"He hated this season the most since then, well, not really the season. Just the memories it held.. It only reminded him of his brother. Taemin, he prefers to spend most of his time alone when he misses his brother. This kid..  in all honesty.. is just a real loner most of the time. Now, once he cares for someone.. He doesn't show it, but he gets clingy. Once he clings onto that person, he can't let them go. But don't misunderstand him though, he's just afraid or paranoid from experience."

....

Minho cleared his throat from the awkward silence.

"When Taemin attended our high school, that's when he and I first met. We became close friends since then.. He's become less lonely. He even trusted me enough to tell me his story." Minho chuckled with a proud look on his face as he took a sip of his glass of water.

"I'm still wondering though. What's your relationship with Taemin that you needed to know this? Don't you two hate each other?" Minho lifted the glass down a little and looked at her curiously. 

"Hold on. I need to order something." He glimpsed at her strangely when she didn't respond as he turned to call the waitress. Sulli was too busy staring at her glass of water in a daze once Minho finished the story. All this time I assumed he was just a jerk who had such a perfect life, but I didn't bother to look into the facts of it first..  And at the barbeque restaurant.. I said all of that to him without thinking.. Aigoo Sulli now you're the jerk. Omo what should I do? Sulli sadly pouted as she lightly hit her own head with the side of her fist. Minho looked back at Sulli once he finished ordering with bewildered eyes as he watched her continuously abuse herself on the head and quickly put his glass of water down. Minho decided to prevent his friend from killing herself.

"Sulli Sulli Sulli what are you doing?" Minho said with wide eyes and stopped her by tightly grabbing her by the wrist. Finally realizing that Minho was there, Sulli thought of something. I have to find him. Sulli's eyes bulged as she let her arm down.

"Minho! You have Taemin's phone number, right? Can I have please have it?" She said hurriedly. Seeing that Sulli seems to be in a rush, Still confused Minho silently obeyed her orders and wrote down Taemin's numbers on a piece of napkin. Before he could've even slipped the napkin halfway to her, Sulli grabbed it closer and swiftly added Taemin in her contact list. Sulli stood up and immediately headed for the exit. 

"I have to go now. Bye Minho! Thanks for coming!" Sulli gave him a weak smile as she fast walked out the door with a quick wave. Minho stood up in surprise and tried to halt her by holding up his hand.

"SULLI. WHERE ARE YOU GOING? ARE YOU LEAVING ME HERE ALONE? I ALREADY ORDERED CURLY FRIES. SULLI.. SULLI!" But Sulli had already disappeared. Minho groaned as he hopelessly clenched his fist and dropped it down.

"Aissh..." He plopped back down on his seat. He snapped his fingers as an idea popped up in his head. Maybe I should invite the others over to help me eat the curly fries. They do like these kind of things... or perhaps.. Krystal-ssi might like these things, too? Ah forget it, we don't even talk. Right after he was about to dial their numbers down, the waiter had finally arrived with their curly fries. Minho's eyes lit up as his face went closer to the hot curly fries and sniffed it. He shuddered from it's perfection.  Jesus christ.. this looks really good. He his lips. Then a sly grin slowly came upon his face.

"By the time they come here, it'll get cold. It's better if I just eat this now." Minho grinned as he put his arms out and cooly bit onto a curly fry with no regrets and ketchup.

 

The next day, Sulli was still contemplating on whether or not she should call Taemin. She sat back on her couch and groaned. She lifted her head up and intently stared at her phone. She twitched her lips and narrowed her eyes at it as she waved it back and forth as if it was her enemy. You can do it, Sulli. You don't even have to say that much. It's not so difficult. Sulli sighed and let her body fall on the side. 

"So.. sor-ry. I am sor..ry." Sulli stammered with a cute accent in English. She shook her head. She sighed and let herself relax for a while.

"Taemin, I'm sorry." She said in Korean confidently with an awkward smile this time. Her smile faded in disapproval as she threw her phone to the other side of the couch. It's been a day already and I'm still don't have the courage to call him. Ugh and I'm thirsty, too. She pouted as she patted her tummy.  She smacked her lips, thinking of how good coffee sounds right now. Maybe I should go drink first before calling him. Sulli smiled as she stood up to get her purse so that she could procrastinate a little longer.

 

Sulli came out of the same cafe that she went with Taemin and sniffed up the sweet aroma of the hot mocha she had just ordered. Visiting the cafe had already became a part of her daily routine. She closed her eyes and exhaled in satisfication.  As she opened her eyes and proceeded her way home, her eyes became wide once she immediately noticed a skinny figure that belonged to the same boy she was meaning to talk to all day. 

