﹍﹎﹍﹎﹍﹎

 

 

Christmas is the time for giving. So, why exactly isn't Mingyu being given the proper time to spend with Wonwoo? He wishes that they could go for just one hour together without annoying calls from head student councillor Hansol or second-in-charge Jisoo intercepting their time. (It’s mainly Hansol, really, Mingyu has answered one too many of Wonwoo's calls only to hear a deranged screech of “Man, why does Wonwoo always let you answer his phone? Go an egg and let me speak to my great, honorable secretary!”)

The student council needs Wonwoo’s help to plan the Christmas party. Granted, it’s only late November, but Hansol is Hansol, and he likes to be on top of things. (“The early bird catches the bird, yanno? But like, the worm has to be even earlier for the bird to catch it. Let’s all learn from the worms.”) It’s Wonwoo’s job, and Mingyu knows this— the student councillor updates him on the team’s progress everyday during their lunch appointments to the nearby cafe, the one run by that jolly old man who favours the student councillor and always adds extra marshmallows to his hot chocolate.

(Mingyu isn’t jealous of the shop owner’s blatant favoritism, because he dumps his own portion of mini marshmallows into Wonwoo’s cup each time anyway. It’s definitely not because he wants to see Wonwoo smile.) It doesn’t stop him from throwing a big, silent tantrum whenever the smaller male gets called back to school during their lunch dates though— can Mingyu even call them dates?

Maybe Mingyu is looking too much into the daily affairs he shares with Wonwoo. They’ve been meeting up regularly ever since the incident that occurred at the Halloween party— the one where Mingyu involuntarily punched Wonwoo in the face during his haunted house escapade. They made up over supper at a ramen stand afterwards, and somehow began to see each other every day for lunch. Mingyu vaguely remembers Wonwoo saying that Mingyu’s the brightest part of his day somewhere between week three and four of their new routine.

Now what on earth is that supposed to mean?

Wonwoo should really be clearer with his words, because they're giving Mingyu a headache trying to decipher the riddles. He thinks there’s a possibility Wonwoo might be into him, but Seungcheol never fails to trample on and squish that glimmer of hope with his -ish and pessimistic assessments of their almost-budding relationship.

(“He’s just using you to block out the sun, because you make like, a freakishly tall umbrella. I hide under your shadow sometimes. You can probably sustain the growth of bacteria beneath all that shade.”

“Ha, explains why you flourish under it. Wonwoo is not that much shorter than me, Seungcheol.”

“ you. A centimeter is still a centimeter!”)

Mingyu is aware that Seungcheol is ninety-nine percent bull and one percent truth. He's that one friend who links you to jumpscares at ungodly hours of the night, that one friend who uses questionable vocabulary to trick you into searching words up on Google. One time, he managed to deceive Mingyu into Googling images of tentacle in the middle of language class. All Seungcheol really had to do was poke fun at his delicate ego, and accuse him of being an presumptuous, ignorant fool. In Mingyu’s feeble defense, he was under the impression it was a superfood. Till this very day, Mingyu still fears octopuses.

Even when equipped with the life-saving knowledge to not trust a single word that spills from Seungcheol's lips, Mingyu can't stop it from eating at his insides, leaving him feeling empty and hollow.  

 

﹍﹎﹍﹎﹍﹎

Days turn colder and snow starts to fall, and Mingyu hates the growing chill. He hates walking down pavements and getting wet slush in his Timberland boots just because Mother Nature is having ing mood swings and can’t decide whether she wants the weather to freeze water or melt ice. Frostbite ing , and Mingyu very much still wants to keep all feeling in his fingers and toes.

 

 

He learns quickly that Wonwoo, on the other hand, loves the cold. Said student wanders off on strolls with Mingyu around the school campus to prod at the frozen koi ponds with a stick, and sometimes manages to threaten Mingyu with fistfuls of snow. More often than not, they end up in a snowball fight.

 

They play outside until they can’t feel the tips of their noses, and their breaths mingle in a single cloud as they huddle together on the benches. Wonwoo likes winter a little too much, but Mingyu doesn’t let it get to him. It’s a gentle balance— Wonwoo is thrilled to be in the snow, and Mingyu is contented just watching him. Freezing weather be damned, Wonwoo looks ethereal with his cheeks bitten pink by the cold, snowflakes clinging to the tips of his lashes.

