●

 

Kyungsoo looked at Chanyeol lovingly, like a Mother looking proudly at his son, as he rushed upstairs to Baekhyun. He's glad that despite the anxiety the Music school is giving him, he can still smile and act positive. He himself has a fair share of anxiety and worries, and in his perspective, being jolly and positive is a difficult thing to do. It's hard to smile when pressure and expectation are being a to you.

 

He looked around him and found the need to clean the almost stockless kitchen. By the time his alarm sounded, the kitchen looks like the kitchen that it was supposed to be but with no supplies. For the previous minutes, Kyungsoo managed to clean the cupboards, rewashed the already clean dishes (to ensure the cleanliness! He even thought of using boiled water to rewashed it but was  assured by a passing Minho that it washed properly because his Suho did it.), tidied up the refrigerator, and disposed all the food wastes, including all the unnecessary remains that can be considered garbage.

 

Sweaty, and a bit tired, he gulped a glass of cold water and headed to his room to take a bath before going to their script reading.

 

 

●

 

He's still pissed on Chen's he-texted-you-hyung-tactic earlier, that's why he can't find any reason to text back to his annoying texts. He's probably on Cloud 9 right now, laughing and cuddling with his Xiumin! Though if he look at things rationally, Chen didn't actually do anything big. It's just that he actually hoped that his Panda found time to text him. His heart honestly skipped a damn ing beat when he heard Chen that his Panda texted. But the moment he got hold of his device, he was welcomed by his wallpaper (a picture of him grinning like an idiot in the Astronomy Museum) and an empty phone status bar, not a single SMS notification was there.

 

The sun rays intruding in his room accompanied by the cold wind kissed his forehead. Stray bangs being pushed aside, his blond eyebrows were being exposed. Each one in deep curve meeting in the middle while his eyes are closed in deep thought. A sigh can be heard every minute. Followed by an uncommitted attempt to toss his hand phone.

 

*PING*

 

"Sorry Chenchen, not in the mood to talk." Kris sighed again. Eyebrows relaxing slowly, creases in his forehead slowly reducing.

 

*PING*

 

"Not gonna reply. I'm still pissed." He uninterestingly said to the phone.

 

*PING*

 

*PING*

 

*PING*

 

"Laters." Kris finalized as he tossed his phone to his open bag before settling in the bed, sleep entering his system.

 

 

●

 

Somewhere in London. Clacking heels and shoes being thrown away can be perceived. Hair blowers being can be heard here and there. Random people chatters emanating the air, accompanied by the unfriendly smell of hairspray and hair wax. In a corner, mannequins are standing in weird angles, beside it are busy individuals perusing over lists, clothes, needles, pins, and pencils. Here and there, topless men can be seen walking in a rush, and women in underwear are running to wear a weird tight dress waiting for them. Comments like "Retouch her contour!" and "O-my-holy-mother-of-fashion that's a disaster, change her dress!" can be heard.

 

Almost everyone in the said area are fidgety and in a rush, except this one concentrating person. In the corner, a handsome man wearing a tight black suit with a big weird cut at the back exposing his and spinal curve, with eyebags more prominent than any of his facial feature, is sitting quietly in front of his mirror, back hunched and eyes focused in his hand phone. Looking at his reflection and by listening to the sound of his fingernail hitting the glass screen of his phone, he sure is irritated.

 

"Why the is he not replying???" He hissed under his breath. Fingers typing rapidly a message then sending it to a contact named Astroboy.

 

"Ummm," A sweaty man holding a little sponge between his fingers interfered. "Mr. Tao can we-"

 

"Wait." Tao immediately cut.

 

"What the is wrong with him." He sighed while sending another text. "Is he that stupid that he can't even open a phone, or he's just dumb. Arg."

 

"Ehem, ehem," The man tried to catch Tao's attention but failed again.

 

"You need to reply stupid galaxy obsessed manatee or I'm going to punch you all the way here from London." Tao exasperatedly commented in his phone screen. "Come on!"

 

"Uhmm excuse me Mr. Tao." The man interfered again. Sweatier and more nervous than before.

 

"This is the last text I'm going to send you." Tao murmured as he type another text message in his phone. A mixture of resignation and irritation evident in his voice. "Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Sending me a text like that then not replying. Ha ha. You think you're that-"

 

"Mr. Tao!" The man yelled. Sweat trickling down his chin. The sponge in his fingers being crushed.

