“Okay, so remind me why we’re doing this again?”  Jongdae asks Yifan and Baekhyun as he puts some more cellophane on the window.

“Because it’s Christmas, and it’s Changmin’s party, and because this is for Minseok.”  Baekhyun replies, rolling his eyes.  Just then, they hear someone enter the room and Baekhyun instinctively ducks behind Yifan, shielding himself.  A man with big, round eyes peeks in, holding what looks like an apron.

“Hi, is Baekhyun here?”  The man asks and the boys shake their heads in return.  “Oh, thanks anyway.”  The man says, and then walks out.  They can vaguely hear the man shout, “Changmin!  He wasn’t in the guest room!” before Baekhyun steps out from his hiding spot behind Yifan.

“Dude,” Jongdae says once he sees Baekhyun’s absolutely red face. 

“We just ran out of tinsel.”  Joonmyeon announces once he enters the room.  Zitao, Chanyeol, and Sehun look at him in return, stopping their tree decorating escapade.

“That’s stupid.  No one runs out of tinsel during Christmas.”  Zitao replies, holding a set of tangled Christmas lights.

“We just did.  Changmin used them all up for the lettering.”  Joonmyeon replies, sighing.

“Do you need someone to run to the shop and buy some tinsel?”  Chanyeol asks.  “Oh, and Zitao, be careful with those lights; you might get electrocuted.”

“Wow, thanks, I feel so secure after your warning.”  Zitao replies, rolling his eyes.

“Nah, we’ll just make do of the other materials in here.”  Joonmyeon replies, now turning his attention to the box full of Christmas decorations beside him.

“It’s going to be weird this year.”  Chanyeol muses.  “Minseok’s not going to be here and Luhan’s not going to enjoy himself.  Hell, I’m not going to enjoy myself.”

“How do we know that Minseok won’t really be there?  He might wake up anytime, you know.”  Sehun says, helping Zitao untangle the Christmas lights.

“Yeah, he might, but I’m pretty sure the doctors will want to hold him in the hospital until he gets better.  So still, no Minseok and no happy Luhan.”  Joonmyeon replies, holding a mistletoe.  “Where do you think should I put this?”

“The entrance so everyone who goes in will have to kiss.”  Zitao replies, Chanyeol and Sehun snorting at the suggestion.

“Hey, guys!”  Jongin greets as he enters the living room, carrying two baskets of sweet marjorams.

“Jongin!”  Joonmyeon exclaims before he rushes to help her, taking both of the baskets.  “Where’s Taemin?”

“Still in the car, taking the inventory of the guelder roses.”  Jongin replies, taking off his coat and scarf.

“You have guelder roses?!”  Chanyeol exclaims as he emerges from where he was talking to Jongdae about the tinsel.  “That’s awesome!  That totally fits!”

“Why do I suddenly feel so left out?”  Sehun says, looking over at the three flower enthusiasts.

“Yeah, I know what you mean.”  Zitao replies, smiling.  “Hey, we untangled it!”  Zitao exclaims, punching a fist to the air.  Sehun follows suit, and then Jongdae enters with a tray of mugs.

“Wow, congratulations!  And because of that, you all deserve a mug of Caramel Dolce Latte!”  Jongdae exclaims.  “I still have to make yours, though.”  He adds, talking to Jongin.

“It’s fine, take your time.  We just came from Starbucks, after all.”  Taemin says as he enters, two baskets of guelder roses in his hands.  Zitao drops the lights and rushes to help him, putting down the baskets beside the baskets of sweet marjorams.

“Really?  How’re Sooyoung and Yoona doing?”  Jongdae asks.

“Just fine.  They were arguing about which tastes better: an Espresso Con Panna or a Espresso Machiato.”  Jongin replies, clearly amused.

“Yup, that’s how they show their love for each other.”  Jongdae replies before he disappears to the direction of the kitchen once again.

“So, are there things we can help with?”  Jongin asks.

“I’m worried about Luhan.”  Changmin tells Kyungsoo as they look through the stack of cookbooks in the kitchen.

