“To end our school’s Christmas program, let us all welcome a group of talented students who will sing a song titled Christmas Day. This song is composed by their member, Kim Jongdae. Everyone put your hands together for Byun Baekhyun, Do Kyungsoo, and Kim Jongdae”

The three students, dressed in formal attire with a Santa clause hat on, takes the center stage. Chen squint his eyes because of the spotlight to search for someone in the audience. He then sees three familiar people waving their hand as they as seated on their reserved seats. Chen smiles and wait for the music to begin.

“Honey! You were great out there!” Mrs. Kim gave her son a tight hug “We are very very proud of you!”

“Ahh. umma, I need air” Chen laughs as his mother is still giving him a big hug.

“Sweetie, you and I are both proud of our son... but could you give him a chance to breathe and,” Mr. Kim looks around where he sees the girls laugh and point at them “An amount of dignity left for Jongdae in this school” He gives his wife a pat on the back to make her break her hug.

“Ahh. That’s fine Mr. Kim, Jongdae-sshi never did have any dignity left in this school” Xiumin laughs lightly.

“Is that so?” Mr. Kim smiles “Too bad that you’ve already graduated. You could have performed with Jongdae and some of his friends”

“Neh. I miss the old times too Mr. Kim”

“Neh, Minseok-hyung especially misses the part where highschool girls cheer for his name.” Chen elbows Xiumin’s arm

“So Minseok, will your family join us in our pre-Christmas celebration?” Ms. Kim turns to Xiumin as she helps Chen fix his wrinkled polo and coat.

“Ahh, mianhae Ms. Kim” Xiumin bows his head “both of them are busy at the district office. My father also said that he still thinks that he can’t show his face to his colleagues because of me.” Xiumin smiles “I think I will just go home.”

“Ahni! Don’t you do that! After this, tell your driver that you will head to our home since it has always been our tradition to have you in our gatherings.”

“Kamsahamnida Mrs. Kim! I’ll just tell ahjussi” Xiumin gives them a bow and leaves.

“Ahh. Poor kid, I wish his parents would treat him better. He has always tried his best to make them proud by doing anything they ask” Mrs. Kim mumbles as she watch Xiumin leave.

“Neh. His parents never got over on the time when Minseok-hyung failed his first examination to be accepted in school of law in Seoul National University.” Chen fixes his uniform. He then looks at his mother “Umma! Are you crying?”

“Sorry sweetie, it’s just...” Mrs. Kim dabs her fingers to remove some eye makeup that was smeared “I just realized that after a few more months, you’ll be like Minseok who’s in college while Heechul is already making his name at the law firm”

Chen raises his eyebrow “Speaking of that workaholic bastard, where is hyung?”

“Mworago?”

Chen was headlock and a bouquet of flowers are shoved to his face “This workaholic bastard just passed over to someone else a big case today because he choose to watch your bastard performance instead”

“Yah,” Chen tries to break free from Heechul’s headlock “Didn’t I tell you last night that you could just finish your work since this Christmas program is not that a big deal? We both know that you’re the best in your law firm, what if they need your help all of a sudden?”

“Eyy, let’s get one thing straight dongsaeng. They will always need my help” Heechul lets Chen break free “And how can I even not attend your program! You just performed your very first self-composed song!”

Chen shrugs “I guess it’s fine”

“Eyy” Heechul gave him an unsatisfied look “I just saw a girl being rushed in an ambulance outside because she fainted after your performance”

Heechul and Chen laughs as they fix their clothes.

“Stop that you two, you’re acting like kids” Mrs. Kim smiles.

“Sweetie, but I thought you just said that our kids are turning into grownups” Mr. Kim teases her.

“Aigoo~” Mrs. Kim massages her nose bridge while her eyebrows are furrowed “I thought so too.”

Mr. Kim goes in between Chen and Heechul and places his hand on their shoulders “I guess this means we will need to be around for a long time”

Chen smiles as he looks out the window where he could see the still trees in the silent night with the moon fading from the clouds. “So yeah, that’s the unforgettable event for me.  How about you?” he looks at Chaerin who was at the other side of the table.

“Unforgettable? Other than living... visiting one place to another,” She leans on the table “I got nothing.”

“Eyy.. I doubt it. The books your father has written while travelling are full of life.”

Chaerin nods “Appa is indeed full of life.. But even if I’ve lived my whole life with him, we never did perceive the world the same way. Got to think of it” Chaerin looks at Chen lovingly “You’re more like him, than me”

Chen also leans on the table “So is this the part of the story where life reveals that I am actually the son of Professor Kijin?”

“No” Chaerin relaxes her arm on the table to rest her head “This is the part where you tell me more stories about you. Apparently, I still know nothing much about you”

“Then what do you want to know about me?”

“You compose songs?”

“Once”

Chaerin looks at Chen and raises her eyebrow; Chen responds with a smile and looks at the window which was beside where they’re seated on. “I like writing... sometimes they’re just lines. Or poems.. or more. Minseok-hyung read a poem of mine and he asked me to compose a song. Although I like to sing and Minseok-hyung helped me in composing a song, it took me time to finish it.”