 

"WHAT?" Tao yelled back, louder. Causing some people to stop and look at them.

 

"We need to retouch your make up," The man said, trying his best to look brave. "You-you will be walking in the-the catwalk within a minute."

 

"Look at me." Tao said sternly, one eyebrow slightly arching up, "DO I LOOK LIKE I NEED SOME RETOUCHING?"

 

"..."

 

"I'M CATWALK READY THE MOMENT I ENTERED THIS FILTHY LOW BUDGET BUILDING." Tao reply, each word being pinned with emphasis as he slowly stood up from his chair. "I HAVEN'T EATEN BREAKFAST YET BECAUSE YOU SCHEDULED ME THIS EARLY."

 

"..." The man remained speechless. All the people in the backstage froze and listening intently.

 

"AND WHEN I REACHED THIS GODDAMNED FORSAKEN CHEAP PLACE I WAS NOT EVEN WELCOMED WARMLY. NOT ONLY ME BUT ALMOST ALL THE MODELS!" Tao continued, picking up his bag from under the table and zipping it loudly. "YOU CONTACTED ME EARLY AND WE'RE ALREADY ONE HOUR DELAYED. YOUR COMPANY IS SO UNPROFESSIONAL WITHOUT A SENSE OF PUNCTUALITY AND RESPECT FOR US MODELS. THIS MAY BE YOUR BUSINESS BUT THIS IS OUR CRAFT. I DID NOT EVEN EAT BREAKFAST AND I WILL BET WITH ALL MY LIFE THAT MAJORITY OF THE FEMALE MODELS HERE ARE ALREADY STARVING. AND NOW YOU'RE ACTING LIKE I'M THE ONE SLOUCHING HERE WHILE EVERYONE IS BUSY AS . WOW."

 

"No, not Sir. I'm sorry what I-"

 

"SHUT UP!" Tao yelled, hands clenching the handle of his bag. "YOU KNOW WHAT? I QUIT. TELL YOUR STUPID DIRECTOR THAT I'M OUT. IT'S NOT EVEN MY LOSS!"

 

Tao pulled his bag and walked like a Queen in the middle of the once busy backstage. All eyes looking at him, mouths open in awe, and everyone's to shock to react. Among all the people in the backstage, the man commanded to talk to retouch Tao's make up, the assistant, was the most shocked. The moment Tao reached the exit door he turned back and looked at the man.

 

"And please," Tao said with an insulting smirk in his face. "Can you tell the designer to recheck his profession? HIS DESIGNS ARE SO UGLY MY THREE-YEAR-OLD NIECE'S SKETCHES ARE BETTER THAN THESE CLOTHES. THIS DESIGN," Tao momentarily stopped and stripped himself the suit leaving him topless, "YOU CAN ALL IT!"

 

After throwing the designer suit in the floor and slamming the exit door, everyone seemed to catch their breath the moment Tao's gone and at the same time, their eyes move toward the shocked assistant. And in that moment, he totally lose it and fainted. Chaos!

 

 

●

 

Theater has been Kyungsoo's life since high school years. Theater has played a big part in his existence and maturity. It also saved him from all the drama and problem high school life got in store for him. It all started when he was saved by his senior Ryeowook.

 

"Hey little dumpling," A man asked insultingly accompanied by a harsh push to the shoulder of a cowering student. "What's your problem with me?"

 

"..."

 

"Speak!" The man asked again. His push harsher than the first.

 

"No-nothing." A small boy replied. Eyes wide open in fear, heart-shaped lips trembling as he spoke, "I do-don't-"

 

"WHAT?" The man pushed him again to the wall. Gaining dominance every minute  "CAN'T SPEAK WITHOUT STUTTERING?"

 

"I do-don't have a-any po-proble-"

 

"WHAT?" The man mockingly interrupted, putting his hands to his ears as if trying to listen.

 

"HEY YOU RASCAL!" A voice of a running man bellowed from the other end of the hallway. The man looked at the source of the voice and immediately scurried off. "YOU LITTLE . COME BACK HERE!"

 

The first thing that Kyungsoo noticed when his savior stopped in front of him, since he's looking down was his extremely thin wrists. The man stopped in front of him and patted his head.

 

"Are you okay?" He asked calmly, stooping a bit low to look into Kyungsoo's face. "Did he hurt you?"

