On a chilly late afternoon, with the sun blocked by numerous dark flurries, making the scenery darker than it should have been, Daehyun sat down the cold hard pavement, head hanged low.
It was that time of year again... It was that time of year where couples go all around about each other, holding hands, sharing scarves to stay warm... kissing under the mistletoe just because.. and then having late night , reasoning their love for one another...
Daehyun hated it..

It was that time of year where individuals would spend their entire season in the mall, buying useless presents for their loved ones.. swiping their credit cards and giving out their cash all willy nilly like it doesn't matter... Daehyun hated it. Daehyun hated them.

It was that time of year where families would stay up late up night to have a bonding, eating hot tender turkey and drinking hot cocoa while watching family themed movies only to have their children sleep half way and wake up early the next morning to open up the presents under the Christmas tree their parents  got them, thinking it was the oh- so-famous and loved Santa Clause who'd delivered them late last night while they were asleep... Daehyun hated it.. Daehyun hated every single bit of it.

And you can't blame him.

You're complaining how the clothes your mother bought you aren't fashionable enough for the season? 
Daehyun's sewing rags just so he could have something to wear to protect his body from the incoming blizzard! He doesn't care about fashion... in fact.. he doesn't even care about not having a mother at all... he got over it when he was five.

You're complaining because your friend didn't get you the video game you wanted? Daehyun's never had a single friend in his entire life...

You're complaining because your sibling keeps fighting you just so they could get a hold of the remote control to watch their favorite TV show?... At least you've got someone to fight with... Daehyun's never had anyone to fight with. Basically, anyone at all.

He was not privileged..

Born to be trash... he didn't even have a real family to begin with... 
His mother was a e who unluckily got pregnant with him by one of her clients, he never knew his father... and he had been physically abused for his first five years of life..

When sent to the orphanage, he'd cry under his bed for long nights because the older kids would always beat him up when the adults weren't watching...

He'd endured that pain for two long years... and when he deemed himself having had enough, he ran away. Climbed the fence, fell eight feet off the ground but still on his feet.

He'd sell hand made toys for a living.. at least until he was fourteen when he started to really work his off, getting numerous part time jobs and learning to make his own small place he could call home from using the excess chopped wood a construction sight gave off.

He's had it tough..
Especially this season specifically... where everyone was having the time of their lives, he was sitting on the cold hard floor of the public park, attempting to think of a way to survive the winter.

But it's alright...

He's gotten used to it.

Looking around, he sighed.
Business had been tough this time of year...the number of his part time jobs had drastically decreased.. it wasn't because he'd quit.. but more like the jobs closed. With the holiday coming up, all the people had to call it off and get themselves busy with other non job related stuff like shopping. He barely got enough money to feed himself at least a meal a day for a week! Better yet keeping himself warm! How was that fair?!

When rolling his eyes at the cruelness of life he'd accidentally caught sight of a boy his age with snowy white skin, hair as black as ebony, chubby pink cheeks and eyes that you would probably fall into if you stare too long. He was carrying a scavenger bag and walking too dramatically slow for Daehyun's liking. It was annoying. He was annoying.
' Why isn't he out shopping or doing whatever stuff other people are doing?'  He thought to himself.

All those thoughts swayed away once his eyes capture a single hint of loot inside the half opened scavenger bag.

He's desperate anyway..

So he hurriedly ran up to the boy and yanked the bag from the mushroom haired boy's small precious fingers. They were like ice... as small and hard they may seem like, it was evident they were fragile and could break off easily. So Daehyun had no problem with successfully taking the boy's bag out of his grasp at all.

Daehyun ran as fast as he could out of plain sight as he headed towards the many trees where he built his home. But he didn't miss the broken boy's face as he crouched down, softly crying on the spot where Daehyun had sat before...

Well whatever... it's not like he's suffered more than Daehyun has in his entire life anyway. No. He probably lived a life of love and wealth.. just like all the other filthy people out there in the world..

