Christmas day.

We went out for breakfast. Mama didn't have to prepare food, then. We actually woke up almost midday already. The boys had scrambled back and forth the bathroom, forgetting the other boys were not at home. Sehun had gone to knock on Baek's room thinking someone was using the other bathroom. Tao had used the downstairs bathroom as usual. He had gone to using that bathroom eversince he gave up waiting for Baek to finish taking a bath before. Luhan looked confused between the bathroom upstairs and wanting to ask Suho if he could use their bathroom. I was able to beat him to using the bathroom outside. LOL.

We all went to the mall in the Odyssey. Mama and papa in front, me, Tao and Luhan first row and Baek, Suho and Sehun at the back.

At the mall, after the late breakfast, the boys had asked to go to the arcade before movie time. Mama and papa preferred to stay at one of the coffee shops nearby. I asked if I could go with the boys, but papa disapproved. Mama chided that it was okay, since I will be with my brothers anyway. She had reminded Luhan to look out for me and the other younger kids. Papa could only shake his head at mama.

I actually liked going to the arcade with my brothers. Sehun led the group, while me, Suho and Luhan behind him. Tao and Baek made up the rear. We went to the basketball hoops first and played. I was not as good as Kris ge, but I could shoot some points. We divided ourselves into two teams. Luhan, Baek and me formed one team, while Suho, Tao and Sehun consisted of the other team.

Suho: I think we'll win. We have Tao and Sehun.

Luhan: And you, shorty.

Suho: Please, my height is not an issue.

Baek: Actually, it does, ge.

Suho: Not you too, Baixian.

Baek: Not my Chinese name, juseyo.

Suho: I will call you anything I wanna call you.

Baek: Haoba, Snow White jiejie.

Tao, Sehun and I just laughed at that. Suho grunted and flexed his muscles and picked up the ball.

Suho: What if we win?

Luhan: You get one wish. But- as a group only. Not each one of you, okay?

Suho: Deal.

Tao: Wait! Why not each one?

Luhan: This is a team game, Tao.

Me: And I'm not doing any wish each for three people.

Sehun: That would have been perfect.

Baek: Unless you lose.

Suho: Alright. Quit talking, let's play.

Luhan: Your team goes first? Shoot as many hoops as you can in fifteen minutes? Five minutes each player.

Suho: Haole le le...

And the game commenced. Suho's team got 23 points. Because Tao was good. Okay. Sehun was tall. He and Tao could shoot the ball without effort. When it was our turn to play, some kids from BIS and YSI came over. They recognized Baek, Tao and Sehun because most of the kids were part of the skateboarding teams of their schools. One of them suggested a battle on the dance revo and my brothers agreed. Baek and Sehun accepted the challenge. Some students from Global Haidian had come over too. I didn't know that kids from other schools would be here on Christmas day. I guessed they were also with their families or they have preferred to spend the day with friends.

As Baek and Sehun got high marks, a YSI kid started to side comment that FISSkT should not let the new members play at the finals in case our school team makes it the last eliminations. It was seconded by the Global Haidian kids who were listening in.

What seemed to have ben a friendly dance match between schools went horribly wrong. A physical fight almost ensued, had not Luhan and Suho broken up the commotion by threatening to call mall security if the boys would not stop verbally abusing each other.

The incident made it to Facebook hot topic among the rival schools. Even the Mins, who were in Hong Kong at the time, joined the comment war.

It was Christmas day and they were fighting!

Urghhh...

Luhan and Suho herded us out of the arcade before anything physical happened between Baek, Tao and Sehun and the other boys from other schools.

It was a good thing too, because just a couple of minutes later, papa called Luhan and asked him to hurry back because it was almost time for the movie to start.

What I thought would be a fun arcade moment was ruined.

Bummer.

But there was still the movie.

Mama had wanted to watch a light comedy movie, but the boys....and me...had already agreed on the Hobbit final installment. Papa commented that mama was too late, she didn't tell us when we were planning the movie date. Mama just shrugged and said it was fine. She could endure like three hours watching the movie as long as it's with us.

I made a mental note to buy mama a light comedy movie DVD so she can watch at home, instead. I whispered my idea to Luhan and he nodded. Before we went in the theater, Luhan and Sehun went to buy popcorn and drinks. The boys could not watch without something to much on. We waited for them outside. They took a little while, because Luhan made a detour for the video store to buy mama's movie before he and Sehun went to buy the food.

Mama had no idea. She just thought the two were taking long because there were many people that day. Papa sort of guessed though, because Luhan had forgotten to hide the small paperbag well. Papa saw him handing me the paperbag and putting it inside my bag.

After the movie, we ate late lunch.

We had to find a restaurant that was not full. Papa regretted not being able to make a reservation to one of his favorite restos, but when we went there, there were still vacant tables. Papa left them a big tip afterwards.

