* The seventh door *

~

"Do you believe in Santa Claus Nyoung?" seven year old Mark asked his younger friend one evening.

"Of course!" Jinyoung exclaimed excitedly, "why wouldn't I?" he looked at Mark wide eyed.

Mark sighed, ruffling the others hair softly, "I don't know Jinyoung, weird reasons."

*

Mark isn't stupid, he's already seven years old and he knows that Santa Clause is made up, a lie told by parents for whatever weird reason that makes it acceptable to lie to children all over the world. When one of the older kids in the kindergarten enlightend him about it he was angry at first. It hurt him that his parents lied to him for so long, but now, three years later, he honestly doesn't care anymore.

What he cares about though is his best friend Jinyoung. A small and adorable five year old which Mark cares a lot for, and who doesn't know that Santa Claus doesn't exist. The older doesn't know what to do, everytime Jinyoung excitedly talks about Christmas and Santa Claus Mark starts feeling guilty for knowing the truth and also pities his best friend who's happy due to something that isn't even true, he would like to tell Jinyoung that it's all just a bunch of lies but he doesn't want to disappoint and make him sad.

*

"Markie?" "Yes?"

"What do you want for christmas?" 

"I don't know"

"I want to meet Santa this year!"

*

Like so often two weeks before Christmas Mark and Jinyoung accompany their mothers into the cities to do their purchases. Mark is told to stroll with Jinyoung through the mall while their mums are busy. He feels anger bubbling up in his chest at the request, knowing they will buy the christmas presents while they are away. but in the end he does it anyway, for his friend.

"Let's go okay?" Jinyoung smiles at him brightly, wrapping his fingers around Marks wrist (his hand is so small and cute, it nearly doesn't reach around the whole wrist) and pulls him away from their mothers. Mark melts under the younger boy touch, stomach filled with butterflies as he looks down into his best friends adorable chubby face. 

"Where do you want to go Nyoung?" he asks the little boy, intervening their fingers and looking around. "Hmm, toy store please!"

The two kids make their way to the shop, it's one of the biggest in the mall and really colorful. Both Mark and Jinyoung gape in amazement as they stand in front of it.

Jinyoung happily jumps around, pulling Mark around and enjoying everything without getting tired.

Suddenly when they are about to go around a corner the younger shrieks back, hiding behind his best friends back and clinging to his coat. "What's wrong Nyoung?" Mark asks surprised and turns around, his best friend standing in front of him with his mouth wide opend and eyes cutely blinking. "There...t-there is Santa!" Jinyoung says trembling, pointing towards the corner, and Mark steps forward, peering into the direction of the supposed Santa.

There, in the middle of the store, an as Santa dressed up man sits on a big velvet chair and talks to the little children. If he would still believe in Santa he would have freaked out too but he doesn't so he stays calm. 

"Want to go to him Nyoung?" he asks, smiling at his friend who quivers nervously, "b-but I'm shy and k-kind if scared" he hickups, fingers anxiously fiddling with his wide sweater. "I'll go with you! As long I'm by your side there's no need to worry."

The little boy takes his hand again, hesistantly at first, and then clings on it as if his life depended on it. Mark has to hold back a grin at his best friends behavior, he drags him towards the Santa, not listening to Jinyoungs desperate whines.

"And who are you, little guy?" the Santa asks in his deep voice, glancing down to Jinyoung who's again hiding behind Marks back, with a warm smile. "I-I'm not little!" Jinyoung squeaks, looking up to the Santa with a cute offended frown. "I see, you're already a big boy" Santa says, eyes twinkling with amusement, "do you want to sit on my lap anyway and talk eye to eye?"

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