Getting inside his barely surviving mini house, he opened the scavenger bag and his eyes widened automatically upon seeing such huge amounts of cash pile up on each other! What? Did that guy rob a bank or something?! Well it doesn't matter, it's his now!
"This will last me more than two years! Talk about best Christmas ever!"

He grinned happily to himself.

But he couldn't help but feel this gross feeling in the pit of his stomach, thinking about the petite looking boy from before... what if he needed it?...

Daehyun shook his head vigorously. No. He wasn't feeling guilty! He needs this more than anybody else does!

He gently piled up all the cash together. There were more than forty wads in total.. although surprise did caught him off guard when his eyes found an already opened letter..

My dearest Youngjae,

He rolled his eyes as he read the first line.

"A letter.. how cliche.."

If you're finding this now... I suppose you can say I'm gone...
My child, I am deeply sorry I did not tell you of my illness... you were already working so hard to keep us both living... I didn't want to burden you further into getting more jobs... especially since getting jobs are very difficult these days...

Daehyun nodded.. that was true..

I didn't want to add up to your suffering... being disabled and not able to do anything to help was bad enough... I couldn't weigh your shoulders anymore than I already have by telling you I'm diagnosed with this cursed illness... So I am sorry... but I did it for your sake. In your age, you should be going out with friends or being in love... not taking care of your disabled mother. Your father died of the same illness too and it pains me just as much to realize that you'll soon be all alone... but take note, mommy will watch over you just like you did to her... You're the best son I could have ever asked for and so with that, I'm giving you all my life savings, Youngjae... I know it's very little but I still wish that I may at least leave you something that might help you start and boost your future. I hope you'll use it wisely my son... It's all I have... Please live well, my boy. Be happy.

                                          With Love,
                                             Mommy

Daehyun frowned deeply.

He neatly folded the letter and placed it back into the scavenger bag, where it came from, along with all the cash that came with it.

He stood up and draped the bag on his shoulder before walking back to the park.

The boy from before had still sat on his spot on the pavement and had his head rested on his knees.

Daehyun sighed softly.

He sat beside the boy slowly and gently pushed the bag to the boy's side. Clearly alarming him and causing him to move his head up in surprise.

"Here..." Daehyun insisted as he ignored that awful feeling in his gut after seeing the boy's tear covered face.

The boy looked at him with a hint of fear and surprise.

"What? If you're not gunna take it then I will." Daehyun said sternly.

Hearing this, the boy widened his eyes and took the bag immediately before hugging it close to his chest.

"Don't worry... I didn't take anything from it.." Daehyun announced, seeing the boy rummage and scan the bag for any oddity.

The boy nodded slightly and continued to sit there beside Daehyun with a more calm and relaxed expression on.

"What are you still doing here? You should go... It's going to get really cold soon.." Daehyun bluntly said as he looked away, embarrassed. Was he actually concerned?

The boy only smiled softly at him, finding his prideful yet concerned behavior quite interesting.

" It's okay... I'll be okay... what about you though? You should go home." The boy, Youngjae finally voiced his thoughts but only got a nasty hum from Daehyun.

"Funny. Would I rob you if I actually had a real home? I can survive staying away from that dog house for awhile, thank you very much." He coldly responded back.

"Oh... okay..." Youngjae mumbled to himself as he look down. When looking at the man beside him though... he felt kind of bad... just by looking at his clothes, Youngjae thinks he probably wont even survive a little blizzard! The man was kind though.. Sure he robbed him, but he gave it back, right? So maybe, beneath that cold facade layed a warm and sensible heart...

Silence took over for a good few minutes before Youngjae stood to his feet.

" Ummm... I should probably go home now huh.."

Daehyun only gave him a nod.

"Can I get a name?" He fumbled with his fingers as he waited for a response.

"Daehyun...It's Daehyun..."

He nodded.

"Daehyun... I'll remember that" He shot him a soft smile before he walked away.

Daehyun sighed.

"What a weird kid.."

He mumbled before getting up as well.

Tomorrow was going to be Christmas. Great. Just great.