Mama asked papa to drop by a bakeshop. She bought cakes and other pastries before going home.

While we were there, Taeyong calls.

Why now off all time?

Me: Yeoboseyo?

Him: Merry Christmas, Yinzi.

Me: Wow. Yinzi, huh? Thanks, though.

Him: Is that bad if I call you Yinzi?

Me: Nope. I'm not used to people calling me that...except when papa is angry at me...

Him: Oh. Sorry.

Me: No harm done.

Him: Uhm, so, I just wanted to greet you and well, I hope to be back in Beijing by New Year's eve.

Me: That's good.

Him: You think so?

Me: Well, is it bad?

Him: Nah, I don't think it's bad.

Me: Like I said.

Him: You're starting to sound like me.

Me: I do?

Him: You do.

Me: Okay.

Him: It's nice to hear you say "I do."

Me: Shut up.

Him: Just saying.

Me: I said shut up.

Him: Fine.

Me: Good.

Him: I still like it, though.

Me: Shhhh...

Luhan looked at me and I had to whisper goodbye to Taeyong. He didn't get me, so he kept asking what I was whispering goodbye for. I think he only got it when Luhan cleared his throat a little louder than normal. I pocketed my phone after talking to Taeyong.

The boys in Korea also called while we were on the road back home. Mama already had three boxes of cake and a paperbag of assorted pastries.

Chanyeol and Lay had just woken up since they stayed awake all night until dawn. They had fun the night before playing with the new stuff that Chanyeol got from his mom. Lay said that he was wearing the shirt I gave him today. Chanyeol also said he was using the phone case I gave him. He liked it, he said, because I had it personalized for him with what little time I had when I bought it.

I was grounded and I had only a few hours of freedom, thanks to mama.

Anyway, Chenchen called saying that he'd be spending the day at his halmeoni's house with his eomma and cousins. He also said that he liked my gift to him which was a stainless silver case for his beloved playing cards.

Xiumin called to report to papa about his older brother responsibility and to greet us. He was staying at Sohee's for the afternoon and will have dinner with them, his eomma included.

I think I felt as if it wasn't long until he announces they'd be getting married soon.

NO!

Not yet...

I was selfish when it came to my brothers. I had nothing against Sohee eonni, but...but... I just couldn't bear the thought of Xiumin oppa to get married so soon.

*Frowns*

Kyungsoo made a little blooper when he called. Halfway through his call, he mistakenly called Sehun as Hui Qiao. Sehun pouted at him and pretended to get mad for mistaking him as a girl. It was one thing to mistake him for Luhan, he said, and another thing to mistake him for an actual girl. Chants of "Chagiya!" ensued. Of course. Led by Baekhyun.

I bet Kyungie was red in the face as he ended the call.

Hehehe.

Kris ge sent a video message showing a puppy he bought as a gift for his mom. He named the puppy "Peach" which made Tao snort. That was what Kris called him sometimes when he was being annoying. "I didn't know he'd use it to name a...dog."

Then it reminded me of Taehyung and his puppy V. His older brothers as V and call the dog Taetae to annoy him.

Kai had not called or sent a message until that evening. He was spending his Christmas with a head cold and was asleep the whole day. Japan weather was more cold than usual. He and his eomma had gone out the night before to watch the fireworks after dinner.

That news made papa want to bring Kai back home to Beijing. He reminded Kai to tell his eomma to drop him off at Xiumin's after Japan so papa could just pick him up there. He and mama were going to the Soo Kui yearend party.

While the boys called, I received an MMS from Taeyong. It was a photo of his hand doing the "V" sign. The caption read:

"V in reverse is Λ ...Greek for Lambda. It connotes multiple meanings (depending on the one using it) from math to symbol, programming construct, name, character encoding to Half-Life videogames...and even to the shield pattern of the Spartan army. Just like you, a mystery. From the outside, you are like the V for peace. But when I started to get to know you more, you became Λ. You are more than just a symbol. I'd like to know you more, actually. Oh..and by the way, 조심하세요. 주의하다요. 항상주의를 기울여."

He had typed the last three sentences in Hangeul and all three meant the same. "Please take care."

Sweet.

*Dies*

He was losing his spoiled brat streak. Hah!

We arrived at home late afternoon. Mama asked Luhan and Suho to help her prepare dinner. While the rest of us went to lounge at the media room to play videogames. Baek made another bet with Tao. He actually loses whenever he places a bet, but he didn't care. He was always doing it for the fun. Tao accepted his challenge and they sat side by side with determined faces. Sehun and I just watched while they battled each other to get the win. Baek asked us to bet on who would win between him and Tao. Sehun and I both declined saying there was no need, because Tao was the winner even if the game has not started yet.

Baek: Why do you always undermine my skill?

Sehun: Or lack thereof.

Baek: I'll win this time, you know.