 

Spending time with Wonwoo is a lot like playing russian roulette— Mingyu initiates, and if he’s lucky enough to catch Wonwoo on a good day, Wonwoo will reciprocate. And when he doesn’t? Then that’s when Mingyu is left feeling sad and vulnerable, the bullet of rejection free to take its aim and send a clean shot right through his weak-willed heart.

 

On such occasions, Mingyu can tell that Wonwoo’s keeping him at a safe distance. These days start off normal enough, with Mingyu catching small glimpses of Wonwoo making his rounds down the hallways with other councillors in the mornings. The boy even looks happy enough, exchanging polite ‘hello’s and ‘good morning’s with students who look their way, and sharing the occasional joke with Hansol as he quietly laughs into the sleeve of his sweater.

When he's with Mingyu at lunch though, Wonwoo closes himself off— his smiles are tight-lipped and his eyes lack the lustre and radiance Mingyu’s accustomed to. Instead, Wonwoo hunches over his hot chocolate, the festive red of the beverage cup peeking from beneath his fingers, silent and contemplating. He pokes at his food, fiddles with the pages of his book, and does anything other than talk to Mingyu.

(“You alright?”

“Yeah,” Wonwoo mumbles around a mouthful of salad, before stabbing cruelly at a cherry tomato with the prongs of his fork. The offending fruit rolls away— almost too spitefully— and Wonwoo looks too discouraged for it to be normal, eyes downcast and lips set in a frown.

 

Mingyu isn't sure whether it’s his presence or the tomato’s lack thereof that's making Wonwoo so sad. His brain is on autopilot as he plucks the fork out of the other student’s hands. He doesn't realise what he's doing until he's bringing the fruit up to Wonwoo's lips, and it's the stare Wonwoo directs at him that snaps him out of his trance.
 

There's the flickering of emotions in the light of Wonwoo's eyes, conflict and hesitation switching  from one to the next. It confuses Mingyu, and he opens his mouth to ask, but then Wonwoo’s biting on the fruit and waving him off and he loses the chance.

 

Mingyu watches the lingering frown on Wonwoo’s face even as the other student insists that he’s fine, and wills it to go away.)

 

But more often than not, Mingyu is given the chance to hold Wonwoo’s hand and tug him closer on their impromptu walks, under the poor pretense of preserving body heat. It’s not exactly a lie, Mingyu’s hands do feel like they have went skinny dipping in liquid nitrogen, but it’s really just an excuse to interlock Wonwoo’s slender fingers with his own. They continue to hold hands until they arrive at the cafe a few blocks down.

 

 

As they warm themselves up with cups of hot chocolate and peppermint mochas, Mingyu thinks he much prefers the heat of Wonwoo’s hand.

That’s the reason why Mingyu detests the frantic calls that become increasingly frequent as they proceed into December. He doesn’t think he can forgive Hansol for butting in and dragging Wonwoo back to councillor duties on days they agreed to go skating at that makeshift rink down at the park.

 

 

Mingyu has never felt so defeated in his life as he watches Wonwoo disappear around the corner of the dormitories with a weak wave and an apologetic smile— the last time he’s been this disappointed was probably in middle school, when Soonyoung drank the last of his precious banana milk. The student councillor meetings are usually held in the president and vice president’s shared room, and if Wonwoo’s stories are to be taken as truth, a whole lot of goes down in there.

 

It's a wonder what kind of party planning can be done in the living quarters of two high-ranking councillors, highly strung on caffeine and energy drinks as they struggle to meet deadlines. Mingyu doesn't have an inkling of an idea how anyone puts up with them— Hansol insists they throw the “biggest damn Christmas party”, and Jisoo thinks he has to listen to whatever the president says. He suspects that together, the two of them tag-team Wonwoo into doing their bidding with packets of prawn crackers and cans of Mountain Dew.

