December

When Luhan woke up feeling a bit chilly he knew that something was missing. The lovely warmth he was accustomed to wasn't there, and that meant Sehun wasn't next to him. Instead of Sehun's perfectly lean body, the first thing Luhan saw was snow gently falling through the frost covered window, blanketing the city in its silent beauty. The first snow fall of the year.

Luhan could just stay in bed and simply watch the snow because it brought back such fond memories of his first meeting with Sehun, but he doesn't. He had a boyfriend to locate.

“Sehun?” Luhan called as he sat up while rubbing his eyes. It was honestly too early for Sehun to be awake so Luhan was even more suspicious of what Sehun could be up to. The last time he woke up to a bed without Sehun, he was surprised with a living room filled with balloons and two tickets to Tokyo Disneyland for their anniversary.

“Sehun-ah?” Luhan called out louder, and just then he heard footsteps outside the bedroom door. He strained his ears to listen to what Sehun could possibly be doing in the living room when he suddenly heard the sound of bells.... Bells?

When his curiosity got the better of him, Luhan left the comfort of his bed to investigate. Since he only had on boxer briefs, he grabbed Sehun's gray sweater from the dresser and wore it before stepping out in the living room. However, before he could catch a glimpse of anything, Sehun immediately appeared, blocking his view of the room.

“Babe, you're not supposed to be awake yet. Why are you up?” Sehun asked, face flustered.

“Because you weren't in bed with me,” Luhan answered simply as he sidestepped Sehun, but his boyfriend was faster, and once again he was blocked.

“Lu, I'm sorry but could you go back to bed? I'm – I'm not finished.”

“With?”

Sehun sighed. “With your surprise.”

“Oh.” Luhan stood on his tippy toes to try to see what surprise Sehun was talking about, but his boyfriend realized what he was trying to do and quickly stood up on his toes, preventing Luhan from seeing past his broad shoulders.

“Just 5 minutes, Lu,” Sehun begged as he turned Luhan around and nudged him towards their bedroom.

“But –”

“I'll be quick. Promise.” Sehun closed the bedroom door after he got Luhan inside.

Luhan stared at the door, still trying to make sense of what happened. And just when his hand was going towards the door knob, Sehun suddenly opened the door.

“I forgot something,” he stated.

Luhan opened his mouth to ask what it was he forgotten but was caught off guard when Sehun cupped his face and kissed him.

“Morning,” Sehun whispered against Luhan's lips before he kissed him again. And Luhan had no problems smiling like an absolute fool for Sehun.

“Morning,” he replied dreamily, his arms automatically wrapping around Sehun's waist. “Can I see the surprise now?”

Sehun raised his eyebrows. “It hasn't even been a minute.”

“Still too long,” Luhan replied with a pout.

“You'll survive,” Sehun said firmly as he playfully squished Luhan's lips. “Don't pout, Lu.”

“Mhmm hmhph.”

Sehun laughed as he let go. “I won't take that long,” Sehun promised before he stepped back and closed the door again, leaving Luhan alone with questions.

It wasn't like Sehun could keep Luhan in their bedroom. He could easily open the door, but since he liked surprises, especially Sehun's, he looked around to find something to do. He spotted their clothes from last night scattered across the floor. Sehun had thrown his pants across the room in his haste to undress Luhan. Sehun could be quite impatient sometimes, but Luhan didn't mind. He thought it was hot that Sehun could be so calm and collected during the day in his workplace but then he could also easily lose control once it was just the two of them.

He picked up their clothes and dropped them in the hamper before stepping into their bathroom. He figured he could brush his teeth and wash his face in the meantime. Once he was done, he decided to change into something more appropriate because the last time Sehun surprised him, he was severely underdressed and unfortunately, it was caught on camera.

After appreciating how his casual outfit turned out in the mirror, Luhan went to sit on their bed to wait. It was way past 5 minutes but he won't fault Sehun for it. He was actually very excited to see what Sehun had in store for him.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and Luhan immediately shot up.

Sehun opened the door and smiled. “Are you ready?” he asked as he held out his hand.

“Yes!” responded Luhan as he took his boyfriend's hand. Sehun led him out of the room, but before Luhan could see the surprise, Sehun covered both of his eyes with his large hands.