Tao: Keep wishing, gege.

Baek: Shhhh...let's just start this game.

We all chuckled at him.

Papa stuck his head in the media room as he made his way to his office.

Papa: Playing videogames?

All: Yes, pa.

Papa: Alright. Jiayou!

Tao: Baek ge needs it, pa.

Papa: Jiayou Baixian.

Baek: OTL...

Baek rolled his eyes and hung his head up and groaned.

Sehun: Eyes on the screen, or else, your dude will die right away.

Baek: *pauses game*

Tao: Heyyy!

Baek: I need to flex my fingersssss.

Tao: Fine.

Baek: Don't kill my buzz.

And he did flex his fingers. I helped massage his back and he thanked me for the support. I just smiled at him. He was always positive. Courage under fire; grace under pressure.

Luhan and Suho seemed to have a hard time preparing dinner with mama. Luhan almost chopped off the wrong ingredient and Suho placed too much water. Had mama not been there, dinner would have been a total disaster. Christmas dinner at that.

After dinner, chores done, we camped inside Suho's room, as it was one of the larger bedrooms of the house. Since Xiumin and Lay were not home, we decided to sleep there that night.

Baek, Luhan and Tao put up their laptops in the middle of the floor and skyped with the boys in Korea, Japan and Singapore. It was just like they were with us. They started telling ghost stories, led by Chanyeol. I had to retreat to Suho's bed and snuggle between his covers. Tao sat beside me and went online on his phone. He left his laptop on while the boys told ghost stories....on Christmas night.

Tao then reported that some Global Haidian students posted new comments on SNS protesting FIS' skateboard team newbies in entering the championship. We all went to check our SNS to see the posts. Some comments wanted the Kims and Mins out of the team altogether, because they were Korean. Some said that Chanyeol and Kai should leave the team as well, because they had Korean blood. Some defended the Kims and Mins, and some said that Chanyeol and Kai had Chinese blood, so the argument to kick them out the team was pointless.

Stupid, really.

FIS was an International School. Hello?

Racism ruled Global Haidian. Because I think the Dongs were school board directors.

Stupid.

International school that doesn't accept students from other countries?

Chagiya had to change schools. ASAP.

If I was not mistaken, the posts were being manipulated by the Dong witches. Dong Zi went to Global Haidian. I think they were creating a rift between the FISSkT members instead of the other schools.

Chanyeol and Kai had excused themselves while they go and check the posts themselves. There was a longer discussion on SNS this time with all the FISSkT boys commenting here and there. Jimin and J had gone online when Baek called them. Taehyung posted comment photos that were actually irrelevant to the topic, just so the discussion would end. Taehyung who was in Hong Kong at the time, probably cuddling with his puppy. He didn't really like word wars, unless it was something academic. He had mentioned it one time that he wanted to join the school's debate team when he becomes a junior. When I saw Jungkook's name appear on the comments section, I immediately logged out of my SNS.

I didn't wanna see him commenting like a brat.

He had told me before that he was actually a spoiled brat.

Luhan scolded the boys for replying to the nonsense comments. He had said that it would only ignite more hate comments and cause more misunderstanding and trouble.

Luhan: Okay. That's enough now. Logout all of you.

Baek: But this guy...

Luhan: Let him. It's his conscience after all.

Baek: Just one last-

Luhan: Offline. Now.

Chanyeol: I sent one...last....

Luhan: Can Lie?

Chanyeol: Sorry sorry...Okay, I'll delete it.

Chen: I commented as well...even if I'm not skateboard team.

Kris: Isn't there a sort of sanction to those who'd cause something like this?

Baek: I think so. Team captain said that if proven, the team could lose the chance to enter finals, even if they got high scores at eliminations.

Kris: Then, just leave them be.

Xiumin: If I were you, I'd delete all my replies. Clean conscience.

Kris: Yeah.

Suho: Word wars might not be as painful as the physical, but it sure damages your brain cells.

Luhan: Exactly. Like that witch.

Sehun: Hua Chen?

Luhan: We do not speak of her name here.

Kai: How about Dong Zi?

Luhan: Zhong Ren!

Kai: I was only asking.

Suho: Alright. Offline now, boys. It's been a long day. Let's all go to sleep.

Kyungsoo: What time is it?

Xiumin: It's half past midnight.

Kyungsoo: I need to sleep. I had done a lot of chores today orz.

Kris: Ahhh...yeah. Me too. I wanna sleep.

Chanyeol: Lay ge is already asleep here. Look.

And he turned his lappy a little to the right to show a snoring Lay on his bed. I bet he had fallen asleep even while they were telling ghost stories. As we laughed realizing Lay had fallen asleep ahead of us, another snore made us snap our heads back to our screens looking for which videocam showed a sleeping Wu.