 

Wonwoo tells him newly-appointed councillor Lee Chan is a whole lot of help, and whilst juniors are not supposed to be involved in the activities of their seniors, they’ve made an exception, for this one's a competent and absolute cutie. (Mingyu refuses to acknowledge the pang of jealousy that hits right at his weak, vulnerable heart again, or the bitter taste on his tongue.) That discussion ended with Mingyu throwing seventy-five percent of a hissy fit, insisting that even he’d be cute if he were put next to Hansol and Jisoo. Wonwoo easily agrees, hands reaching out to pat Mingyu on the cheeks. If Wonwoo notices the blush that dust across them afterwards, he certainly doesn't let it show.

﹍﹎﹍﹎﹍﹎

Wonwoo eventually gets into an endless whirlpool of duties, leaving Mingyu unsure of what to do with his newfound time. He comes to the startling realisation that his days had mostly begun to consist of saying hi to Wonwoo, eating lunch with Wonwoo, and thinking about Wonwoo while still being with Wonwoo.

Seungcheol has called him out for it more than once, something about Mingyu being an uninvolved, unsupportive best friend for ditching him so often, but Mingyu thinks he’s one to talk. The older male sticks his nose into everything he does. The memory of Seungcheol pressed up against the school cafe’s glass window, resembling a blob fish, floods Mingyu’s mind. He remembers just how mortified Wonwoo was. The councillor had wanted to read his book in the comfort of Mingyu’s company, only to get a faceful of Seungcheol pressed up against the glass and looking a lot like goo instead.

Ever since then, Mingyu has never let Wonwoo pick the window seat. He gets a whine and a dejected pout whenever he leads Wonwoo by the hand to the seat by the corner, but Mingyu thinks he can live with that much of tough love. Anything to avoid Seungcheol.

Whenever Mingyu does get to see Wonwoo during his free time, however, the shorter student usually just naps against his shoulder, hoodie (often two sizes too big for him, in shades of baby pink and peach) pulled up to the tip of his nose. It's really cute, having a small, sleeping Wonwoo pressed up against his side, but Mingyu misses the conversations. Oddly enough, he also misses the walks they take in zero-degree weather, and he definitely misses the way Wonwoo laughs whenever he successfully gets a handful of snow down Mingyu’s shirt.

 

 

That doesn't stop Mingyu from wasting his time marveling at the way Wonwoo’s lashes brush the curve of his cheek when he's sleeping, though.

 

There are faint rings of pale blue beneath Wonwoo’s eyes, the dark shadows contrasting sharply against the soft cream of his skin. The student has definitely been pulling late nights on the regular, and Mingyu thinks it’s really unfair. He still looks pretty, unlike Mingyu during his midterms, where he had crammed (but finished) every single assignment he had in the last forty-eight hours before they were due.

 

 

Even kind, gentle Jisoo had told him that he looked like an undead raccoon rising from the afterlife. Wonwoo is devoting his time to the council, and barely has any left for himself (and Mingyu). He isn't unobservant enough to have missed the large amount of tissues Wonwoo has plowed through the past week.

 

So Mingyu makes it a point to pick up a hot white chocolate with extra whipped cream on his way to school the next day. When he arrives in school, Soonyoung is conveniently roaming the hallways, bundled up in his navy down jacket with a fun-sized pack of peanut butter M&Ms in his hands— he’s probably on his way to economics class, and Mingyu decides to bribe him into being his delivery boy.

“What’s wrong with using your own hands and feet? Don't tell me you're shy in front of your own boyfriend, ‘cause that's really kinda lame.” Soonyoung pops a chocolate into his mouth, and chews on it with the tenacity and elegance of a grazing donkey.

“I'm not shy, and for the last time, Wonwoo is not my boyfriend—”

“What difference does it make? The boy looks at you like how kids at the store look at the newest Bob the Builder toy or whatever it is they're into.”

 

Mingyu is about to retaliate and throw a temper tantrum because he's nothing like Bob the ing Builder, but Soonyoung shuts him up by shoving a handful of M&Ms past his open mouth.

“Thing is,” Soonyoung rushes to continue, frowning as though in deep thought, “although Wonwoo probably wants the toy or something, he just looks so darn sad. You know, like that mature- kid who doesn't let himself ask for what he wants, because his parents can't afford it and all that melodramatic . Yeah, that's exactly what he looks like.”

 

He what? No, that can't possibly be right. Mingyu needs to clarify, but the first period bell is ringing and Soonyoung is already reaching out to grab the hot chocolate from him.

 

“You know, I could really get into trouble, I might be even late for class!”