"Taemin!.." Sulli exclaimed his name once she recognized the familiar face with a smile growing on her face. He came out of a small shop a few blocks away from the cafe with a wrapped sandwich in his hand. He didn't seem to hear her as he promptly turned around a corner. Sulli dropped her shoulders in defeat. He didn't hear me.. So Sulli decided to follow Taemin. She noticed and look at him in absurd as he was only wearing a simple sweater in this kind of cold weather. Lee Taemin, ARE YOU CRAZY? He really isn't afraid of getting sick. She took a big sip of her hot mocha before following behind him in a far enough distance.

 

Sulli let out a silent moan from exhaustion so that Taemin wouldn't hear her from the corner of the building she was hiding behind before continuing. It had been around 20 minutes of walking and her legs were starting to get wobbly. She looked around the area that they were at. The crowd of people around them had disappeared as soon as they stepped onto this place. Sulli thought it was strange how abandoned this small area was. Taemin interrupted her thoughts as he stopped in front of a children's playground. She hid from the back of a tree in behind, away from his sight. Playground? Why would he visit a playground for? He bluntly sat down an unoccupied swing, well the whole playground was unoccupied, and began to unwrap his sandwich. She lifted her eyebrows in curiousity as she peeked out from the corner and cryptically sipped the last amount of hot mocha she had left. 

Just then, a single pigeon flew a few inches next to her. Sulli frightfully gasped and bit her finger to stop herself from shrieking. It was no secret that she hated and feared of pigeons with an undying passion. Yes, it was silly that she was scared of pigeons, but she couldn't help herself and her hatred towards them. She shut her eyes tightly as she hastily scurried over to the other side of the wall. Much to her dismay, the same pigeon began to hop over her direction. Then another. Then another. And so on until a whole flock of pigeons scattered around her. 3 ... 2 ...1... Sulli couldn't take it anymore. She let out a loud, piercing cry as she carried on screaming her head off, running towards the playground with her eyes still firmly closed. 

Taemin lifted his head up in astonishment as he witnessed a screaming Sulli running up the ladder to the furthest top of the playground. Amused, Taemin spun his swing around and continued to watch the still screaming Sulli cover her eyes with her hands as he took a big bite of his sandwich and nonchalantly  chewed it. After a few seconds, Sulli slowly uncovered her eyes to see a calm Taemin peacefully eating his sandwich.

"Annyeong." Taemin lifted an eyebrow and casually waved his hand at her. Smooth, Sulli.. Sulli winced in embarassment and waved back. A few pigeons started to fly near the swing set. Sulli covered her eyes again and slightly squealed as she sat down to hide herself. Taemin's eyes roamed over to the small pigeon hopping closer to his feet. Ahh... He took another bite of his sandwich and turned back to Sulli.

"You.." Taemin said with his mouth full and paused to swallow as he pointed at Sulli with his finger.

".. are scared of pigeons?" Taemin tried to imitate a pigeon by bobbing his head back and forth and flapping his arms. He stopped and waited for an answer.

"..Ne..." He heard a scared Sulli quietly speak up from behind the bars of the playground tower. Taemin chortled and carried on eating his sandwich.

"Oh my god." Taemin shook his head as he picked a piece of his sandwich and threw it over to the pigeons who rapidly flew over to it. Sulli gave him the are you serious look through the bars. She had expected him to understand her situation, but instead, he laughed at it and even gathered more pigeons over.

"W-what are you doing? I can't come down there if you keep attracting more of them over." Sulli pouted as she hid her face in her knees. Taemin just turned to her and blinked. 

When Sulli lifted her face up from her knees again, she turned to see Taemin sitting beside her with his arms dangling on top of his knees looking at her with a poker face. Flustered, Sulli didn't know what to do next but waver her cup of coffee in front of his face.

"Would you like some hot mocha?" Noticing how uncomfortable she was feeling, he smirked in return.

"I don't like cof-fee." Taemin said calmly and stopped smiling as he went back to his sandwich. Sulli pouted and leaned the other way as she retrieved the coffee back. They sat in silence for a moment while he was finishing up his sandwich. Sulli stared at the ground thoughtfully. Sulli, here's your chance to apologize. This is a good timing.. I guess? But, would he forgive me even if I did? Sulli glanced over at him and cringed. Sulli then noticed the leather bracelet Minho had mentioned in Taemin's story. 

"It's the bracelet that Taesun gave you." Sulli blurted out as she stared at it in awe. Taemin looked at her in surprise, then furiously, wondering how the hell she knew about Taesun.

"How do you know about my hyung?" Taemin exclaimed as he clenched the sandwich wrap into a ball and put it aside. Oops.. Sulli bit her top lip with her bottom teeth.

