“Why did we have to come to the theatre so late?” Seunghyun whined, clinging to Minhwan. “We should be sleeping!!”

“Because,” Minhwan started, trying to shove the guitarist off of him, “it’s movie night and we’ve already seen everything in the dorm five times!”

“Plus, there’s a new movie out that we want to see, you included. And we’re here so late because there’s no crowds to worry about,” Jaejin said, assisting Minhwan. When he finally got Seunghyun off of the drummer, he added, “Duh.”

“Okay, you guys go get the tickets and I’ll go get the food and drinks. You guys want anything specific?” Jonghoon asked, heading towards the snack counter.

“Same as usual!” Hongki replied, corralling the younger members towards the ticket machines.

Jonghoon stood at the register for a few minutes, staring at the menu on the wall. He didn’t even realize that a worker had come and stood in front of him till she cleared .

“Can I help you?” the worker asked in accented Korean.

Jonghoon looked up to see a girl with green eyes smiling at him. It took him a moment to gather his surroundings when she frowned and asked if he was okay.

“Yeah, um, I’m okay. Sorry. Can I, uh, get two large popcorns, five large sodas, aaand a box of M&Ms?” Jonghoon ordered.

The girl giggled at his big order, “Will that be all?”

“Yeah,” Jonghoon chuckled. “It’s me and my four friends.”

The girl nodded and began to punch his order into the register. As she turned to get his popcorn and drinks, Jonghoon caught a glimpse of her name tag.

“Ari-ah-nuh,” he accidently read aloud, his accent thick.

Arianna turned around and smiled at Jonghoon. “Eh-ree-anna,” she said, correcting his pronunciation.

“Eh-ree-anna,” Jonghoon repeated, making Arianna’s smile widen as she nodded.

Arianna turned around to grab the two bags of popcorn and set them in front of Jonghoon before turning to the drink machine.

“Where are you from?” Jonghoon asked in English.

“The United States,” Arianna answered in Korean. “Miami. I’m here to study.”

Jonghoon nodded and asked a second question, switching to Korean, “Do you know Kpop?”

Arianna shrugged, “A little. Mostly just 2NE1 and Big Bang.” She started to put the drinks next to the popcorn.

“Do you know FT Island?” Jonghoon asked.

“No, I don’t think so,” Arianna answered, shaking her head. “Why?”

“Just curious,” Jonghoon replied with a grin. “Oh! I’m Jonghoon.”

“Nice to meet you,” Arianna laughed, setting Jonghoon's chocolate on the counter.

Jonghoon was about to reply when he was tackled from behind by Seunghyun and Hongki.

“Food!” the newcomers chorused, grabbing at the popcorn.

Jonghoon grabbed his M&M’s and held them close as his bandmates reached out and grabbed their drinks. Jaejin grabbed the leader’s arm and started pulling Jonghoon to the movie, saying something about it starting soon. Jonghoon turned to thank and say goodbye to Arianna, but she had already returned to the back.

~ * ~

“Are you really headed to the movies again? You’ve been going for the past two weeks!” Hongki groaned when he saw Jonghoon putting on his coat and shoes. “Why don’t you ask one of this girl’s coworkers for her number? It’d be a lot easier.”

“I’ve tried that, but they either didn’t have her number or just wouldn’t give it to me,” Jonghoon sighed. He leaned against the wall as Jaejin came out of his room and joined the conversation.

“And so you go to the movies every night to see if she’s working? That’s a great idea,” the bassist laughed.

“I don’t go every night,” Jonghoon argued, feeling his face heat up. “And besides! I’m the eldest and the leader, you guys shouldn’t be making fun of me like that!”

Jaejin and Hongki threw their hands up in surrender. Their laughter followed Jonghoon until he pulled the front door shut and started down the hallway.

Please be there tonight, Arianna, Jonghoon thought to himself as he made his way towards the movie theatre. Luckily, FT Island’s dorm wasn’t too far away, so he could just catch a bus or cab. Jonghoon stopped at the curb and waved a cab down. Getting in, he told the driver where to go and sat back in the seat, watching the neighborhood pass by through the window.