 

“Wonwoo is literally in the same class as you,” Mingyu deadpans, and Soonyoung takes this as a revelation, eyes widening to two miniature moons, which, considering the original size of them, is a very commendable feat.

 

“, you're kidding.”

 

Screw this romantic gesture, Mingyu really wants to dump the beverage on his friend’s head instead. He reasons with himself that a certain councillor is worth all the trouble he's going through, and resists the urge to commit murder. Soonyoung does help take the drink to Wonwoo though, and no sooner has Mingyu’s settled in his seat does his phone light up with a notification. Mingyu immediately lunges for it, and mentally scolds himself for being so damn whipped. The message is from Soonyoung four lecture halls away.

 

d00d, i don't think i've seen him smile that wide before? what kinda voodoo magic ru working???

 

Mingyu tries to disguise his laughter as a cough when his math professor shoots him a scornful glare— he sounds like a suffocating walrus with too large a mouthful of air as its last breath, which it then promptly choked on and died, but Mingyu really couldn't care less.

 

He’s busy typing up a reply that sounds a little too eager and contains one too many exclamation marks, when he receives another message. It’s from Wonwoo, and Mingyu doesn't even bother fighting the smile that curls at the corners of his lips. While the message is short, it’s sweet regardless, and has Mingyu’s breath catching and his heart lurching in his chest.

 

You're the best.

﹍﹎﹍﹎﹍﹎

They get to see each other during lunch break. Wonwoo is already shivering in his parka when Mingyu meets him at the school’s back gate, hands tucked into the pocket of his coat. He looks good today, Mingyu thinks. A knitted beanie is pulled down to cover the tips of Wonwoo’s ears, with a pompom that bounces excitedly on top of it as he rushes to greet Mingyu.

 

“Hey." Mingyu knows Wonwoo can see the fondness in his smile. “Cute hat, it matches.”

 

Wonwoo blinks. “Matches what?”

 

“You.”

 

Mingyu reaches up to give the pompom a squeeze, and Wonwoo swats Mingyu’s hand away with an airy laugh, nose scrunching up in the same endearing way it always does. He laces their fingers together instead, so casually that it lulls Mingyu into the same false sense of intimacy he's been having for the past month. Mingyu doesn't know what to make of it and it makes him so frustratingly confused. Does Wonwoo do this with all his friends?

 

They remain silent for the walk down, the only noise being the crunch of compacted snow beneath their winter boots, and the occasional sniffle from the councillor. It's a little into December, and the weather has steadied— they get a good amount of snowfall every other day. Mingyu would and should be complaining of severe frostbite and hypothermia, but today the warmth of Wonwoo’s hand against his own is almost too much to bear, and he desperately wants to ask if what they have is something special, if Wonwoo has been falling for him the same way he has been falling for the other. He doesn't though, for even the mere thought of rejection is too much to bear. There's a dull ache in his chest even Wonwoo’s presence can't soothe.
 

Mingyu is aware that he shouldn't be allowing himself to like Wonwoo so easily. He’s aware that he shouldn't get his hopes high and set himself up for inevitable hurt. Mingyu knows, but Wonwoo is making it so, so hard for him with all his sincere smiles, gentle touches, and adorable antics.

 

(“Do you think the fish are cold?”

 

“What,” Mingyu mumbles around the straw of his drink, kicking at the pebbles that gather near the pond’s edge.

 

“The fish,” Wonwoo taps at the frozen pond with the branch clasped between his fingers, deep in thought. His brows are furrowed, and Mingyu has to use all his willpower to try not to focus on Wonwoo’s lips as they purse in a slight pout. “I mean, their home is frozen solid, so do you ever wonder if they're feeling cold?”

The question probably comes off as a little silly, but Mingyu doesn't think so. He feels lucky to get to see Wonwoo in his most genuine form, away from the prying eyes of other students and the scrutiny of teachers who insist he “lead by setting good examples”. Wonwoo might not smile enough around everybody else, but he doesn't shy away from Mingyu when they're alone— speaking his mind, making lame jokes and laughing wholeheartedly. Wonwoo is Wonwoo around Mingyu, and Mingyu selfishly wants to keep him for himself.)