Kai had dropped off to sleep with his head on his keyboard. He was lying on his stomach while he skyped with us on his laptop.

Luhan called it a night and waited until everyone else went offline before he went offline himself. There were three beds in the room, Xiumin's, Suho's and Lay's. The boys had pushed the beds side by side to make a really wide bed. Tao and I were already snuggled in Suho's bed that time, so the four others had to snuggle in the other two beds.

Papa and mama left for Korea two days later, to attend the Soo Kui yearend party. Kim Jaejoong, Min Kyung-hoon and their wives had gone to Korea as well. Kai had been dropped off at Xiumin's that same day, and while papa and mama were in Korea, it was agreed that the boys who were there would just return home with them.

Kris ge arrived from Singapore on the 30th at around eleven in the morning.

Papa, mama and the rest of the boys arrived in the afternoon of the 30th, just in time for the New Year.

The New Year celebrations were noisy. Of course. The 31st of December, New Year's eve, was a "blast."

13 Wu kids complete. Equal to 13 different kinds of noise. With papa and mama out for the day, anything could happen.

Chen being chased by Kyungsoo for drawing heart shapes and drew little rabbit's ears on one of his favorite white tees.

Kyungie: ASDFGHJKL!!! What are you doing in my room?

Chen: Ooopsie!

Kyungie: OMG WHAT THE **** DID YOU DO TO MY SHIRT?

Chen: Language, juseyo.

Kyungie: I DON'T CARE! OMG. I SWEAR I'M GONNA HACK YOUR HEAD OFF!

Sehun almost falling down the stairs following Kai who was trying to slide down on the banister.

Sehun: Ahhhh shiitttt! Hyung!!!

Kai: What?

Sehun: Don't let me fall!!!

Kai shouting at the top of his lungs because Sehun had hung on for dear life on his pants.

Kai: AISHHH! Get off me!!! My pants!!!

Sehun: I'm gonna fall!

Kai: Move to the side!

Sehun: Wait! Wait! Wait! Ahhh!!!

Kai: You're ripping off my pants!!! Get off!

Luhan scolding us left and right while trying to keep calm.

"Breathe, Luhan. Breathe. One, two, three...yes, that's it. What the? Baixian! Ahh...my head...oh no...stressful. This has got to... Sehun! Kai! What are you-? You two are going to get killed on that stairs! Please! TIAN-AH! Qing zuyi! Jinshen shi biyao de! Please be careful!"

Suho getting pissed off when the bullies, a.k.a. Baek, Chen, Chanyeol, Tao and Kai came in with firecrackers.

"Are you planning to burn the house down?!? @&(^%@*@&)}{@!2#!"

Kris and Lay setting off a whistle bomb at midday while the neighbors were relaxing inside the warmth of their homes. There was a slight snowfall outside and the boys decided to set off some firecrackers earlier than expected.

Kris: This should heat up the area.

Lay: Should be.

Kris: How many houses will have free heating with this?

Lay: I don't know. Maybe three?

Kris: Oh. Let's make it six?

Lay: Two whistle bombs?

Kris: It's not much of a firecracker, so it's okay.

Lay: It still gives off a loud bang, though.

Kris: Papa didn't buy those really big ones.

Lay: Those that could heat up the whole Fengtai?

Kris: Exactly.

Xiumin shooing the bullies off the front lawn because there were cars that could get blown off if they tried lighting the firecrackers on there.

"This is not our house! And there are eight cars out there, for heaven's sake!!! Go somewhere without living things and combustible stuff. No. Don't leave the house. Ahh. Just...wait til tonight, juseyo."

Tao kicking Luhan and vice versa. The panda gege had been annoying the deer gege and it ended in a kickboxing match. Soccer match actually. Trying to kick each others balls. Well, if you put it that way, it was kinda like soccer, too. Yeah?

Chanyeol and Baek singing their hearts out with another of their self-made songs.

"Nananana....shout it out...nenenenene....hold it up! Yo yo yo yo! Nananana....give it your all....shoo bee doo wahhh wahhhh! Beep beep ba doom doom tchhhhhh tchhhhh ain't nothin like it...nothin..ain't nothin like the Baek and the Yeol... nothin like the Baek and the Yeol...uh-yeah...blip blip..."

And I...screaming because I was getting teased by the oldies. Jungkook and Taeyong's names were a staple in the house that day. Taehyung's name came up a couple of times, too. I had to lock myself in my room when I couldn't take it anymore. I swore I'd set up an atomic bomb in each of their rooms soon, if they didn't stop teasing me.

Jungkook and Xiao Yi sitting on a tree

K-I-S-S-I-N-G!

Taeyong and Yinzi sitting on a tree

H-U-G-G-I-N-G!

Happy New year, Xiao Yi.

Right.

Double update because...something big's up. >~< 

Next chapter's not a very long one, though. Just enough for something...