“This isn't dangerous at all,” said Luhan, his arms swinging around to feel his surroundings. He can sense Sehun smiling from behind him.

“It can't be that bad. I'm guiding you. Don't you trust me?”

Luhan huffed. “The last time you covered my eyes my knees hit the coffee table.”

“And I kissed it better, didn't I?” Sehun asked, his voice purposefully husky in Luhan's ear. And though Luhan willed himself not to let it show that he's affected, he knew he wasn't successful when Sehun chuckled. “The tips of your ears are red,” he said, sounding mighty pleased.

“Because you're breathing down my neck,” Luhan argued as he stopped walking to cross his arms.

“I know,” Sehun said confidently as he leaned down to kiss the side of Luhan's neck. Before Luhan could retort, Sehun nudged him forward. “We're almost there.” After about ten more steps, Sehun stopped Luhan. He slowly uncovered Luhan's eyes, and Luhan could have sworn his heart was going to burst from the anticipation.

“Surprise,” said Sehun, his voice soft and, for some reason, uncertain.

When Luhan finally laid eyes on the 7 foot Christmas tree in the corner of their living room, he gasped. “What – How – Sehun, I love it!”

He rushed over to get a better look at the beautifully lit tree and all the shiny ornaments that Sehun had placed on it. He saw tiny photo frames of their friends and family. There was a tiny frying pan ornament and a chef hat ornament, both representing his profession, and Luhan smiled at that. There were tiny bells and white and gold holiday ornaments of various patterns and a large glittery gold ribbon wrapped all around the tree itself. It was everything Luhan wanted for his first Christmas tree since moving out on his own. Though they celebrated Christmas every year since moving in together, Sehun and Luhan had never found time to actually go buy a real tree. They've always settled for a small, fake 4 foot tree that came pre-lit out of the box. It was a cute tree, but it definitely paled in comparison to this majestic tree Sehun had somehow brought into their apartment without Luhan knowing.

“When did you get this in?” Luhan asked when he turned back around to look at Sehun.

“Last night.”

Luhan looked back at the tree, and that was when it hit him. “Is that why you picked me up and rushed me to the bedroom? To prevent me from seeing it?”

Sehun rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah...I didn't want to spoil the surprise.”

“But how did you get this big thing in our apartment?”

“I had help from Yeol and Jongin.”

“Ah. So that is why Kyungsoo sent me a text message last night asking if Jongin was at our place.”

Sehun smiled. “For someone who claims to not care about where his boyfriend is all the time, he sure is curious.”

“He was simply worried,” answered Luhan. He walked up to Sehun and hugged him. “Tell Chanyeol and Jongin, I really appreciate it.”

“I will.”

Though he was still hugging Sehun, Luhan turned his head around to look at their tree, his eyes unable to stop admiring the surprise Sehun got for him.

“Do you notice anything missing?” Sehun asked.

“Hm?”

“Something's missing from our tree.”

Luhan inspected the tree to pinpoint what exactly Sehun was referring to. It wasn't until his eyes wandered to the top did he notice something missing. “The tree topper.”

“Correct,” said Sehun with a kiss to his forehead. “I thought you might want to finish decorating our tree.” Sehun brought out a red box from behind the couch and handed it to Luhan, who opened it immediately to find a large twinkling star.

Luhan held the metallic star in his hand and smiled. He loved how thoughtful Sehun can be and how he could feel so touched by even the simplest of gestures from him.

“Should I get you a step stool?” Sehun asked, causing Luhan to sputter indignantly.

“I'm not that short!”

Sehun smiled. “Right. Go and put the star on top then.”

“I will,” huffed Luhan as he walked up to the tree. He knew immediately that he wasn't going to reach the top, not even after he stretched his arms and stood on his toes. He honestly couldn't even see the top of the tree from where he stood. He could hear Sehun trying to hide his laughter from behind him. Without a choice, Luhan turned around and politely asked Sehun to bring him a small stool. Sehun, who must have known that Luhan was dying from embarrassment, didn't say a word as he placed the stool next to Luhan's feet. Luhan quickly thanked him before he got on and without wasting another moment, he placed the star at the very top of the tree.

