As if to mock Taemin who thought that he was spending the best Christmas Eve of his life hours ago, his eighteenth Christmas was turning into his worst nightmare yet.

Ignoring Taemin’s shrieking and telling him to go back home, Chanyeol held up two movie tickets.

“I already got them. I’m not going anywhere.”

Before Taemin could reply, Chanyeol looked behind Taemin’s shoulders and widened his eyes as if to have recognized somebody. Taemin quickly looked back, and saw that Soojung and Jongin were heading their way. Chanyeol began to call out their name and Taemin reached up to cover Chanyeol’s mouth (it was one of the hardest things possible) and dragged him behind the crane game machine. His body swaying off balance, Chanyeol looked at Taemin cluelessly.

“Stay quiet until they pass and just go home…”

Taemin said as he spied through the glass but stopped midway when he discovered Chanyeol smirking at him. The smirk seemed even more creepy than usual and Taemin gulped.

“Don’t tell me that you’re… stalking them right now?” Chanyeol mused.

“Wh, what are you saying, stalking? I’m not stalking, who’s stalking? I…” Taemin stammered, trying to avoid Chanyeol’s gaze.

“Wow, you have a knack of driving me crazy, don’t you.” Chanyeol burst out laughing. “I was going to give up on you... but man, you’re something.”

“What the are you saying?” Taemin asked in a whisper, scared that they’d be caught.

“You stimulate me to compete.” Chanyeol replied. “It’s a compliment, don’t take it so offensively.”

“…It doesn’t sound like a compliment.” Taemin said coldly at Chanyeol’s sarcastic tone.

Jongin and Soojung disappeared behind the popcorn stand and Taemin straightened up. He turned around, realizing how stupid this all was and decided to go home. He grabbed Chanyeol's arm to drag him out with him when Chanyeol spoke.

“Do you really like him?”

Taemin froze but the hesitation was short lived.

“Yeah, I do.” He replied, looking straight into Chanyeol's eyes.

As if it weren’t what he’d expected to hear, Chanyeol stared at Taemin in shock.

“So Kim Jongin… isn’t like a shield or anything but,.. you guys are really… like that?” Chanyeol asked in disbelief. “…Or is it one-sided?” He asked again, knowing the answer. 

“Shut up while I stay nice…” Taemin started.

“Ha, this is unbelievable. So it’s actually true?” Absurdity crossed Chanyeol's face. 

Without an answer, Taemin glared at Chanyeol and brushed past him. His brain began to warp in a mess and Taemin was mortified. He felt embarrassed, mortified, and… he felt like .

Chanyeol’s face that overwhelmed in shock and absurdity was what most people would feel about Taemin’s feelings for Jongin, and it shook Taemin up. Jongin would feel the same way if he found out, and it hurt, a lot.

But before Taemin could go any further, he was caught by the wrist and Taemin swung back.

“Let’s watch the movie.” It was Chanyeol. “You’re already here, shouldn’t you be keeping an eye on them?”

“What?”

“Considering your personality, I could applaud for your effort on restraining yourself.” Chanyeol continued. “Didn’t you come all the way out here ‘cause you can’t stand Jongin being with that chick? Follow me.”

Before Taemin could answer, Chanyeol dragged Taemin by the arms towards the theatre. Taemin rebelled, squirming his body to escape his grasp when Chanyeol pretended to call out Jongin’s name. Taemin helplessly clung onto Chanyeol, desperate to stop him, and they were in the theatre before he knew it. Chanyeol forced Taemin in a seat, and the movie started away.

The only relief was that the theatre was dark, but Taemin soon realized that he and Chanyeol were sitting diagonally behind from Jongin and Soojung, only a row away.

Soojung was chatting beside Jongin, and it didn’t look like Jongin was going to discover Taemin anytime soon. Taemin squirmed in his seat, sweat forming on his forehead as he constantly rolled his eyes between Jongin and Chanyeol.

Looking for the right time, Taemin slowly got up from his seat. Chanyeol grabbed his wrist and opened his mouth without looking away from the screen.

“Sit.”

“I have to go to the washroom…”

“Hold it.”

“I can’t…”

“Lee Taemin, I really wanted to watch this movie.” Chanyeol looked up. “But I waited so I could watch it with you. What are you gonna do it about it?”

“…You shouldn’t have done that.” Taemin replied, confused.

“So decide. Either shut up and sit back down or I can make you sit right next to Kim Jongin.”

Taemin hastily plopped down and stiffened up in his seat.

*

Twenty minutes passed since the movie started, and Taemin was slowly losing it. Taemin stole another glimpse towards Soojung and Jongin, and his heart almost dropped when he saw Soojung reach for Jongin’s hand. Soojung’s head moved frantically many times during the movie as if to look for Taemin, and each time Taemin had to bury his face into Chanyeol’s shoulder whether he liked it or not.

An hou