“Ho! Ho! Ho! Maeeeeri Keurisseeeumassss!” Chanyeol pulled a Santa Claus wearing the red nose ball and a Christmas hat.

It was snowing heavily outside and it was holidays. A happy day for the Kim’s especially to the mother, because she gets to spend her whole days with his princes by decorating the house, the Christmas tree, drinking hot chocolate, baking cookies with Kyungsoo and Yixing, cuddling with her maknaes, checking her sons wearing thick clothing, giving them hugs and kisses, and of course, the Kim’s annual tradition, ‘The Hide and seek inside the Kim’s residence’ and the most awaited, ‘Snowball Championship’.

The winners are guaranteed not to do dishes the whole month and the losers have to do the winner’s chores instead.

“HO! HO! HO— YAH!“ Chanyeol was about to shout again when Jongdae, who was sitting on the floor with Jongin, Sehun and Minseok arranging the Christmas tree decorations, pulled his pants telling him to stop but the elder pulled it stronger that Chanyeol’s pajama got pulled down showing his boxers. Everyone laughed at him while he struggled on putting it up again with a pout. “I’m telling mom.” Chanyeol told and ran to the kitchen.

Yes everyone, this is the Kim brothers. The youngest is already in high school but they still tell their hyungs on their mom. Well, everyone knows it’s a joke and a way to get their mom’s attention in a cute way but of course, the boys love it more when their mom scolds the one who was told too.

“Well, I’m telling Santa to give your gifts to his reindeers. Luhan hyung’s family.” Jongdae shot back sticking out his tongue afterwards and Chanyeol just stuck his tongue back before the two sat together throwing Christmas balls at each other playfully. They were making a mess in the living room until Mrs. Kim went down from the stairs fixing her coat.

Her sons all looked at her and watched make her way to the door. “Omma, where are you going?” Jongin asked and their mother turned to them with a smile. “Omma just forgot to buy something for dinner. I’ll go buy it quick so don’t finish decorating without me, ne?” she told cheerfully, struggling buttoning her coat.

Wufan, who just got down from his room, walked in front of their mother and buttoned her coat for her, he too was dressed, ready to go outside. “It’s cold outside. I’ll drive you there.” He told and took off his scarf and placed it on her mother’s neck but Mrs. Kim held her son’s hand and looked up to him. “It’s okay Benbennie, mama can go alone. I need to go and visit my old ahjumma friend too.” she told and her son just blinked at her.

He knows how her mother’s friends adore him and his brothers and how they would always push their daughters to them.

“Are you sure?” he asked and Hye Jung quickly nodded and pulled her son in an embrace. “Aigoo, are you going to miss mommy so much?” she asked with a playful grin and the tall son couldn’t help but just smile. He then fixed his scarf on his mother and gave her a kiss on the forehead. “Don’t come back too late. It’s already dark at six so we’ll all going to get you if you’re not here at 5:30, ne?” he told and Mrs. Kim just pouted.

“But that means I only have 2 hours to buy stuffs and talk to my friend!” she told. “That’s why we tell you to let Benben go with you.” Luhan walked down the stairs as well. “If you go with Benben, you can go back before supper but no later.” He told.

He was finishing his designs so he could spend his time with his family when he heard Jongin asking where their mom was going and went down to check. Let’s just say, that the Kim brothers are protective of their mother and as one of the eldest, Luhan always makes sure that their mom always has someone with her especially in snowy days like this.

“Omma, just listen to hyungs, ne?” Junmyeon stepped in to comfort their sulking mother. “You must understand us, it’s snowing outside and it’s slippery. We’re just worried about you.” He told with a smile and put the hot packs on both of his mother’s coat’s pockets.

“Hyung is right mother. If you easily slip here in the house without any snow, imagine what might happen to you outside.” Baekhyun told before taking a sip of his hot chocolate made by his dearest dongsaeng Kyungsoo. Chanyeol quickly went beside him and took a sip from the cup as well while Baekhyung was distracted. “Plus, I don’t like the ahjumma next door. Just in case you’re going to her house. She always talks behind our backs then greets us every morning.” He told and Mrs. Just sighed.