~ * ~

Jonghoon walked through the entrance of the movie theatre and quickly made his way to the snackbar. He perked up when he saw a head of light brown hair disappear through the door and to the back.

“Just a minute,” one of the workers, Jonghoon remembered learning his name as SangJoon, said. “I’ll go get her.”

Jonghoon thanked him and stood next to the wall. He was kicking at the floor when he heard the door open again.

“He’s right there. He’s been coming for the past two weeks,” SangJoon laughed, pointing at Jonghoon.

Jonghoon could feel the tips of his ears burning at the laughter in Arianna’s eyes.

“Hi, Jonghoon,” she said, waving. “I hear you’ve been looking for me?”

Jonghoon coughed and chuckled, “Yeah. I, uh…” He fell silent, trying to figure out what to say. The guitarist hadn’t thought his plan out this far, yet.

“Oh, for heaven’s sake, just ask her out!” SangJoon called from the other end of the snack counter. “And stop coming here every day without seeing a movie!”

Jonghoon put his head in his hand and groaned as Arianna busted out laughing. This is not how I wanted this to go, he thought to himself. Jonghoon started when he felt a hand pulling his away from his face.

“Did you come here to ask me out?” Arianna asked, softly.

Jonghoon nodded. “Yeah. I did.”

“Then do it. Where’s all that charisma you have on stage?” the girl giggled.

“What?” Jonghoon laughed, wide-eyed. His nerves were going away the more they talked.

Arianna crossed her arms and shrugged. “I googled FT Island after you left. Imagine my surprise when I told one of the members that I had never heard of his band. Sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Jonghoon said, smiling. “So, about that date...what are you doing on Wednesday?”

“Christmas?” Arianna asked. When Jonghoon nodded, she leaned through the door to check the calendar. “Working the same hours I am today. I could probably get someone to swap with me. What did you have in mind.”

Jonghoon shrugged, “What would you like to do? I actually hadn’t thought this far…”

Arianna laughed again and Jonghoon grinned. She looked around and smiled sheepishly, “I know it’s probably a lame idea...but can we see a movie? I haven’t had to see any yet and there’s one that looks really good.”

Jonghoon nodded, “Movies are as good an idea as any.”

“And it’d be easier on account of your celebrity status,” Arianna teased.

Jonghoon playfully glared at her and pulled out his phone. “Here,” he said as he handed it to her. “Put your number in and I’ll text you.”

Arianna did as he asked and the pair said goodbye. Jonghoon waved goodbye to SangJoon, as well, and quickly made his way home.

~ * ~

Hongki, Jaejin, Minhwan, and Seunghyun all jumped when the front door slammed open to reveal Jonghoon with a goofy grin on his face.

“I’m guessing you found her, hyung?” Seunghyun asked. He got up from his spot on the couch so the older boy could sit down.

“Yep,” Jonghoon answered. “I’ve even got a date.”

“What?! When?!”

“No way!”

“Where?”

“Is she hot?”

Everyone turned to look at Minhwan when he asked the last question. The drummer looked back at his friends with wide eyes.

“What? I want to know,” he said, innocently.

Jonghoon laughed and slung an arm around Minhwan’s shoulders. “Yeah, she’s really pretty. Funny and nice, too. She didn’t know about our band until after she met me.”

“Really??” Jaejin asked.

“Really,” Jonghoon replied. “And she’s already teased me about it.”

“I like this girl already,” Hongki laughed. “What’s her name? You never told us.”

“Arianna,” Jonghoon answered. “She’s from Miami. And we’re going to a movie Wednesday night.”

The rest of the evening and the following day were filled with Jonghoon’s bandmates questioning him and teasing him about Arianna. Time seemed to fly and before Jonghoon knew it, he was staring at his closet, trying to find something to wear.

“Dude...stop being such a girl, you look fine in that,” Hongki laughed, motioning to the sweater and jeans Jonghoon was already wearing.

Jonghoon looked down and shrugged. “Yeah, I guess you’re right, Hongki. I’m nervous...Why am I nervous?”

“You’ve fallen for her, duh. You must really like this girl if you get so shaken up about her,” the vocalist laughed.

“You think?” Jonghoon asked, turning to look at his friend.