 

"Ye-yes, no-no" Kyungsoo replied. He looked up and was immediately caught in awe as he stared in his savior's sky blue hair. "Th-thank you."

 

"It's okay." The man answered. Straightening his posture again and looking back at him. His hands never leaving Kyungsoo's hair. "It's my responsibility as the Crime Prevention Council President. Why did he attack you?"

 

"I-I was only walking," Kyungsoo said, heart-shaped lips retelling the event. "Then he suddenly cornered me and said I was looking at him like I want to kill him!"

 

"I can see that you can't kill him." His savior commented while pinching his cheeks, "Were you looking at him?"

 

"No! I was only looking at that sign." Kyungsoo immediately responded, fingers pointing to a poster at the other end of thd hallway, eyes focusing on it. "I was trying to look if the poster was The Prince of Tennis but I can't see it clearly so I was looking at it seriously then he suddenly blocked me!"

 

"..." His savior did not responded but he was looking at him seriously.

 

"..." Kyungsoo gazed back. Eyes wide and serious.

 

"..." Then his savior suddenly smiled widely and pinched both of his cheeks followed by a little giggle.

 

"What is it Hyung?" Kyungsoo asked politely.

 

"Aigooo, it's your eyes!" His savior remarked as he gently touch Kyungsoo's eyes. "When you're squinting, you look like Satan preying over a hopeless soul!"

 

"Re-really?" Kyungsoo asked as his senior is having an uncontrollable laughter fit in front of him.

 

"Yes!" His savior answered in between laughs. "He must have misunderstood it. Don't worry I'll explain it to him. You're like a little curious penguin with your clueless face right now. Hahahahahaha."

 

"Hyu-hyung." Kyungsoo muttered while sending his right arm forward to his laughing savior. "I'm Do Kyungsoo, and I have an astigmatism in the eye."

 

"Hi Penguinsoo." His savior replied as he accepted and shook his hand. "I'm Kim Ryeowook and I'm here because God sent me to integrate your deadly stare to the arts of theater!"

 

And that's how it all started. That unlikely meeting was followed by an audition which made him an official member of the Thespian Organization in their school. Workshops, and few plays and he became an experienced stage actor at an early age. Becoming a member of the theater club also means that he's a scholar. And becoming a scholar and a prominent member of the theater club gained him popularity. Popularity fixed the misunderstanding between the people around him and his deadly-astigmatism-caused-glare. He finished high school and entered college taking up Performing Arts. And since his friends are in the acting circle he became aware of play auditions. And fortunately, he was able to pass an audition and currently he was casted in a play.

 

Theater has saved Do Kyungsoo. It became his part time job while in a hellish college, his passion, and his first love. Not sure about the first love.

 

 

●

 

Before leaving the mansion, Do Kyungsoo left a note in the kitchen, placing it in the middle to be sure that everyone will read it.

 

 

R E A D   T H I S:   Everyone will eat their meal outside for the whole day. The groceries that will be brought in later by Chanyeol and Baekhyun must not be touched by anyone. I alone, will touch, distribute, and place it in its rightful shelves. Please don't take your personal groceries yetto avoid confusion and item mismatch, okay?

Laters, Kyungie. xoxo

 

After securing his letter he left the mansion and hailed a taxi cab. The warmness inside the taxi noticeably kissed his cold skin. Accompanied by the usual carols playing in the radio. Outside, the road looks like a white desert. Snow can be found almost everywhere. The shop roofs, the bike stands, the window panes, and the trees are all white in appearance. Piles of snow are lined up in the road, like ice caps in the Himalayas. Frozen slate of ice decorated the once flowing lake and the dustless pavement. Bundled up people are walking side by side, giggling and chattering while breathing out puffs of smoke.

 

*PING*

 

Kyungsoo heard the sound of his phone notification and searched for his hand phone in the bag. He was shocked to see a message from one of his acting senior, to think that he's not yet late he immediately opened the message.

 

SMS: Ryeonggo

 Kyungie, our script reading's postponed. Many of the actors are doing their Christmas shopping,
so why don't you do yours and buy me a gift? I'll text you the next reading schedule, okay? See you soon Baby Penguin. :)

 

He turned his phone screen off and flashed a big smile. He know what to do.