“How does it look?” Luhan looked down to find Sehun right next to him, his arms in the air as if he was ready to catch Luhan in case he fell. Luhan rolled his eyes because Sehun was being embarrassing. There was no way for him to get hurt from falling two feet off the ground.

Sehun looked towards the star and answered, “It's perfect. You can come down now.”

“Why? Does it make you nervous that I'm this high up?” Luhan teased as he wiggled his body.

“Luhan, don't,” Sehun warned, his face nervous.

Luhan laughed. “I actually like it when you're ridiculously protective of me,” he confessed as he stepped down. He could see the wave of relief pass over Sehun when he was finally off the stool.

“It's not ridiculous,” Sehun argued as he pulled Luhan towards him, hugging him tight. “Don't go climbing things without me there to catch you.”

“You're embarrassing,” Luhan muttered as Sehun buried his face in his hair. He could feel his heart beating rapidly as Sehun held him.

“Leave me be,” said Sehun as he hugged Luhan tight. “I'm speaking from experience.”

Luhan sighed as he caressed Sehun's face. “You need to stop saying things that will keep me up at night.”

Sehun smirked. “Maybe I want to keep you up at night.”

“Such a horrible person,” Luhan mumbled as he pressed his lips against Sehun's. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Since the two of them didn't have work today, they decided to just have a lazy day. Instead of running around the kitchen making breakfast, Luhan and Sehun sat back on their couch and basked in each other's company, cups of tea and coffee in their hands. Luhan had his head rested on Sehun's shoulders, and while Sehun was currently watching morning cartoons, he couldn't tear his eyes away from their new tree.

“We have the best tree,” he stated absentmindedly.

“Of course,” responded Sehun. “Now you don't have to be envious of Baek and Yeol because our tree definitely trumps theirs.”

“Not everything is a competition, Sehun,” said Luhan, though he did his best to hide the satisfied smile on his face.

“That is true, but I still want you to acknowledge that my tree is better than Chanyeol's.”

Luhan grinned. “Are you sure you're just talking about trees?”

Sehun looked down at Luhan like he couldn't believe the words coming out of his mouth. Luhan gave him a cheeky smile. “You – you drive me wild,” he finally said when he couldn't come up with anything else.

“I know,” said Luhan as he leaned in to kiss Sehun. He could taste Sehun's favorite coffee as he kissed him, and though he finds the taste to be a bit too bitter, he doesn't pull away. Luhan continued kissing Sehun like he was drunk on him. He could feel his entire body reacting to Sehun's touch and his mind growing fuzzy, and honestly, this was how he always wanted to start his day.

When Sehun finally decided that he needed more than just kisses, he laid Luhan down on the couch and hovered over him. He made a silly comment about how Luhan always wanted to steal his attention from the TV, something Luhan couldn't disagree with, before he slipped his hands underneath Luhan's sweater.

“Your skin is always so soft,” Sehun marveled, his fingers trailing up Luhan's chest.

Luhan covered his flushed face with his hands.

“Don't,” said Sehun as he pulled Luhan's hands away from his face. “I want to see you blush.”

“Why?” asked Luhan, his pink cheeks growing warmer by the second.

Sehun placed his hand on Luhan's right cheek and smiled. “Because it amazes me that I can still have this effect on you after all these years. Makes me feel as though I'm doing something right.”

“I don't think that's ever going to change.” Luhan took Sehun's hand and intertwined their fingers. “You have this ability to make me feel as though I'm back to being a teenager, hopelessly falling for you every time you look at me like that.”

Sehun smiled. “Like what?”

“Like I mean everything to you.”

“Because you do,” replied Sehun as he pressed his forehead against Luhan's. He looked Luhan in the eye and whispered, “I really do love you, Luhan. I don't think words can express how much I feel for you.”

Luhan wrapped his arms around Sehun and said, “You don't have to say it in words. I already know.”

“Good.” Sehun kissed Luhan on the mouth. “Jongin's right. We can be really cheesy.”

“I don't mind.”