His train of thought is broken only when they arrive at the cafe. There’s the pleasant chime of bells when they enter, and Mingyu sighs at the warmth he’s enveloped in the moment they step past the doors. The scent of freshly brewed coffee is comforting, and Mingyu lets himself relax just a little. Wonwoo’s longing gaze wanders to the seat by the glass windows (the one Seungcheol so generously ruined for the two of them), and Mingyu decides to appease him just this once. The shorter student is delighted, and it’s when the sun illuminates him with a delicate glow that Mingyu knows he made the right decision.

 

Wonwoo picks off all the toasted almonds from the chocolate croissant Mingyu orders. He’s quiet again today, more so than usual as he sips on his hot cocoa. The silence bothers Mingyu, it gets him fidgety in his seat and he’s feeling a lot like the way he does when he's in front of an angry professor, having turned in a assignment he half-assed the night before.

 

Wonwoo doesn't say anything, so Mingyu doesn't ask, settling into their shared silence with a patience only reserved for the councillor. They still have plenty of time.

﹍﹎﹍﹎﹍﹎

They get snowed in a few days later. Mingyu wakes up to Seungcheol barrelling into his room, a pillow in hand that he uses to wallop the younger with. Mingyu doesn’t move a muscle, and Seungcheol is infinitely displeased. He climbs onto the bed (and steps all over Mingyu in the process) to wedge the pillow in the space between Mingyu’s face and the mattress.

“Wake up, damn it, you’re as useless as that cactus on your window sill. You know what, I should befriend that ing succulent, it’s probably more capable of being a best friend than your sad ever will be.”

It’s getting hard to breathe with the pillow smothering him, and Seungcheol’s knees on his chest cuts off all forms of air supply to Mingyu’s lungs. Mingyu wrestles Seungcheol off of him and groans, because why oh why did he have to be housemates with the reincarnation of the devil. To think Mingyu had celebrated his assignment to Dormitory A as it had shared apartments with separate rooms for each student, unlike Soonyoung and Seokmin down in the next block, who are forced to live, sleep and thrive off the immediate vicinity of each other.

 

Seungcheol gives Mingyu a hard shove back down onto the bed just as the the latter musters enough strength to sit up, and Mingyu really wants to haul his roommate out of the window. With a cackle, Seungcheol skips merrily out of the room, having accomplished his sole mission of making Mingyu’s life miserable. The prospect of a six hour round commute from his hometown to school suddenly doesn't sound too bad after all. Why did I choose to live in the school dorms again? Mingyu groans and fumbles around for his phone. He finds it after stripping the bed of its blanket and pillows, tucked in the gap between the wall and mattress.

It's already past twelve, and Mingyu gives the notifications he received through the night (and morning) a quick once over. There's a message from Wonwoo, in the usual brief sentences that Mingyu has grown accustomed to.

 

(“Why don't you ever text me smiley faces?” Mingyu asks, flicking a piece of eraser dust off their shared table.

 

Wonwoo doesn't look up from his book and gives a noncommittal hum. “What for?”

 

“I don't know, you seem angry otherwise,” Mingyu shrugs his shoulders to feign disinterest. He doesn't want Wonwoo to know that it really does bother him quite a lot, so he rushes to add, “I can't tell what you're feeling.”

 

The reply comes out sounding sadder than Mingyu means it to, and Wonwoo picks up on the disheartened tone in his voice. The councillor dog-ears the page he's reading and sets his book down on the table, turning to face Mingyu with a smile. It's not the most reassuring, but then Wonwoo’s eyes shine as he speaks the words, “Mingyu, I'm always happy with you.”

 

Since then, Mingyu stopped giving mind to the seemingly lack of emotion in Wonwoo's texts.)

 

Today, Wonwoo’s message simply reads, it's white outside, but will you come over?

 

Mingyu has only been to Wonwoo’s room a grand total of three times. The last time he had been there, Mingyu was supposed to collect a borrowed sweater. He ends up baking a batch of chocolate chip cookies in the kitchen with Wonwoo. (Although he really just sat on the marble countertop, legs swinging as he took unabashed nibbles out of the cookie dough.) Mingyu chooses to conveniently ignore the fact that he never got the sweater back in the end.