 

"Excuse me Sir," Kyungsoo said to man behind the wheels. "Can you drop me off at the plaza instead?"

 

 

●

 

The moment he's out of the taxi, the cold breeze of December hugged him whole-heartedly. He closed his eyes and exhaled deeply before smiling to the scene that met his eyes. Several big screens are flashing random Christmas commercials. The air is filled with the cacophony of loud Christmas carols coming from unknown sources. Here and there, people are busily walking with shopping bags in their arms, while others are laughing with their companions. It's like he's placed in the middle of a perfectly jolly and busy factory where everyone has a specific goal in mind. He checked his watch and started to walked towards a mall to start his own Christmas shopping but was stopped in his tracks when he saw crowd of children yelling wishes.

 

"Santa, Santa!" A little boy wearing a sweater with the word "Overdose" written in it is shouting. "Santa I want a Unicorn!"

 

"SANTA NOTICE MEEEEE!" A little girl in a cow hoodie with pink cheeks yelled loudly at the same time. "I WANT A NEW BIKE!"

 

In the middle of a busy crowd and all the shouting, Kyungsoo found himself walking towards the crowd of kids. In the middle he saw one of the most handsome Santa he has ever seen. A tan guy wearing a tight Santa outfit is standing in the middle. He's got a messy brown hair, and specs perched in the edge of his nose. Instead of a Santa hat, he's wearing an antler headband and behind him is a red pouch. He was smiling genuinely and stooping a bit low to listen to all the mostly impossible wishes of the children surrounding him. Flashes of camera can be heard as some of the kids is grabbing him for a "Santa Selfie". 

 

For a moment, Do Kyungsoo thought that the world actually stopped spinning. Everything around him is in time freeze and all he can hear is the sound of the Handsome Santa's soft chuckle and giggles. All that he can see is the Handsome Santa and his blinding perfect smile.

 

 

●

 

In his mind, he's shouting that he shouldn't have took Xiumin's post. Xiumin's stories were so far from this. He said that this is fun but he's been here for more than three hours and it's not fun. Xiumin may be a big fan of Christmas but he isn't.

 

Smiling is a bit tiring, and random kids are pulling him for a quick picture. They are also so loud it's hurting his ear. But among all these troubles and complaints in mind, Kai kept on smiling and entertaining the wishes of the kids. He doesn't want to ruin these children's Christmas. 

 

A bell rung and that signaled the end of his post. He straightened his posture and sighed in relied. Giving last hug and last selfies to some crying kids. Finally, his misery is ending. He waved a good bye to all the kids bit backing tears slowly walking away from him. Kai can't help but smile genuinely as his post is finally over. He was picking up his gift props when he noticed an extremely pale, short boy staring at him. The boys eyes were wide as if surprised and his stare consistently straight to him. Kai looked back to the short boy but he received no reaction so he approached him.

 

"Ummmm, hi?" Kai asked, unsure and a bit worried. "I'm Santa."

 

"..." The pale boy only gaped at him with his heart-shaped lips slightly open. Kai smiled at him but the boy still show no reaction.

 

"HO HO HO," Kai jingled a bit exaggerated and smiled again. "So, what do you want for Christmas little boy?"

 

"..."

 

Still no reaction from the shorter boy. Kai smiled at him, this time feeling a bit amazed at the boy's consistent stare. He put his hands to the pale boy's cheek and asked again.

 

"Okay, I'm not really Santa." Kai chuckled. Hands not leaving the pale boy's cheek. "But what do you want for Christmas?"

 

After a long silence, the boy moved his head and touched his nose.

 

"You." The pale boy answered. Finally speaking and closing his eyes shortly before staring at him again.

 

 

●

 

 | A U T H O R ' S    C L I N G Y    N O T E |

 

  Hello everyone! First, sorry for the super late update. I was too caught up in my school works and holiday happenings with my friends that I got no time left to write. I also finished the first season of Scream Queens and started late in American Horror Story: Hotel. :) But no worries, I already have plot outlines till Chapter 14. :) I also want to give my thanks to Kpopshineekey and Minsoak for subscribing. ♡ Thank you little angels.

  All the way here from the Philippines, I want to greet you guys a BELATED MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR! LET'S WELCOME 2016 WITH A SMILE AND FREEDOM TO DO WHAT WE WANT TO DO!  *f i r e w o r k s*

Laters, Red. xx