“Sons, I’m just going to the super market and talk to my friend that is not the ahjumma next door. I need to ask her about the thing I told her and that’s all. I’ll go back quickly, 6:30 maximum.” she reasoned and her sons looked at each other before turning to her.

“Fine, 6:15.” Luhan told crossing his arms and Mrs. Kim huffed. “Fine.” She told and turned towards the door. She opened her umbrella and turned to her sons. “I’ll be back soon.” She smiled and went on her way. Wufan then closed the door and turned to his brothers only to see them already looking at him.

“She’s hiding something.” Even Sehun knows when their mother is keeping something from them. “She’s just too bad at hiding things.” Chanyeol chuckled at their mom’s obvious heart.

It’s not that Mrs. Kim always keeps secrets from her sons. In fact, she almost never keeps anything from them and because of that, her sons always and will always know whenever she has troubles or secrets. It’s either too obvious she’s hiding something or she’d blurt it out accidentally. That’s Mrs. Kim for you.

“What do you think omma’s hiding this time?” Kyungsoo went out from the kitchen holding a tray with mugs filled with hot chocolate. “I don’t know.” Minseok replied. “But it’s definitely not our Christmas present.”

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After buying unnecessary vegetables, Mrs. Kim went to her friend. She rang the bell three times and the door was opened by a 30 year old woman in white robe.

“Oh, Hye Jung-ah!” She greeted with a smile and Mrs. Kim returned the greetings with a nervous smile and a bow. “Come in.” the doctor told and she obliged.

“Have a seat first and I’ll explain to you the results of the test.” The doctor told and the ahjumma, nervous, did what was told. The doctor then sat across the table and opened a brown envelope taking out the results of the tests.

Mrs. Kim nervously watched her friend read the results of her mammogram test. She was feeling slight pain on the left side of her chest for years now. But since she has 12 sons to take care of, she just bore with it for a long time. But since the pain is getting worst and she could feel a lump on her chest, she secretly went for a checkup and when she told her friend what was wrong, she was scolded right away and sent to do tests.

“Pabo! I told you, you should’ve come earlier.” Dr. Lee said with a sigh before meeting the ahjumma’s eyes. “I have good and bad news for you. Which one would you like to hear first?” the doctor asked. “I’ll take the bad first.” The ahjumma said nervously and Dr. Lee nodded before speaking.

“I’m sorry to say, Hye Jung-ah but the results show that you have a cancer in your left . And this is obviously deadly.” She told and the ahjumma froze on her seat. Cancer. Her brain repeated the word again and again until she felt a hand on hers, it was the doctor’s. My sons. She thought.

“The good news is it is still in an early state and it can be healed with an operation and medications.” The doctor told and Mrs. Kim felt like punching her friend doctor for giving her the shock of her life. The ahjumma sighed in relief and pouted at the doctor. “Aigoo. You scared me. I thought I’m going to die.” She told and the doctor chuckled.

“Oh, you will.” Dr. Lee said giving her friend a scolding look. “You will surely die if you don’t go to all the appointments I’ve got you and take the medications I’ll give.” She threatened knowing how Mrs. Kim always ditch the doctor’s calls and not buy the medications set whenever the ahjumma goes to her when she’s sick. “So don’t be stubborn this time or you will really die, jinjja!” the doctor said and Mrs. Kim just pouted taking the doc’s scolding.

Silence was present for a brief moment before the doctor spoke again.

“When are you telling the boys?” Dr. Lee asked and Mrs. Kim sighed. This will be chaos once the 12 knows about what she’s got.

“When should we start the treatment?” the mother changed the subject. She can’t tell them. They will worry a lot and she didn’t want that, the majority of her sons are busy with their studies and jobs and she didn’t want to add to their stress. Plus, it’s going to be Christmas soon; she can’t let herself ruin her sons’ holiday. That’s the only time their family spends their time together and she won’t spoil it for them.

Dr. Lee sighed. “Hye Jung-ah, the treatment won’t be a joke and you could have a hard time while doing them. You need someone to take care of you and I’m sure they’ll worry if they don’t see you at home.” She told and Mrs. Kim knows that. “You just have to tell them. They deserve to know what’s going on to their mother.” The doctor insisted and it was Mrs. Kim’s turn to sigh.