“Well...” Chaerin leans back on her chair “Let me hear it then.”

“What? You’re kidding right?” Chen looks at Chaerin and smiles “Araso.”

Hoksi nae jamgyeore dagawaitjin anheulkka?                                     |What if you come to me when I’m sleeping?

Hamyeo all night bamsae all night                                                          |So I stay up all night, all night

Hayake jisae majihangeol                                                                         |in a white daze

Just like the Christmas day sonkkoba gidarideon                                |Just like the Christmas day that I’ve always waited for

Just like the Christmas day oh! Neol saenggakhamyeon                    |Just like the Christmas day oh! When I think about you

Geuttae geu sijeol eorinaecheoreom manyang deultteugon hae      |I get excited like a kid just like those days, just like that time

You’re just like Christmas day                                                                 |You’re just like Christmas day

“Mwo? What if you come to me when I’m sleeping?” Chaerin cover with the back of her hand and chuckle “Yah, do you really have to choose those lines?”

“Eyy… don’t get the wrong impression! Those are just my parts in that song”

“Who knows, maybe you choose to sing those lines because of what you feel for me” Chaerin teases him

“If I’d be singing a song on how I feel towards you, I’d choose a better song that is lyrical on telling how beautiful you are” Chen smirks

“Psshh… stop being so cheesy” Chaerin raises her feet to bring her knees close to her and rest her arms “Next question” she hugs her knees close “about your older brother, I thought that he’s always been that cold to you but you mentioned that you used to have a close relationship with him. I’ve always thought that Minseok-oppa is the closest hyung you have”

When Chaerin looks at Chen, she caught him just looking at her. He then smiles “You’re seriously going to ask me questions? Why don’t you just go back to your room and get some sleep?”

Chaerin shakes her head “If I go back to sleep know, I might not be able to see the sunrise”

“Even if you don’t go to sleep, we wouldn’t still be able to see the sunrise since we don’t even know where the nearest seaside is”

“Wae? You’re the one who dragged me in your room them you’re now asking me to go back to my room.” Chaerin retorted

“I—I am worried that if you do get to know me… you might be disappointed realizing that I am not the person you really know.”

“Then tell me. Tell me the story of who you really are. It’s better to know the real you rather than making assumptions on who you are and who you’re not”

“You did not sign up for school of law in Seoul National University?” Heechul was standing at the doorway as he watches Chen pack his things.

Chen turns to him while he’s carrying some clothes of his’. Chen gives his hyung a funny uh-oh-I-got-caught look “Ehe…. Who told you?” he goes over to his bed and drops his clothes to his other scattered things for his trip.

“Jongdae, appa and umma are understanding people but you know how much they hate it when you keep a secret to them.” Heechul goes over to Chen and looks at the random things scattered on his younger brother’s bed.

“But hyungggg~” Chen acts cute “When I’ve gone over the course descriptions of that department… it’s not my type! To think that studying about our country’s law is enough, Roman law and European legal history are also included!” he pick up his luggage and puts it on top of his bed “How did you even survive that?”

Heechul picks up a notebook and hits Chen’s head “Yah, unlike you, I find interest with those things”

Chen rubs the back of his head and takes the notebook on Heechul’s hand “Neh neh it’s interesting to you, while I on the other hand,” he waves the notebook in front of his brother’s face “I have interest in writing or analysis of literature that’s why…”

“You choose to enter SNU’s college of humanities” Heechul takes the luggage and fixes some of the things that Chen just carelessly place in his luggage “Fine, I’ll be the one to tell appa and umma to make them understand. Just assure me this,” He looks at Chen “Is this really what you want? What about the College of Music? I have a friend there named Jonghyun who could help you.”

“Music? I may be good at singing but I think composing songs and stuff that makes music complicated isn’t my kind of thing.” he fixes some of his scattered things. Chen stops for awhile then looks at his brother with widened eyes “Chincha! You’ll help me?”

Heechul finished packing his brother’s things “Yeah.. so tell me, where are you going any way?”

“Ahh.. since my graduation is near, I’ve asked Kyungsoo and Baekhyun to have a wild weekend getaway with me. I’ve asked appa if we could borrow his car for the weekend since it’s our best car”

Heechul chuckles “Eyy… it’s the best car since it is in full tank. So what plans do you have for your wild weekend?”

“Non-stop party to different clubs. Some stop over to hotels to get some sleep… and resume with the party until we have no more money” Chen smiles ear to ear “Don’t worry hyung, Minseok-hyung will be the one to supervise us.”

Heechul nods “Araso. At least you’ve got Minseok with you. He is the only person who can control you once you’ve gone crazy for too much drink”

Chen looks down and once again looks out the window. “That’s it? You’re worried that I would know that you’re a carefree brat who attends too much party and that you abuse you kind hyung?” Chaerin smiles and peeks at Chen who has a blank face on.