“I’m worried about Luhan and Minseok.”  Kyungsoo replies.  “How does Mapled Ham sound?”

“Yeah, that.  I just don’t want Luhan to shut himself out just for Minseok because that’s the total opposite of what Minseok would’ve wanted.”  Changmin says, scanning a page of a cookbook.  “Rosemary Roasted Turkey?”

“Does he still think that what happened to Minseok was his fault?”  Kyungsoo asks before he looks over to what Changmin is looking at.  “Yeah, that’s a good one.  Keep looking.”

“Yeah.  He’s beating himself for it.  As much as I hate seeing Minseok in the state he’s currently in, I also hate seeing Luhan like that.”  Changmin replies.  “.  Maple Glazed Turkey Roast, Minseok loves this.”  Changmin finishes, causing Kyungsoo to look at him.

“You miss him too, don’t you?”  Kyungsoo asks him, eyeing him sympathetically.

“He’s like a son to me too, you know.  I just feel like I could’ve done something to prevent this.  Like, what if I convinced him to go back instead of just letting him have his own way?”

“Now I know where Luhan gets that attitude of his.”  Kyungsoo says with a smile.

“Okay, guys, let’s take a break!”  Changmin calls out from the kitchen as Yifan and Jongdae bring out trays of mugs filled with Dark Cherry Mocha.  He and Kyungsoo follow, carrying trays of Butter Tarts.  Everyone digs in while finding a spot of their own in the living room.  They’re almost done with decorating the house and sorting the menu, and a break is most appropriate for the moment.  Changmin stares at all the people who’re helping him make this party happen and smiles at himself.  Minseok and Luhan would’ve enjoyed doing this with us.  He then scans his memory for anything else that he missed and takes a sharp intake of breath when he realizes that he actually forgot that.

“Goodness gracious.”  Changmin mutters under his breath but Kyungsoo overhears him.

“Everything okay?”  Kyungsoo asks.

“I forgot the music.”  Changmin announces and everyone just stops.  “I forgot the music!”

“Hey, don’t worry, there’s still time.”  Sehun says, trying to placate the panicking Changmin.

“Yeah, we can always call Yunho for help, right?”  Chanyeol asks, causing Changmin to look at him weirdly.

“Oh yeah!  I’ll go call him now!”  Sehun exclaims, heading for the sofa where he left his bag and takes out his phone.

Chanyeol and Changmin are still staring at each other intently, their eye conversation only ending when Yifan says, “Uhm, should I be jealous here, or what?”

“Nah, it’s just that I think Chanyeol here knows something I don’t.”  Changmin says.

“Oooh… so mysterious.”  Jongdae says, causing Chanyeol, Yifan, and Sehun to laugh.  “No, seriously, are you hiding something, Yeol?”

“Nope, but I think Changmin is.”  Chanyeol replies once he’s recovered from laughing.

“Are you, Changmin?”  Kyungsoo asks and Changmin just blushes in reply.  “Oh, you totally are.”

Jongdae asks Joonmyeon in a hushed voice “Is there something between that guy and Baekhyun?”

“You mean Baekhyun and Kyungsoo?  Well, it’s kind of hard to explain.”  Joonmyeon replies, looking uncertain.

“Why?”  Jongdae asks.  “Baekhyun just ducked behind Yifan when Kyungsoo arrived, and then went back blushing after he went away.”

“Uhm… well… they’re together.”  Joonmyeon replies. 

“Oh.  Okay.  Are they a Minseok and Luhan case?”  Jongdae replies. 

“Nope, thank god, they’re more like a closet case.  They think no one knows yet but everyone knows.”  Joonmyeon replies, rolling his eyes.

“You guys should’ve put a mistletoe on the kitchen door so that they will have to kiss if ever Baekhyun visits Kyungsoo in the kitchen.  Let’s have some Baeksoo action!”  Jongdae replies, smirking.  Just then, Yifan walks by and smirks at the two of them.

“Ohmy, it’s a Suchen moment!”  Yifan exclaims, causing everyone to look at Jongdae and Joonmyeon.