“I could just tell them I’m going to Maldives for a vacation. The boys have always wanted me to go somewhere to relax.” Mrs. Kim told and with the doctor’s silence, she knew she didn’t convince her. “It’s going to be Christmas soon and Baekhyun and Tao will be graduating 6 months from now. They will be taking board exams and more and I don’t want to worry them.” She told. “I just…can’t. You know my sons, Jirin-unnie. If they knew about this, they’d never leave my side and just take care of me every time. They won’t have time to rest and they will be stressed.” She explained and the doctor just sighed.

“Fine. The operation must be done as soon as possible so the cancer won’t spread. I’ll also give you medications that you must, I repeat, YOU MUST take in time.” Dr. Lee told knowing her friend too well. “I’ll be calling you every two days and you have to go here twice a week for checkups and you have to plan on telling the boys about your vacation as soon as possible so we can schedule your operation.” she continued.

“Okay, but can I do it after New Year?” the ahjumma asked and Dr. Lee hit her hand. “You wanna die?” the doctor shot back and the mother just sighed. “Fine, after Christmas.” Mrs. Kim bargained.

“I’m telling yo—.”

“Fine! I’ll talk to them tomorrow.” The ahjumma told and the Dr. just shook her head. I just told her she has cancer and she still wants to go play with snow. What should I do to you, Hye Jung-ah?

“Good, call me as soon as you got the date, the sooner the better. I could schedule anytime since my twin sister can do the surgery. And I’m going to kick her if she refuses to do it because I don’t want my best friend, which has 12 sons, dead.” Dr. Lee told and Hye Jung just laughed surprising the doctor. She can still smile even when she’s already dying. This pabo, really.

“Here’s the pain reliever and the other medications you need to take.” The doctor gave her the prescription. “This here can make you sleepy so don’t you ever think of driving from now on.” She added and Mrs. Kim listened as she thought where she could hide all those medicines and how can she take them without the 12 noticing.

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“Ommoni, where did you go?” Junmyeon asked as the 12 of them welcomed their mom in the front door with arms crossed and a straight face. Mrs. Kim immediately smiled brightly and went in. “I went to the gro—.”

“You weren’t in there.” Jongdae cut her off. “Baek-hyung, Chanyeol and I went there to help you carry the things.” He explained.

“Maybe I was already in my friend’s hou—“

“We saw Ahjumma in the grocery store.” Chanyeol told this time with a frown and Mrs. Kim didn’t know what to say. Silence filled the whole house until Mrs. Kim’s voice was heard.

“Oh, come on guys, I just went for a short walk after buying the vegetables.” She told and showed them the things she bought earlier. “I bought it on the other supermarket.” She added and went in; squeezing her way pass her sons to the kitchen and the 12 followed her.

“Mom?” Sehun called as the 12 watched their mother put the groceries on its places. “Yes, sweetie?” Mrs. Kim asked avoiding her sons’ eyes in every way possible.

“Why are you lying to us?” Tao asked and the mother froze on her spot, the apple she bought falling from her grasp as the house fell dead silent.

“I want a vacation.” She told and the boys were confused. “So you went on a tourism office?” Minseok raised a brow. “Eung.” She replied cheerfully. I can’t let them know. I’m sorry.

“You could’ve just asked us, mom.” Benben sighed and went to pick the apple up and gave it to their mother with a smile. He knew that their mother was already feeling uneasy with the questions and that they should go easy on her even though they were just worried. “So, where do you want to go?” he asked and Mrs. Kim nervously smiled at him. “Maldives?” she replied and Kris nodded before turning to his brothers.

The brothers got the idea and Luhan fished his phone from his pocket. “I’ll just call my assistant and book us the flight.” He told and Minseok turned to the younger who were already smiling excitedly. “Start packing.” He told and the rest was about to go when Mrs. Kim said something.

“I’d like to go alone.”

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A little angst coz Miracle in December

But it'll get better from here

love me well <3 ~