When Daehyun woke up the next morning he smelled something really good. His stomach rumbling didn't help at all. What kind of person would eat near a starving man's house?! That was just rude.

When he went out of his mini house, his eyes went wide as he furrowed his brows together.

"What the hell is this?" He audibly asked as to seeing his mini house decorated with colorful Christmas lights, fake snow and all those other cliche Christmas decorations. There was a freaking snowman beside his painted mini house wall! Wait... painted?! He never remembered painting his mini house! He didn't even remember taking a hold of this 'paint' ever in his life!

Who would do such a thing?!

He's got to admit though... his house did look a little bit more welcoming and less err- pitiful now... 
Even the roof's painted...

His eyes made it's way to the huge box that was wrapped in one of those cliche Christmas wrappers you'd find beside the mall's cash register.

"Someone must've left it here by accident..." he softly sighed but stopped mid-way upon reading his name there.

"To Daehyun?"

He gently scooped the wrapped box up.. and took the wrapper off with extra precaution.. not wanting to rip anymore of it than needed.

He's never been given a present before...

His eyes screamed in delight upon seeing two complete sets of winter clothing.

He was gripping tightly at the box, hands shaking in disbelief as he tried to fight back the tears that wanted to fall.

There was a card at the bottom.

Merry Christmas, Daehyun.
-Youngjae

"Youngjae?" His tongue swirled at the foreign name... his brain was trying to remember where he'd heard that before.

A small soft gasp escaped his plump lips when the realization hit him.

"Do you like it?"

A voice from behind startled him. He quickly turned his head.

"Oh? Why're you crying?.." Youngjae asked, concerned as he bent closer to the boy.

"Did you do all this?" He gestured to his merry looking mini house and the box in his hands.

"Yup... I figured you must be having a hard time so I did a few things that would at least bring a smile to your face, since it's Christmas and all... but seeing you now... I may have failed."  Youngjae gestured to the small tears running down Daehyun's cheeks.

"What? No! I am happy! More so than you can ever imagine... nobody's ever showed me kindness since..."
Daehyun's voice fell

"Since?" Youngjae curiously asked and urged him to continue

" Since I was born...." he looked up and saw the genuine look of sympathy in Youngjae's eyes.

"A-And you didn't have to do this... I mean... you're having it rough too, right? Why spend your mom's money on me when she left it for you?"

Youngjae sadly smiled at him.

"She left it for me to be happy...so if seeing you happy and knowing that I helped a person out even just a little, makes me happy then I don't see why not.." he curtly explained.

"Oh... Thank you then... I've never met someone like you before.."

Youngjae beamed him a happy smile this time.

"I've never met someone like you either!"

Right, because Youngjae was at the least bit well off and Daehyun was as poor as a rat like no one else in the whole population of South Korea... Of course..

Daehyhun looked down.

"I've never met anyone who'd return what they've robbed no matter how  more needy they are than me... I've never met someone with that heart before. Someone that'd put down their pride just so they'd do the right thing..."

Youngjae gave Daehyun's shoulder a tight squeeze.

"Thank you, Youngjae.." The older managed to raise his head back up and finally smiled his first everv sincere smile.

"Don't count on i-" Youngjae's sentence got cut off as soon as Daehyun's stomach rumble invaded his sense of hearing.

"Oh! You're hungry! Perfect timing!" Youngjae pulled Daehyun to the back of his mini house and Daehyun's mouth practically watered at the sight of a barbecue picnic.

"Let's have breakfast!" Youngjae happily proclaimed as he tugged Daehyun forward.

Urging him excitedly to sit beside him.

"What is all this?"

"Well a nothing's complete without food, right? Dig in!"

Youngjae's huge grin was enough for Daehyun to get the message that he'll finally have a Merry Christmas for once..
And not only that, but he thinks he'll finally have his first friend too.

And a few years later, Daehyun realizes he was more than right...

Not only did he get his first friend, but his first love as well.

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BABAM! ADVANCE MERRY CHRISTMAS MY DEAR READERSSSSSSS I LUV YOUUUUU