“All I want for Christmas is you.”- Mariah Carey.

Three friends sat on the heated wooden floor of the private room, the subtle scent of jasmine and Japanese cuisine tantalizing their noses.

Weeks had passed since Chaerin agreed to join aboard the Peace Minus One ship and before everyone knew, they were leading up to the week to Christmas.

Jiyong took a sip of his steaming green tea, fiddling with his phone distractedly, only to snap his head up in a scowl as his companion snatched his phone away.

“Give me that.”

Seungri rolled his eyes, unperturbed by the other man’s grouchiness.

“Seriously, it’s been so long since we’ve hung out and all you’re doing is playing with your phone, I’m hurt.”

Jiyong rolled his eyes at Seungri’s mock pout, that man was ridiculous.

Youngbae snorted at his friend’s apparent mood, “Don’t mind him, he’s just moody because he doesn’t get to enjoy his usual lunch date today.”

Seungri perked up at that, “Date?”

Jiyong groaned internally at the twinkle in Seungri’s eyes; looking very much so like a dog who had gotten a whiff of something juicy.

Youngbae nodded as he smiled evilly, looking positively devious.

Seungri huddled closer to Jiyong, uncaring of the attempts made by the other man to keep his distance, “Hyung, you’re dating?” asked Seungri in disbelief. As far as he’s concerned, Kwon Jiyong did not date, ever.

Only to have his jaw slacken when Jiyong didn’t bother denying; it was as close as to a yes Seungri could get from the man, before clutching his heart dramatically, “Daebak. So this is why you haven’t been hitting the clubs recently. How could you not tell me?!”

Jiyong rolled his eyes at Seungri’s whine only to grunt in displeasure as Seungri latched onto his arm, chanting a mantra of “Who is she? Tell me, tell me, tell me!”

Jiyong fought the urge to smack the man, wondering why he had bothered to be friends with the rat over the years as Seungri continued pestering him. Youngbae was right, Lee Seungri was pesky.

Seungri paused, his nose wrinkling in disgust as though realizing something, “It’s not Kiko, is it?” only to sigh in relief when both Jiyong and Youngbae gave him disgusted looks in return. Good, Seungri wasn’t certain if he could stomach the idea of his favorite person actually dating someone so… vile.

Seungri pouted even more at Jiyong’s silence, mock tears building in his eyes, before giving a dramatic declaration, “You no longer like me anymore hyung! Am I not your friend no more?”

Jiyng groaned at the words, feeling the stirrings of guilt, slightly despising himself for being so easily manipulated. “She’s just someone from the office.”

And Youngbae merely cocked his brow at Jiyong’s muttered answer. Seriously? Tsch, what lies.

Seungri brighten considerably after Jiyong bothered answering him, “Oooo is she pretty? Is she nice? What’s she like? She definitely must be pretty for you to even consider dating her. And wow, an office romance, oooo scandalous, I likey....” contemplated Seungri as he mused out loud.

“Do I get to meet her?” asked Seungri, looking very much so like an innocent kitten staring up to its favorite owner.

Jiyong eyed his flirtatious friend, the same friend who was trying his best to look as demure as possible.

“No.” deadpanned Jiyong, which triggered another bout of whining from Seungri that Jiyong religiously ignored. Youngbae laughed, it felt good to have the sort of resemblance of normalcy that others always had.

Seungri huffed, knowing that Jiyong wouldn’t budge before giving up with a resigned sigh. “Guess that means you won’t be joining us on our yearly quest to the hunt for naughty elves this Christmas?” said Seungri hopefully, only to be let down when Jiyong merely chewed on his sushi calmly. Yep, that’s definitely a no.

Pouting slightly, Seungri surveyed the other man across the table, “Do you want to join me instead?”

Youngbae stared at Seungri in surprise, “Me?”

Seungri nodded as he crossed his arms, “You’re not as great as a partner as Jiyong is but you’ll do.”

“Thanks.” drawled Youngbae sarcastically as he dipped his tuna into the wasabi.