“You smile every time one of us mentions her and you get this goofy grin that lets us know a text is from her. You like Arianna,” Hongki said. “You probably even love her~” he sang.

“Shut up, would you?” Jonghoon growled, throwing a pillow at his laughing friend. The drummer left the bedroom and headed towards the front door to get his coat and shoes. “I’m leaving, guys! Merry Christmas!” he hollered back into the dorm.

“Merry Christmas, hyung! Have fun!” Jaejin called.

“Tell Arianna we say hi,” Minhwan replied.

“Tell her we say Merry Christmas, too!” Seunghyun added.

“Stay out as late as you want!! We’ll cover for you!” Hongki yelled from the bedroom, still cackling.

Jonghoon rolled his eyes and left the dorm. He ran out of the building and quickly grabbed a taxi. Crap, I’m running late! Arianna gets off in five minutes, he thought, huffing.

When the taxi stopped, Jonghun paid the driver, wished him a merry Christmas, and ran into the theatre. He skidded to a stop when he saw Arianna waiting for him. She was dressed in a red turtleneck that complimented her green eyes, skinny jeans, and black ankle boots. Arianna turned when she heard him walking up.

“Hi!” she greeted, happily.

“Hey,” Jonghoon replied. “Are you off already?”

Arianna nodded. “SangJoon let me off ten minutes early so I could change out of my uniform.”

“SangJoon?” Jonghoon asked as they walked towards the ticket machine.

“Yeah, he’s my manager, believe it or not,” Arianna laughed. “Oh, and guess what.”

“What?” Jonghoon asked, getting their tickets.

“Free popcorn and stuff.”

Jonghoon turned to look at Arianna with wide eyes. “You’re kidding.”

“Nope!” Arianna laughed. “It’s SangJoon’s Christmas present to us, apparently.”

“The benefits of dating a girl who works at the snack counter,” Jonghoon laughed. He smiled widely when Arianna blushed and looked away. He grabbed her hand and tugged her towards the snack counter. “Come on, let’s get our stuff before the movie starts.”

Three hours later, Jonghoon and Arianna walked out of the warm theatre and into the cold night air.

“Let me get this straight,” Jonghoon started. “The killer really was the butler?”

“For the hundredth time, yes!” Arianna laughed, wrapping her arms around herself as they started walking. “They said at the end who it was!”

Jonghoon was in the process of taking his jacket off while he said, “But he wasn’t even in the house! He was at the market!”

“That’s what they wanted you to think. In reality, it was his assistant that went to the market disguised as the butler,” Arianna clarified. She started when Jonghoon wrapped his coat around her shoulders. “Wait, won’t you get cold.”

Jonghoon shrugged as the two of them stopped to look at a giant Christmas tree surrounded by different decorations. He wrapped his arms around Arianna and sighed, “Gives me an excuse to do this.”

Arianna giggled and leaned back into Jonghoon’s chest, “Smooth, Choi Jonghoon. Real smooth.”

“I know,” Jonghoon replied, making the girl laugh more. Jonghoon looked up and started laughing, himself.

“What?” Arianna asked, following his gaze. “Wow. That is the biggest mistletoe I have ever seen.”

“You and me both,” Jonghoon agreed. “So, um…” He grew silent, getting nervous again.

Arianna smiled softly and leaned up on her toes. She quickly kissed Jonghoon’s cheek and fell back onto her heels. This was a bad idea, because the second she did it, Arianna landed on a piece of ice and began to fall backwards.

Jonghoon reached out to catch Arianna as she fell. He grabbed her around the waist, Arianna’s hands quickly grabbing his shoulders for support. The two ended up inches away from each other, both blushing furiously. Arianna coughed and looked away after meeting Jonghoon’s eyes. The vocalist grinned and leaned his head down to kiss her on the lips. After a second or two, Arianna kissed him back, smiling into it.

Without breaking the kiss, Jonghoon straightened up, pulling Arianna with him. He broke away and smiled at her.

“Merry Christmas, Arianna,” he whispered.

“Merry Christmas, Jonghoon,” Arianna replied, giggling once more.

---

Merry Christmas to all our lovely readers~!!!

~ lihzee and Redriddinghood23