The councillor lives a seven minute walk away, all the way over in Dormitory E. It's the newest expansion of the school’s living quarters, having only been completed when they were in junior year— its rooms are usually assigned to only students of leadership positions. Wonwoo shares his with class monitor and best friend Lee Jihoon, whom Mingyu thinks is the rawest form of evil compacted into a cute marshmallow.

 

“Where are you going? You ain't even close to a damn snowplough, it's impossible to leave the dorms.”

 

Seungcheol speaks around a mouthful of buttered toast, and he's spread out on the couch with toffee wrappers littered around him, hair still sticking out in all places from sleep. There's that chick flick Hansol watches playing on the TV, and Seungcheol looks like he's not left the house for a pitiful month. At least he finally shaved this morning, after days of looking like a scruffy hobo.

 

“I'm not leaving the dorms, just heading to Wonwoo’s.”

 

“Wonwoo again, when are you ever going to give me a little lovin’?” Seungcheol kicks his legs against the couch in a petty tantrum. He gathers a handful of toffee sweets from the candy bowl and starts to pelt them at his best friend.

 

 

“Say, is his roommate that tiny fairy with pink cotton candy for hair, and temper issues twice his size?”

 

Mingyu crinkles his nose in disgust. “Gross, you don't deserve my love. Yeah, the fairy’s name is Jihoon. Are you over Jeonghan now?”

“I was never that into Jeonghan.”

 

“You retook a whole damn year because Jeonghan failed his promotion criteria, you shameless liar, you were crying to me about how you couldn't graduate without him— I still remember when you used to be my senior, you know.”

“And I can still pass off as your age,” Seungcheol retaliates, “Jihoon’s cute. Tell your councillor boyfriend that I'll be dropping by too.”

 

“Wonwoo's not my— You can't just—”

 

Seungcheol catapults all their candy in Mingyu’s direction despite his protests, and flings the decorational bowl along with it. It collides with the ground, and the last thing Mingyu needs is loud noises and perfectly good toffees pooling at his feet. it, Mingyu just wants to see Wonwoo.

 

That's how he ends up in Wonwoo’s dorm with Seungcheol in tow. Jihoon is home, to Mingyu's relief, because Seungcheol's now too busy with poor attempts of chatting up the class monitor than to tease Mingyu. Mingyu locks himself in Wonwoo’s room and cuddles up in the other’s warm blankets (lying in a bed that's not his own, the owner seated cross-legged at the foot of it instead) while Wonwoo wordlessly flips through his notes from economics class.

“You can't ask me over and choose to study instead, Wonwoo,” Mingyu whines.

 

Wonwoo raises his eyebrows at this, lips upturned in amusement. He’s in the same stolen sweater today, and it hangs loosely from his shoulders, revealing a smooth expanse of skin and pale collarbones that contrast against the midnight blue of the fabric. That might have very well once been Mingyu’s favourite sweater, and it still is, just that he prefers it on Wonwoo now instead.

 

“Bold statement. I can't ask for your company?”

 

“Not to study, no,” Mingyu persists, “You should be sleeping when you're snowed in.”

 

“You're taking up my bed—”

 

“We can share,” Mingyu cuts Wonwoo’s sentence off and tugs the smaller male over by his wrist. He doesn't even attempt to put up a fight, and Mingyu soon has him trapped within the confinements of his own blanket.

 

 

“Now sleep.”

“So it's fine to ask you over, and choose to sleep?” Wonwoo muses, and the playful tone evident in his voice is stupidly attractive.

 

Mingyu doesn't answer this. Not when Wonwoo's so close, pressed up against Mingyu’s chest, their breaths tickling each other’s cheek. They're almost nose to nose, and Wonwoo’s looking at him with eyes that are so hopeful and trusting, that it leaves Mingyu breathless. He wishes he could stop time, to keep this moment to himself forever.

 

The pang of disappointment Mingyu gets when Wonwoo gently pushes him away is hard to ignore, yet he does nothing to stop Wonwoo from rolling over to lay on his other side. But even with his back towards Mingyu, Wonwoo’s suppressed giggles don’t go unheard. Surprisingly enough, Wonwoo complies with the request, and he's soon napping his afternoon away with Mingyu by his side, snow slowly falling from the sky right outside his window, adorning the trees with thick, fluffy pillows and shrouding the landscape in a glistening white.