Sehun grinned. “I know.” Instead of holding himself up, Sehun decided to just lay on top of Luhan and buried his face in Luhan's shoulder. It definitely felt heavy having Sehun's whole weight on top of him, but Luhan didn't mind. He had one hand gently rubbing Sehun's broad back and the other hand Sehun's hair. He could tell that Sehun had his eyes closed, happily content as he laid there. Luhan thought this was one of those moments in which he wouldn't mind having time stop for a bit. All that matter in this moment was that they were together, and Luhan couldn't ask for more.....or so he originally thought.

As they laid there on their couch, Luhan's mind wondered to the bottom drawer of his nightstand, where a certain small white box found a home for the last two weeks. Luhan's mind wondered to the platinum ring inside of that box, the one inscribed with a special message from his heart. Luhan's mind drifted into thoughts of what could be. The ring promised so much more, and Luhan was ready to give that to Sehun. After years of being together, Luhan was ready to ask Sehun to marry him. His only problem was he didn't know how...

Only a few hours left before Christmas day, and Luhan was sitting alone at the dinner table, his eyes trained on the white box at the center of the table. He reached for it and for the hundredth time that day, he opened the box and stared at the ring inside briefly before closing it again. His heart was again beating furiously, anticipation almost overwhelming. He was going to propose to Sehun tonight, on Christmas Eve, during a candlelight dinner. He had all of Sehun's favorite dishes on the table, his cake baking in the oven, and the candles have been lit for the past twenty minutes. He rehearsed what he was going to say over and over again till it was imprinted in his mind. All he needed now was for Sehun to actually come home and join him.

He took a quick glance at the window. It was pouring. Luhan just couldn't believe his luck. Of all the nights that it could rain, it had to be tonight. It was unfortunate, but Luhan didn't want it to ruin the night, so he ignored the storm and brought his attention back to the box in the middle.

No one has any idea that Luhan was planning to propose to Sehun, not even Baekhyun. This was something that he kept to himself for weeks. It felt personal, and a part of Luhan was terrified of keeping this big secret. The pressure was constantly building, and Luhan was always left with questions and feelings of uncertainty. What if it's not perfect? What if he messes up his chance at a memorable proposal? How would Sehun react? Luhan was extremely afraid that nothing would go as planned, and tonight, it appeared as though his fear was being realized.

His cell phone suddenly rang, and by the ringtone, Luhan picked it up immediately.

“Sehun?”

“Hey, babe, I'm sorry I don't think I can make it home in time for dinner. Traffic is an absolute nightmare. There's been a few car wrecks due to the weather, and we're barely moving along. ”

“Oh.” Luhan's gaze turned towards the window. The storm was really picking up. “When will you be home?”

“I'm not sure. It looks like there might be an hour delay. They're closing off a few lanes.” Luhan could hear Sehun sighing on the other line. “I'm sorry about dinner.”

“No, it's fine, Sehun.” Luhan looked back at the ring box. “It's not a big deal. Call me if anything happens.”

“I will.” There was a pause on the line before Sehun added, “I'll be home soon. I love you.”

“Love you too.”

After hanging up, Luhan took a look around the table with a frown on his face. Not exactly how he imagined tonight going, but things happen. It was outside of his control. With a disappointed sigh, Luhan got up and started putting the food away since it was getting cold. He took out the cake, and for a split second, he thought about finishing the whole thing by himself. He only decided against the idea because he knew eating away his emotions won't solve anything. After he was done cleaning up, he looked at the clock on the wall. The night was ending, and Luhan's chance to propose was dwindling with it.

With a heavy heart, Luhan placed the ring box back in his drawer and got in bed. He stared at the ceiling for quite some time, thinking about ways to change his proposal. It can still happen. It has to happen. Luhan could feel himself growing more restless by the day as he kept this secret to himself. For a brief moment, he thought about proposing to Sehun on Christmas day, but he decided against the idea because they were expecting Tao early in the morning, and together they were going back home to visit their parents. Luhan turned to his side and groaned. Why can't proposing come naturally to him?

“I just want to marry you,” Luhan whispered, frowning.

After tossing and turning, he abruptly sat up and grabbed his pillow to bring with him as he made his way to the living room. Luhan didn't want Sehun to come home thinking he was mad at him for missing dinner so he made himself comfortable on the couch and did his best to wait. Thirty minutes turned into an hour and an hour turned into two. By the time the apartment door was unlocked, Luhan was already on the verge of falling asleep, his consciousness drifting in and out. He could hear Sehun's footsteps but he was too tired to open his eyes.