Seungri nodded, feeling rather proud of himself, “It is the season of giving after all. Just take it as me doing my part in giving back. You need to get laid before you die a ghost.”

Huffing, Youngbae rolled his eyes, “I’ll have you know I’ve a date on Christmas you brat.”

At that proclamation, both Jiyong and Seungri stared at Youngbae with their jaws wide open. A date? Youngbae? On Christmas no less.

“What?” asked Youngbae self-consciously, “I do actually go on dates yknow.”

Seungri cleared his throat before looking at the man seriously, “You do know that being with blow up dolls doesn’t count as a date right?”

Jiyong laughed as Youngbae threw a sushi at Seungri, “Assh*le.”

Seungri shrugged, unfazed, before turning to Jiyong once more, a slight pout on his face, “Hyung, are we really not going to spend Christmas together at all? It’s going to be the first in years! Can’t I drop by and spend time with you and pretty noona?”

Jiyong grunted at Seungri’s choice of nickname just as Youngbae spoke, “Don’t forget you’ve a dinner scheduled with the Mizuhara family on the day of Christmas. Your father specifically called to remind you before taking off to Europe with your mother.”

Jiyong frowned at the reminder. He had forgotten about that.

Seungri stared at Jiyong, a sense of awe colouring his tone, “Woah hyung, two women on a day like Christmas? Does pretty noona not mind sharing?”

Jiyong’s frown deepen. It wasn’t as though the girl and him had made any plans for that day, but hearing what Seungri said made him queasy, it felt wrong. Like he was cheating on the girl. But that didn’t make sense right? Considering they weren’t in a relationship… were they? Just what were they exactly? Was there a need for labels? Does he want a label? And more importantly, does she?

Jiyong shook his head at that. It hadn’t helped his case that he has yet to mention to the girl the interesting tidbit of him having a fiance. He had tried telling himself that that was because there was no opportune timing to bring it up despite the numerous lunches they had shared thus far, but deep down, Jiyong knew it was because a part of him was afraid that he would lose the girl the moment she knew. He couldn’t bear not being able to spend his lunches with her. Neither could he risk losing her smiles nor the rare moments where she was particularly playful towards him. He didn’t think he could stomach the idea of her putting distance between them.

Jiyong sighed. He wasn’t being fair, he knew it. He was selfish, incredibly so. The girl wasn’t a second fiddle to Kiko, nor an easy side piece. It wasn’t fair to make her the ‘other woman’ whether she knew or not, not when she’s the first person he wished to see whenever he stepped foot in the office (or their shared corridor for that matter), the one person he would like to spend his free time with.

Jiyong averted his gaze from Youngbae’s knowing one. He couldn’t afford to delve into that just yet. Not when he wasn’t the slightest bit prepared. Not when he doesn’t know which page the girl was exactly on. And so for now, things shall remain status quo. They were friends, friends who have lunch almost everyday, and that was enough for now… right?

Jiyong shrugged noncommittally when Youngbae merely continued staring at him. He had heard the man, but that doesn’t mean he would make a promise to commit to showing up. Not when there’s a chance he wouldn’t. Jiyong was a man who honours his words no matter how trivial they seem.

Because at the end of the day, if it ever boils down to making a choice, Jiyong knew who he would choose. And that choice scared the man, terribly so, knowing just how much he was willing to risk, for one more smile, for one more day to have her by his side.

Yoona slurped on her warm latte joyfully as she and Daesung exited the elevator, chuckling over a joke Daesung made. She and Daesung had spent their lunch break together at a nearby Mexican place eating tacos, cracking jokes and making small talks over the past hour; deviating from her usual lunch setup since Jiyong had to show up for a lunch get-together put together by one of his friends. Lunch was different today but it had been nice. Yoona fought a chuckle as she recalled how Youngbae had to drag, quite literally so, their reluctant boss out of the office and to the Japanese restaurant they were supposed to head to.

Sharing a laugh, the duo entered the office premises, o