Chen looks at her gives her a smile that she once has seen, that weak smile of his’ when he was at Chaerin’s door who is worried about visiting his parents alone. “Ahni..”

“Hyung!” Chen was out of his breathe as he runs towards Heechul who was by the Emergency Room’s door. “umma?...a-appa?” Chen can’t say the words right.

Heechul’s coat was covered with blood but has no wounds to be found. His eyes were red, but not a single shed of tear is found. Heechul takes a deep breath “Jongdae,” he places his hand on top of Chen’s head “from now on, we’ll be living with harabeoji”

Chen felt like all of his energy was taken away from him. He falls on his knees and utters “Andwae… andwae!”

Chen was staring blankly at the pictures of his parents as he was kneeling before it and accepting the condolences of the guests. His fingers digs into his thighs whenever he tries to accept the words of the people who says kind things about his parents or how much they know that the Kim household has lost fine people that they will forever remember.

“Jongdae,” Heechul whispers to him “Why won’t you just go in the canteen and serve some of our relatives. I know it’s hard for you to be here in accepting the condolences of our guest”

Chen just nods and goes over to the canteen. While helping prepare for the side dishes he overhears some of people at one table

“Did the older son really take care of the case of his parents?” a lady who has a too much make up on says with disbelief.

“Not only that! He was able to prove that it was not a car accident and there are people who really planned the whole thing!”

“Eh! I heard that it lacked witnesses since the road where they got killed is a countryside which is a remote place. Also, the killer doesn’t have a connection with them!” says the primly dressed man who is one of the Kim relatives.

“Wow. Heechul is indeed no joke. Did you hear the story why they are killed?”

“You see, the driver of the truck or the hitman admitted that a young man named Woo Injun asked him to follow that car for days and instructed him find a way in killing the people in it?” an ahjumma, who is over accessorized looking like she is attending a party, replied.

“What? It doesn’t make sense?”

“I know! But Heechul was smart, he discovered that the hitman is not well instructed on who to kill. All he has was the car and the plate.”

“And? What happened?”

“It turns out that this Woo Injun kid had a car accident because of the driver of the car and the driver did not bother to help him. Bad luck for the driver, that kid has a bad temper and is from a gang so that Injun kid did not let the accident slide off easily”

“So who was the real target?”

“It was then confirmed that the younger son was the real target.”

“The younger son? You mean the one rumoured that is not going to enter school of law.”

“Ehhh. That son? I heard that he is the complete opposite of his brother. Maybe he did not pass for the school of law?”

“There are even rumors that he was the one at the driver’s seat when that Injun kid got into an accident”

“Well this one is not a rumor, the reason why their parents is just having a burial now is because the younger son wanted the case to be solve first. Seriously, that kid needs to get his life together because his older brother is all prim and proper while he is like a wild animal on the loose.”

The moon reappears as the dark clouds pass, Chen sighs and looks at his trembling hands that are placed on his lap “I was the reason why they died… they were just mistaken. They did not die because someone who holds a grudge against them wanted them to die.” he covers his face with his trembling hands

“What’s worse is that they were in that countryside because it was my wish to have an outdoor gathering with my family days before my graduation and Heechul-hyung got to see appa and umma’s car that is already ran-over at that road… While I experienced nothing even if all of these are my fault”

“I shouldn’t have asked you that much questions” Chaerin is now standing infront of Chen. She can see tears fall even if Chen was covering his face. She sits on the floor and looks up to Chen “You should have asked me to stop. I was hoping that I could make you feel better by talking to you, but I just made things worst didn’t I?” Chaerin wraps her arms around Chen.

Her heart aches, seeing how much wounded Chen is. She’d never thought that the guy who always has a smile on and who is always ready to put a smile on her face is more wounded than she is. She realized how much she fears the world because of how insecure she is, while Chen has seen how cruel the world is yet he has a million times brighter smile than hers. Chaerin doesn’t know what to say. She doesn’t know if there are right words to say… all she did was hug Chen tight and make him forget that the darkness is still the one that reign the sky, and his life.

- - - - - E N D - - - - -

A/N:

Ahh... Mianhae for alot of things! (シ_ _)シ

For very late update (╯_╰”)

For being dramatic (╯_╰””)(but if you did not rerd that blog post.. please ignore it. But to those who has witnessed my crap & even messaged me [neh xNarya-sshi crying cause of your loveliness] THANK YOU~( ˘ ³˘)♥)

And for having a very dramatic, long & confusing chapter.  (╯_╰”””)

But just like I've told you, Chapter 15 is special because I wanted to capture the character who is like us. Neh, Chen is a wounded character who hides all of it (like us) but I promise that you could expect something better for him in the near future! Bright smile Chen Chen is not gone~kkk. ヽ（´ー｀）┌

I've mention this a lot of times & I will not stop--

Thank you for being the amazing readers that you are! O(<>'<>)O

Now tell me, what did you hate or love in this chapter? (/ω･＼)