"Minho told me about your past.." Sulli muttered and leaned to the side even more. Minho told her?! AIISHH. Out of all people, he tells her. Taemin sighed and rubbed his temples. Sulli gave him the are you okay look and looked away. 

"I-I was also wondering why you came all the way here... so I followed you. Don't take it the wrong way! I wasn't stalking you, just following you." Sulli murmured. Taemin glimpsed at Sulli and let himself relax. Since she already knows.. I might as well be open and honest. 

"This abandoned playground was me and Taesun's place. Like you and your family, we had a secret place, but it was just between the two of us. We figured that it was okay to claim it ours since no one came here anyways. Don't know why though." Taemin creased his eyebrows and cocked his head to the side.

"Today.. was the same day Taesun went missing. It's stupid, how he didn't think of this place when he decided to continue giving me lessons now that I think about it. I come here often, in hopes that Taesun would come here when he's finally found his way if not home.." Taemin's voice became quiet as he finished the last sentence. He turned and smiled at Sulli who seemed to be in a daze again as she listen to him.

"Are you still listening?" Sulli jumped and quickly nodded her head. He face grew stern as he steadily leaned his face in closer to hers. Sulli gulped.

"And you.. why were you following me?" He said in a breathy voice which freaked the hell out of Sulli. His face being so close to hers caused her to uncontrollably blush like crazy. Sulli only wished Taemin would stop his habit of putting his face so close to her. It just.. irritated her to be put in such an uncomfortable position. She prevented herself from further uncomfortableness by moving his face away with her hand.

"I followed you here because I wanted to apologize for the way I acted.. at the restaurant. I was still upset about my father leaving me for his business trip throughout the whole winter. Can you.. perhaps.. forgive me?" She muttered silently. That took Taemin by surprise. She wants to apologize to me? What.. I thought I was the one who's supposed to be apologizing.. well this doesn't happen too often keke. It would be right to enjoy it while it lasts. Enjoying this, Taemin gladly took advantage of the situation to mess with her just for fun.

"So basically you picked on me out of anger? That's unreasonable! I don't accept your apology." Taemin exclaimed in a serious tone and tried to hide his snickering. Sulli looked at him in disappointment.

"Taeminnie-ah don't be like this.." She said cutely. He tried to his smile by biting his lip.

"Don't call me that. My name's Taemin." He said with a straight face.

"... you want me to do aegyo for you then?" Taemin's eyes widened then groaned as he tried to avoid looking at her as she she stood up by covering his hands in front of his face.

"I don't know what kind of aegyo I should do.."

"Then don't."

"Oh I got one. BUING BUING." Sulli made a cute face and hand motions as she tried to win Taemin's acceptance to her apology. Taemin smiled as he scoffed.

"You know aegyo doesn't work on me." 

"Oh I know!" As Sulli was about to position herself for the next one, Taemin decided to give up as he longed for this to be over. He groaned as he made an x with his arms in defeat.

"STOP STOP STOP. I ACCEPT YOUR APOLOGY." Taemin winced for it to stop. Sulli dropped her arms and gave him a cute smile.

"I win." She fist pumped in victory.

"I know." Blushing Taemin hugged himself as he tried not to look at her. She tilted her head as she noticed how cold he seemed with just a mere sweater on. 

"How could you not get sick like this? Aren't you cold? Ah my hands are still warm from holding the cup of coffee. Let me warm them for you!" She grinned at him as she bent down and took his hands out and began to rub them. His heart fluttered at her sudden action.Taemin couldn't help himself but look at her pretty face dreamily as she continued to try to warm him up. Rapid heart beats. Butterflies. Body heating up. ..Weird.Taemin wondered if she was magical. He sat there and let his immature thoughts run through his mind. Is she a witch? Had she already casted a spell on him? What are you Sulli? He stared at her with sullen eyes, wondering.

Choi Sulli, if you can read my thoughts right now.. Can you answer these questions for me?.. Do you feel the same way I do now?.. Since I'm new to all this., it feels strange really.. That's right, a person like you can somehow make someone like me feel this way in just a matter of days. Taemin quietly chuckled. 

Is this is what it feels like to like someone? Aigoo.. He slightly smiled at how focused she was. He had to smile at how innocently oblivious she was of his thoughts. He kept his eyes on her as she began to massage his hands. How long is she going to keep this up anyways? He pursued his lips and shook his head.

"Stop. You already warmed it enough." Taemin commanded Sulli. Sulli looked up at Taemin and paused right away.

"Why?" Before Sulli could react or say more, Taemin raised his hands up to gently cup her cheeks. Sulli gave him the what the hell are you doing look. As she was about to remove her hands off of his, Taemin quickly interrupted her.

"Don't!" Taemin shouted, startling Sulli.Taemin cleared his throat.