“Luhan?” he heard Sehun whispering as he approached him, stopping to kneel in front of him. He could feel Sehun reaching out for him, his warm hands caressing his face. “Lu.”

Hearing Sehun call out for him was all Luhan needed to fight against sleep. He slowly opened his eyes and found Sehun staring at him, smiling. “I'm home,” he said before he laid down next to Luhan with his arm wrapped around Luhan.

“There's not enough room,” Luhan mumbled, but he hugged Sehun anyway.

“It'll have to do,” Sehun said as he kissed Luhan's forehead. “I'm sorry about dinner.”

Luhan shook his head to let Sehun know that it's not a big deal. Sehun looked at him before he closed his eyes and sighed. “I couldn't help but think of you waiting when I was stuck in traffic,” he confessed. Luhan's eyes remained glued to Sehun's face as he told him about his night.

“I thought about what I could do to make it up to you, and I came up with so many things, but as soon as I got home and found you sleeping on the couch, I realized that I was worried for no reason.” Sehun opened his eyes and stared straight into Luhan's eyes. “You shouldn't be too nice to me, Lu.”

Luhan smiled. “I wouldn't be mad at you over something you can't control, Sehun.”

“I know, but I want you to know that it's okay if you do get mad. I can handle it. Give me hell if you want to because honestly, Lu, I'm willing to do anything for you.” Sehun placed his hand on Luhan's cheek and smiled. “You have this talent of bringing out my selfless side.”

Luhan placed his hand on top of Sehun's hand, and they simply stared at each other for a minute. Luhan could feel his heart beating rapidly as Sehun looked at him, his eyes not once leaving Luhan's. All he could think about was how much he loved Sehun, and how much he wanted to be with him for the rest of his life. Before he could convince himself not to, Luhan took a deep breath and said, “Sehun, marry m –”

Sehun immediately covered Luhan's mouth with his hand. “No, Lu, I'm saying it first this year. Merry Christmas, babe.” He quickly leaned in and gave Luhan a big kiss on the mouth. When Sehun pulled back, his eyes beaming with love and pride, Luhan couldn't help but smile back at him.

As Sehun went on about how this year he'll finally be able to open the first gift since he said Merry Christmas first (their long-standing Christmas tradition), Luhan didn't have the heart to tell him that it wasn't what he meant.

January

Only a few more minutes left before the new year, and as Luhan looked around the crowded room, he couldn't help but think that this was the best way to ring in the new year. With the exception of Baekhyun and Chanyeol who went back to Chanyeol's hometown, all of his closest friends and family members were here tonight at the Zhang residence. Across the room, Yixing and Suho were chatting with Suho's mother about Yixing's new promotion in the hospital. Luhan could tell how proud they were of Yixing by their identical smiles. By the balcony stood Kyungsoo and Jongin with their mothers discussing personal matters, and if Luhan were to guess what it was about, judging from the embarrassed look on Kyungsoo's face, he would say that they were discussing marriage. Kyungsoo's mother looked especially excited, which Luhan knew annoyed Kyungsoo because he would rather dive into freezing water than appear eager at the prospect of marrying Kim Jongin. Luhan was also aware that Kyungsoo wouldn't reject Jongin's proposal if he was to get down on his knees tonight. He smiled at his friend before turning the other way. Next to the kitchen, Tao was having a profound conversation with Yixing's father in Mandarin about the latest fashion trends in Beijing, a topic Yixing's father didn't look too knowledgeable of, but since he was such a kind-hearted man, he couldn't turn Tao away.

Luhan looked down at his watch. Two minutes till midnight. He stuffed his hand in his right pocket to feel something metallic and familiar. He had taken the ring out of its box and for the past few days, he had been carrying it around in his wallet, a constant reminder of what he has to do. Tonight, however, it was simply inside his pant pocket, somewhere easily accessible. He had given himself enough time to prepare for this moment, and with the ring so close to him, there was nothing else to stop him. In front of their dear friends and family, Luhan was going to ask Sehun to marry him, and the thought was terrifying and exhilarating at the same time.