“Shut up, Wu.  I’m pretty sure your twin tower moments are more worth watching.”  Jongdae replies and Chanyeol and Yifan just blush.  “Hah, I am so right.”  Jongdae finishes, making sure to draw out the last word.

“Twin tower?”   Zitao asks with a raised eyebrow.

“What?!  They’re both skyscrapers!”  Jongdae exclaims, causing the other to burst out in laughter.

“Hey, what are you doing up here?”  Yifan asks Chanyeol as he enters the terrace of Changmin’s mansion.  They just finished dinner—Classic Stuffed Turkey courtesy of Kyungsoo—and now everyone’s just hanging around with their late night dose of coffee, courtesy of the Starbucks employees.

“Nothing, just thinking.”  Chanyeol replies, looking up at the starry sky.  He feels Yifan stand beside him before he sees a mug of coffee right in front of him.

“Flavored Latte.”  Yifan says and Chanyeol gracefully accepts, briefly noting that Yifan’s drinking the same thing.  “So, what’re you thinking about?”

“Christmas and how weird it’s going to be.”  Chanyeol replies before he takes a sip of his drink.

Yifan pouts.  “Is it because of me?”

“No!  It’s just that it’s my first Christmas without Minseok.  I mean, I got so used to having him around whenever we would have parties that it’s just so weird that this time I won’t see his face whenever I scan the visitors.”  Chanyeol replies and he can feel the hot tears forming.  He hasn’t really cried since learning about Minseok’s attack but it’s not like he can hold back forever.  He’s suddenly engulfed in a hug, Yifan’s strong masculine scent engulfing his senses.

“Hey, it’s okay.  I think it’s safe to assume that it’s everyone’s first Christmas without Minseok, even if we’ve only met him for a few months.”  Yifan replies, hugging Chanyeol tight. 

Chanyeol just nods, his tears blurring his vision.  He finally lets himself go, and he couldn’t think of a better person to comfort him through this right now than Yifan.  “Sorry, sorry, I’m staining your shirt.”

“It’s alright, it’s dirty anyway.  You just have to make sure that you don’t have dirt on your face later, though.”  Yifan replies, making Chanyeol smile.

“You’re awful.”  Chanyeol replies, but there’s no anger in it.

“You love it.”  Yifan replies and with that, Chanyeol looks up so that Yifan can wipe his tears using his thumb.

“Yeah, I really do.”  Chanyeol replies before he brings their lips together for a kiss, the coffee completely forgotten.

“Yup, their twin tower moments really are more worth watching.”  Zitao agrees as he and Sehun watch Chanyeol and Yifan from afar.

“This is creepy; we’re watching my best friend and his creepy flower stalker make out.  But for some reason, I am not creeped out.”  Sehun replies, frowning at his Flavored Latte.

“I wonder what they’ll call Luhan and Minseok.  I mean, sinc there’s the twin towers and Suchen.”  Zitao replies, forking a slice of a Cranberry Upside Down Cake.

“I don’t know.  The idiots?”  Sehun sarcastically replies before suddenly getting an idea.  “Lumin!”

“Lumin.  That’s nice.  Now I have something to cheer Luhan up with tomorrow.”  Zitao replies.

“Oh yeah, Changmin finally managed to convince Luhan to go to the party.”  Sehun muses, finishing his latte.  “I wonder how the party will go.”

“Yeah, I wonder.”  Zitao replies before yawning.

“Sleepy?”  Sehun asks.

“And tired.”  Zitao replies, putting down the plate of cake on the table in front of him before joining Sehun on the couch.  Sehun suddenly pulls his head down and lays it on his shoulder, startling Zitao.

“Sleep, we have a long day ahead of us.”  Sehun says and Zitao just nods, Sehun’s steady humming lulling him to sleep.

“Aw… that’s sweet,” Taemin tells Sehun once she passes the two of them on the couch, “a Taohun moment worth remembering.”  She finishes and Sehun just blushes.  He looks at the mop of black hair leaning against him and sighs, a contented and happy sigh.

Taohun.  I like it.

A/N: I didn't forget to update! lol

casually leaves this here...