with such excitement and gentle affection that it eases the nerves beating about Mingi's ribcage.

Suddenly, there's a hand on Mingi's jaw, the soft knit of Yunho's glove rubbing against his skin. Yunho tilts his head up just slightly, leaning forward to press a barely there kiss to his lips.

Their lips might be chapped from the winter air, they might be a bit cold, but Mingi can feel the warmth behind it regardless. He presses his lips more firmly against Yunho's, reaching forward to hold onto the man's jacket as if to make sure he doesn't go away any time soon. Maybe this is the most wonderful time of year after all.

When Yunho does pull away, he doesn't go far, resting his forehead against Mingi's lightly.

"Merry Christmas, Mingi," he murmurs.

"Merry Christmas, Yunho."

They both finally separate, looking at each other with matching dopey grins.

"You're two weeks late, though, you know," Mingi says, teasing.

"Or, like, eleven months early!"