Across the room, Sehun was chatting with his dad and Luhan's father, and they look as though they were having a good laugh about something. It was so natural for Sehun to be that person who can light up an entire room with just his presence. Luhan realized that he had always admired that about Sehun.

“One minute to countdown!” Sehun's mother announced as she hurried over to her husband to hug him. Luhan's own mother walked up to his father to quietly clasp his hand. She wasn't as openly affectionate as Sehun's mother, but it was always sweet to see her show this side to his father. A few of the other guests started moving around to find their own loved ones. From where he stood, Luhan could see Sehun earnestly scanning the room, no doubt looking for him. He could call out Sehun's name now and let him know he was right here, but he didn't say a word as he watched Sehun. He noticed the tiny crease on Sehun's forehead whenever he was stump by something, that little sign of concern and unease. He found it very cute, to say the least. Unfortunately, it didn't last very long because once Sehun caught sight of him, he looked like he was ready to scold him for evading him even if it wasn't on purpose.

Without hesitation, Luhan made his way over to Sehun, who immediately pulled him into his arms and held him close. “Are you seriously planning to give me a hard time before the new year even starts?”

Luhan grinned. “I figured you would find me before the minute was up.”

“What if I didn't?”

“Then I would come to you because it wouldn't be New Year's if we didn't count down together.” He gave Sehun's waist a squeeze. “Now, stop looking at me and look at the TV screen.”

Sehun scoffed. “Still bossy,” Sehun mumbled as he kissed Luhan's temple before turning to look at the screen. Everyone's attention was on the LED counter as the numbers displayed gradually went down. The brave crowd at the park was looking a lot more lively despite the cold. Once it got to ten, everyone in the room started chanting the numbers out loud. Luhan looked over at Sehun and when it got to five, he stood on his tippy toes to whisper into Sehun's ear, “I have something I want to ask you.”

Sehun looked at him curiously. Four.

With one hand around Sehun's waist and the other hand in his pant pocket, Luhan could feel his heart wanting to jump out of his chest. Three.

Sehun's grip on his waist tightened. Luhan took one last deep breath before he looked straight at Sehun, his hand clutching the ring in his palm. Two.

“One!” everyone shouted before streamers were flying and party poppers were popped. The room was loud, buzzing with excitement, but all Luhan could hear was the sound of his heart, beating in anticipation as he took the ring out of his pocket.

Sehun smiled at Luhan. “Happy New Ye--”

Luhan kissed Sehun before he could finish the rest of his sentence. “Sehun, I –”

“Oh my!” someone shouted, causing everyone to look around. Before Luhan realized what was happening, the room grew louder with cheers and whistles. When he finally found the source of the celebration, his eyes widened, and he could feel the words he rehearsed so many times being lodged in his throat.

It had never occurred to Luhan how timing can be so vital. Life, or the moments that comprise it, is about timing, and sadly, for Luhan, it wasn't the right time.

In the middle of the room stood Suho with one of his hands being held firmly by Yixing, who was down on one knee with an engagement ring in his other hand. The crowd grew silent as Yixing told Suho how much he loves him. Everyone was focused on them, faces beaming with happiness for the couple. Yixing was as poetic as ever as he asked Suho to marry him, to make him happy every day for the rest of his life. Luhan glanced at Sehun, and he knew then that he missed it. He missed his timing once more.

Luhan mustered up a smile as he silently placed the ring back into his pocket and looked towards Yixing and Suho, who were now hugging because of course, Suho said yes. The room cheered once more, and everyone took turns hugging the now newly engaged couple. When Luhan finally got to Yixing, he hugged him tight. “Congratulations, Xing. I'm so happy for you.”

“Thanks, Luhan! I can't believe I just did that!” Yixing beamed.

“It was a long time coming,” said Sehun. “We're happy for you guys.”

“Maybe you two can use us as an example and take that next big step as well,” Suho commented, his face glowing.

Yixing nodded his head in agreement. “You have to get married too!”

Luhan smiled. “Let's worry about one wedding at a time.”

Sehun squeezed his shoulders. “I'm with Luhan on that one. Enjoy the moment, guys.”

The party went on till almost five in the morning. When they felt that it was time to head home, Sehun and Luhan bid everyone goodbye before getting into their car to make the trip back to the city.