"Le-Let's keep it like this. You look cold. Since you made my hands are warm enough, they can keep you warm now." Taemin gave her a little crooked smile and sheepishly dashed his eyes back and forth. Her face grew beaming red. How embarassing.. I hope he doesn't notice. Sulli stood still for an instant, then hesitantly calmed down. His warm, soft hands that touched her cheeks began to sooth her. 

"Wow I did make your hands feel really warm." Sulli exclaimed, astounded by her work.

"Yeah, you're right." Taemin chuckled. Beginning to feel even more at ease, she began to loosen her grips as her eyes grew sleepy from the tenderness of his hands. His hands are really warm.. This is surprisingly getting more comforting. Sulli thought and half smiled. As she was coming closer to falling asleep, she felt her cheeks squish. She creased her eyebrows and opened her eyes to see a laughing Taemin shifting her face around.

"WOW HOW COOL. When you put your face like this you look like a chubby cheeked fish!" Taemin said with a stunned look on his face as he observed her fish face. Sulli sneered at him as she roughly pulled his hands off of her. 

"Why'd you do that?!" Here we go.

"Waee? Did you like it? Were you upset that I stopped letting you fall asleep in my hand? I'm sorry." Taemin .

"No I didn't.. I was just..." 

"Just what? Tell me more." Taemin smiled and cutely blinked.

"..I'm not lying!" Sulli frowned and pouted.

"Okay then." Taemin mimicked Sulli's pout and shrugged. Sulli narrowed her eyes at him then rested her head on her knees. Taemin puffed his cheeks as his eyes peeked at her from the corner. She gets mad at me easily, but not at Baekhyun. Not fair.. The thought of Baekhyun made him frown yet he admired him at the same time. How does he do it?... What does he do?..

"Where's Baekhyun?" He suddenly blurted out. His question caught Sulli by surprise. She was astonished at the fact that he was even thinking of Baekhyun.

"He went back to America to spend time with his family for Christmas.. and for the New Year." Sulli said bluntly. Taemin's eyes widened. REALLY? He's away for Christmas.. and New Year? BINGO! He tried to hide his smile and continued with a strict face. 

"How about Krystal?" 

"She went on a family trip back to America. Her family is spending their Christmas with her grandma in San Francisco."

"So you're spending your Christmas Eve alone?" Sulli looked down glumly and nodded. Is that so?.. Taemin bit his lip as a sly smile came upon his face as he thought of an idea. His face lit up as he fixed his face in front of Sulli's. Sulli lifted an eyebrow.

"If you don't have anyone to spend Christmas then I'm going to your house for Christmas Eve tomorrow night. Since we're both alone, we can both be alone together for Christmas!" Taemin said excitedly.

"What?!" Sulli looked at him with bewildered eyes.

"Yah. You can't accuse me now that I've already warned you before inviting myself in the first place. SULLI-AH, SEE YOU THERE."  Taemin gave her a smug smile as he quickly got up and frantically ran away. Sulli sighed and couldn't help but let out a little laugh as she watched him run off. He's 18 years old and he still has a childish spirit. She laughed. Then her eyes began to widened as she finally comprehended on what he just said and held her breath. Christmas Eve with Taemin?.. at my home?.. alone? 

"WAIT TAEMIN COME BACK HERE!" 

 

Jonghyun looked at the caller id on his phone. It was Taemin. Oh? What does Taemin want now? Curious, Jonghyun decided to answer Taemin's phone call.

"ANNYEEONNG." Jonghyun greeted Taemin loudly through the phone.

"Jonghyun, I can't go to your Christmas party. I'm going to spend it at Sulli's!"

"WHAT? But everyone's coming. Minho.. girls.. Onew.. Key.. and more girls... WAE?" Jonghyun frowned as he whined.

"Sorry! See you at Minho's New Year party though!" Like that, the line went dead. Jonghyun scoffed as he turned off his phone.

"WAAEEE?" Jonghyun repeated in disbelief as he shook his phone waiting for it to answer him.

On the other line, Taemin shut off his phone with a mischievous grin. I can't let Baekhyun win.. Hm.. AH! If I spend more time with Sulli-ssi than him, we'll start to get closer. As time progresses, she'll start to like me more, right? And then.. SCORE! Taemin twirled around lifted up his fist. She will be my princess.. and I will be her prince charming! Aigoo Taemin you're a genius. Taemin snapped his fingers with a smile, satisfied about his own plan. Christmas Eve with Sulli... Taemin tightly closed his eyes with the happiest smile on his face.

Will Taemin's plan work?

 

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Next chapter could be Sulli's Christmas Eve with Taemin or not. Idk yet. Please leave some more COMMENTS below. ^^; Of course, that would be appreciated. Thank you. :D