﹍﹎﹍﹎﹍﹎

There's a slam against the door, then another. It vaguely sounds like someone running right into the polished wood, and it startles Mingyu awake. He can hear indistinct voices from behind the door, and while he can make out the frantic undercurrents in them, it's impossible to decipher who they belong to. Mingyu thinks he’s a ing genius for locking the door earlier on.

Wonwoo is still soundly asleep, and he doesn't stir. Whoever’s on the other side of the door is now knocking in a frenzied rhythm, at a pace so quick that it makes Mingyu worry. Was there a serial killer in the dorm? Or was it just Seungcheol being an intrusive douchebag again, with Jihoon as his accomplice?

 

It's neither. Annoyed, Mingyu flings the door open with so much force he's genuinely surprised it didn't unhinge from the doorframe.

 

“Since when do you ever lock— Woah, Mingyu, my man! No one told me you were gonna be in here!” Hansol claps his hand a little too hard on Mingyu’s shoulder, the student wondering about what could possibly bring the head councillor over. Jisoo’s head pops up from behind him, and he looks equally as happy to see their tall friend. Even Jeonghan is here, but that's probably only because he follows Jisoo everywhere like a lost puppy.

 

“I was just... visiting.”

 

“, you're hanging out with someone who's sleeping? You must be deadass boring,” Hansol quips as he cranes his neck to peer past Mingyu's shoulders, clearly spotting the blanketed lump on the bed.

 

Mingyu pretends to have never heard that. “What's this about, dude, is it the Christmas party again?”

 

That sets something off in Hansol, because his jaw sets in place and his eyes narrow in a manner that is so threatening, Mingyu actually feels scared. Mingyu is pushed out of the way and can only watch helplessly as Wonwoo is rudely shaken awake. The boy is awfully taken aback, and Mingyu thinks he looks so tiny and defenseless wrapped up in the thick duvet, staring at his superiors with big, round eyes. It makes Mingyu feel guilty for opening the door in the first place.

 

“My dear Wonwoo, you wouldn't believe what the principal just told me— I’m so mad, I could set his damn office ablaze!”

 

Wonwoo opens his mouth to form a reply, but Hansol charges forward. “He told me that we can't throw the Christmas party anymore because the school would be under construction over winter break! Can you believe him? Who the heck does he think he is, this is my school, and he thinks it's funny to send it for repair without my knowledge!”

 

Mingyu wants to point out that Hansol is only president of the student body— not the whole school— but Jisoo is nodding despondently to the head councillor’s every word, and Wonwoo’s face is beginning to look a little crestfallen.

 

“It's cancelled?” Wonwoo asks.

 

“Yes!” Hansol deflates and falls onto Wonwoo’s bed with his hands pressed to the sides of his face, dragging his cheeks down. He flings himself down a little too hard and bounces off the mattress instead, tumbling to the ground. Mingyu would have helped him up, but he's distracted by how Wonwoo’s gaze has hardened to one of surprise and disappointment.

 

Mingyu knows how much the councillors must have slaved over the planning of their Christmas party. He’s been following their progress through Wonwoo’s periodical updates and can't even begin to count the number of times Wonwoo’s has been hauled back to meetings (plus Hansol sobbing audibly while curled up on the carpet is enough indication of the crazy amount of work they’d put in).

 

Jisoo and Jeonghan both try to pacify the weeping president, and Mingyu is essentially just standing there like an idiot. Jihoon barges into the bedroom, and is appropriately confused at the scene playing out before him.

 

“What’s with the damn crying fest?” he demands, and he’s looking up at Mingyu with the most accusing stare ever. Jihoon strangely reminds Mingyu of that potted cactus Seungcheol mentioned earlier— all prickly and not a single ounce of fun— and he makes it a mental note to dispose of the plant when he gets back.

Nevermind the fact that the top of Jihoon’s head stops below his shoulder and that he has to tip his chin up to the ceiling in order to even look at Mingyu, the taller student feels like a lowly ant being fried by sunlight under the glare of a magnifying glass.

 

The condemning glare has Mingyu’s guards going up, and because he’s feeling thoroughly attacked, he says rather defensively, “Why are you looking at me? I didn’t do anything to make Hansol cry.”