“What were you about to tell me?” Sehun suddenly asked.

“What?”

“Earlier, when we were counting down, you told me you wanted to ask me something?”

“Oh.” Luhan looked out his window, and he tried his best not to let his disappointment show. “I was just going to ask if you wanted to take a trip somewhere when you're not working.”

“Oh? Where do you want to go?”

“Anywhere is fine.”

“As long as you're with me?” Sehun teased.

Luhan rolled his eyes. “Sure,” he muttered as Sehun laughed. He reached over to grab Luhan's hand.

“I would love to, Lu. I'd go anywhere with you.”

Luhan smiled and intertwined his fingers with Sehun's. “I know,” he whispered as he tried not to let that crushing feeling from earlier consume him.

Timing was simply not on his side. Though Luhan felt happy for Yixing and Suho, truly, he couldn't help but feel sad about the missed opportunity.

And the ring in his pocket has never felt heavier...

Yixing and Suho got married on the last day of January. Their wedding was outside with the snowy mountains as their beautiful backdrop. The ground was covered in snow, making it the perfect setting for a winter wedding. It was a fairly simplistic ceremony with less than forty guests, but the atmosphere was so full of life, it felt like that was all they needed. They handed out warm blankets for the guests during the ceremony, and though it had been windy earlier in the morning, the weather cooperated with the couple as they stood before their friends and family and cited their vows.

Luhan stood behind Yixing as one of his best men. Kyungsoo stood to his right, his hands constantly wiping his eyes even though he denied crying. As Yixing started singing a love song for Suho, one he wrote himself, Luhan was simply captured by the fact that his friend wasn't the least bit nervous. Yixing looked completely composed. There was an air of calmness emanating from Yixing, and Luhan could only hope that when it was finally his day, he would have the same amount of confidence as his friend.

Without meaning to, Luhan glanced over to where Sehun sat. He was next to Jongin, who was snapping photos on his cell phone. Luhan had a feeling he was taking photos of a teary-eyed Kyungsoo, probably to about it later. He turned his attention back to the couple in front of him and just as the officiant pronounced them a married pair, it started snowing. He heard Yixing whispering to Suho, “I think the heavens are congratulating us.” Luhan couldn't help but smile at that.

The reception was held indoors, which some of the guests were thankful for because they couldn't imagine eating outside in the cold. As Luhan made his way in after taking a few photos with the couple, someone grabbed him by the waist and spun him around.

“You look cold,” Sehun said. “Should I warm you up?” he asked before he kissed him.

Luhan placed his arms around his boyfriend and replied, “You're not so warm yourself.”

Sehun cupped his cheeks, and though Luhan whined that Sehun's hands were basically ice, he didn't pull away. “Maybe you can melt away my icy exterior and teach me how to love.”

Luhan blinked. “What?”

“Baek told me about your dream – the one in which I was a cruel ice prince who couldn't love anyone until you entered my life.” Sehun smiled as he pinched Luhan's face. “Should I dye my hair platinum to look like Jack Frost? Would that turn you on?”

“Sehunnn,” Luhan whined, trying to pull away. Sehun laughed before letting go. “I'm going to have a serious talk with Baek after we get back,” said Luhan as he rubbed his frozen cheeks.

“Oh, babe, don't tell him,” exclaimed Sehun. “How else am I going to find out about your Disney-inspired fantasies?”

“Ha. Ha.”

Sehun chuckled as he hugged Luhan. “Sorry, I had to.”

Luhan mumbled a soft whatever before he buried his face in Sehun's warmth. As embarrassing as it was to admit, Luhan has always fancied the idea of Sehun, someone who was always so unattainable and special in his dreams, falling for someone as mundane as himself. Whether he was an ice prince, a charming wizard, a charismatic genie, or a heroic demigod, the Sehun in Luhan's dreams was always so capable of unconditional love, a replica of the real Sehun.

Luhan was aware that life wasn't a fairy tale, but he couldn't do anything but wish that one day, he'll get his happily ever after with Sehun.

February

Considering it was Valentine's Day, it was honestly too quiet in the room for Luhan. Sehun left for work over an hour ago, but Luhan could still smell Sehun's distinct scent lingering around, embracing him. He turned to Sehun's side of the bed and looked at the spot where Sehun had been. Luhan couldn't believe that he woke up early today just so he could make love to Sehun before he left for work. It was how he wanted to start Valentine's Day, and after finding out that Sehun was being called in last minute to help with a case in Busan, he was determined to make it happen, even if it meant he had to set up an alarm to wake up before Sehun had to get ready.

Luhan blushed at the thought that they literally scheduled a time for . He distinctly recalled Sehun whispering apologies in his ear.“I'm sorry I have to work on Valentine's...Sorry you have to get up so early.” He also remembered whining and hissing at Sehun to quit apologizing and to“Go faster!” Luhan quickly covered his face and squirmed around under the sheets. His behavior this morning was extremely embarrassing now that he had time to think about it.

“It's all your fault, Oh Sehun,” Luhan whispered to no one but himself. After deciding that he needed to actually get out of bed and spend his day productively, Luhan sat up and looked around when he spotted a red envelope near the foot of the bed. He wondered how he missed it.

He opened the envelope and inside was a card from Sehun. After you recover from what happened this morning, please go to this address.

After searching for the address online, Luhan found out that it was actually the address of a shopping mall. Though he didn't know why Sehun would want him to be at a mall, Luhan found himself jumping out of bed and hurriedly getting ready. Whatever it was, Luhan was sure that Sehun had a surprise for him, even if he wasn't personally around.

Once Luhan got to the water fountain at the mall, he looked around. This was where the card told him to be. He wasn't sure about anything else after that. Was he supposed to see something? He looked down at the pool to see if Sehun left him a clue.

Someone gasped from behind Luhan. “I can't believe it,” said a voice Luhan recognized immediately. “They think they're so slick.”

Luhan turned around and grinned. “Happy Valentine's Day, Baek!”

Baekhyun folded his arms across his chest and nodded. “Is it really V-day if we're not with the idiots we unfortunately love?”

Luhan laughed. “I'm sure they meant well. I don't mind spending the day with you.”

Baekhyun smiled at that. “I don't either.” He walked over and hooked his arm around Luhan's. “Let's go shopping! We can buy whatever we want.” Baekhyun took out a red credit card with Chanyeol's name on it and winked at Luhan.

“Chanyeol gave you his card?”

“No. I took it from his wallet.”

Luhan frowned. “You stole it.”

“No, I'm taking it out for the day. I won't actually use it.” Baekhyun placed the card back in his pocket. “I just want him to think that I'm going on a shopping spree with his card.”

“That's not very nice, Baek.”

Baekhyun smiled and pulled Luhan along with him. “I just want to keep him on his toes.”

There were days in which Luhan wondered how Chanyeol was able to handle Baekhyun and all of his quirks, and today happened to be one of them.

As they entered Baekhyun's favorite clothing store, Luhan asked Baekhyun how his morning went, knowing full well that Baekhyun was especially upset about Chanyeol being called in for the Busan case. Although he didn't look like someone who enjoyed a day celebrating love, Baekhyun was a closeted Valentine's Day fan.

“I was too tired to actually do anything. I mean it was 5 am, what the hell am I supposed to do at that hour?” Baekhyun pulled out a floral printed sweater from the rack and placed it over his front. He turned to Luhan to show him. “Don't get me wrong, Lulu, I still managed to him off.”

“Baek!” Luhan quickly looked around to see if anyone was listening.

“No one is eavesdropping. It shouldn't matter anyway. What I do with my husband at 5 in the morning shouldn't concern anyone but me.” Baekhyun placed the sweater back on the rack and picked up a leopard printed one. Luhan tried not to grimace at the bold pattern. “It wasn't my best work. I was probably half-asleep, so it's actually amazing that I got him to despite that. Or maybe Yeol is just easy.”

“Um..” Luhan really had no response for that.

“What did you do?” Baekhyun asked in a nonchalant tone, although he immediately spun around to look at Luhan. “How did your appointment go?”

Luhan flushed. “It wasn't an appointment!”

“You set an alarm. It was marked on your calendar. I saw it so don't deny it, Lu. Spill the details.”

“We...did things.” Luhan cleared his throat. “We got up early to get things d