 

“It’s true,” Hansol wails loudly, chest heaving with broken sobs, “Mingyu didn’t do anything wrong. Nothing could have prevented it, it was inevitable.”

 

The president blows his nose into the tissue Jeonghan kindly offers him, and even Wonwoo is climbing out of bed to pat his head consolingly. (Jisoo, well, has his head bowed at Jihoon out of politeness— he still doesn’t seem to get that as the vice president of the student body, he commanded more respect than his class monitor ever would.)

 

“We could always host the party somewhere else, you know?” Wonwoo’s voice is still deep and raspy from having just woken up, his hair tousled and falling in disarray over his forehead. He’s looking a little too domestic and at home, and Mingyu has to force himself not to imagine how waking up to Wonwoo on snowy mornings would be like on a regular basis.

Hansol seems to take to the suggestion, because he lunges for Wonwoo and knocks him over. Wonwoo’s trapped in a suffocating hug and he looks over to Mingyu with eyes that plead for help, arms flailing around in distress. Mingyu snaps out of his reverie and helps to peel Hansol off of Wonwoo, the head councillor refusing to let go and looking like he was ready to kiss the other student right there and then (not that Mingyu would ever allow it).

“Bless you, my secretary! You have just given me the best idea in the world— We’ll throw the Christmas party in my dorm!” It's as though Hansol was never crying as he jumps to his feet excitedly, it’s kind of like witnessing Pikachu discover that Ash isn't really dead after all. Jihoon slaps a hand to his forehead and groans in undisguised disbelief.

 

Jisoo makes an indignant noise (it's understandable considering how Hansol shares his dorm with him), and points out that their unit couldn't possibly house that many students.

 

Hansol returns to his semi-comatose, depressed, self-pitying state on the floor until Jeonghan helpfully suggests to make the party exclusive to their circle of friends. The president bounces up again and has everyone present in the room swear on their life to attend the party. (Seungcheol included, because he's still attracted to Jeonghan by an invisible magnet and was in the room trying to steal not-so-discreet glances at the pretty, long-haired male.)

 

Mingyu helps Wonwoo to his feet, and the smaller student immediately scoots back to his side of the bed, patting the empty space beside him expectantly. Mingyu hesitates, because there are five other pairs of probing and scrutinizing eyes in the room, damn it, but he does it anyway. Wonwoo immediately makes himself comfortable against his shoulder, blanket tucked under his chin.

 

 

Seungcheol starts making blatant kissy noises, and Mingyu mouths a blatant you in his direction.

Hansol's already out of the room, going on about ordering a smaller Christmas tree and assigning everyone secret Santas. He drags Jisoo along, and Jeonghan follows after, as if part of a 1-for-1 combo deal.

Jihoon grabs a fistful of Seungcheol’s sleeve and starts to make his way towards the door, and Mingyu can hear him mutter something along the lines of, “I get that you want to invade your buddy’s privacy, but I have to protect my best friend.” Seungcheol protests, but Jihoon shoots him a look so withering it shuts him up immediately. The student’s smaller frame evidently doesn't stop him from roughly dragging Seungcheol outside with a strange ease.

 

They're left alone after that, and it’s quiet and peaceful, almost like the whole shebang never happened. Wonwoo pulls Mingyu back down on the bed and throws the covers over them both (he does hoard the majority of it though), but this time, he’s curled around Mingyu’s arm as he falls asleep. The taller student takes his time studying each of Wonwoo’s defined features, and his heart kinda wants to die. Mingyu makes a silent promise to himself to attend every single party the student council throws, if only to see Wonwoo and his smile.

 

 

Christmas is the time for giving. Mingyu thinks he's blessed enough to have been given the chance to meet Wonwoo.

 

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A/N: I'm back christmas came early! no I'm just kidding the second part will only come on christmas day hehe

can someone tell me if it's obvious that I'm writing crack (because I am ᕕ( ᐕ )ᕗ) it's just disguised as fluff and angst man

this christmas au is my baby I went through many mental breakdowns to write this

please leave comments to let me know if you liked it, I do love them comments & I hope you enjoyed your read! ♡

sends winter kisses to my beta chorusofthesong muah muah accept my love

lets chit chat on twitter hit me up @bbaekstillcute! I'm friendly I promise