He ran around rousing the sleepy assassins and even went as far as banging on pans. Yet still the noise didn’t wake them up. Looks like everyone slept in.

It was only when Kyungsoo felt arms wrapped around his waist that the assassins woke up. No it wasn’t then. It was when Kyungsoo screamed that they all woke up. Like in the dream, Kyungsoo turned, completely not expecting Jongin but, expecting reality. And the closest to reality he had expected was a sleepy Luhan. He was greeted with the complete opposite.

Pans dropped to the the floor in a clutter. Jongin startled till he was pressed against the wall, his ears pulsing, by Kyungsoo’s scream and the roused assassins bombarding the doe eyed boy with frantic questions. When they noticed Jongin on the wall another range of screams flew from their mouths, joined later by the unwelcomed assassins that were supposed to be still out. Well, they weren’t screaming, but rather yelling.

“What the hell is up with all this screaming?” Kris yelled over the noise.

“It’s too early in the morning!” Jongdae groaned. “Shuddup people!!” He added with his terrible English.

“You shuddup, Kim Jongdae!” Minseok yelled back as he finished screaming. His English being no better.

"You both shut up!!" Kris growled over them with his perfect English but slurred Korean. "What the hell is up with all this commotion?!"

"How could you even ask?!" Joonmyeon yelled at him completely annoyed. "When did you guys come back? And you, Jongin. What the hell did you do?” He went to Kyungsoo’s side, patting his face softly. The doe eyed boy was completely dazed. “Kyungsoo you okay?”

“I’m not dreaming again right?”

~

“That was the worst way Kyungsoo had ever woke us up,” Sehun deadpanned as everyone sat down for breakfast, which now included bowls of last minute cereal and orange juice.

“Hey don’t blame him!” Jongin defended with a pout after stuffing his mouth full; he had the luxury of eating Kyungsoo’s breakfast.

“Oh right, cause it’s partially your fault, .” Sehun rolled his tired and bloodshot eyes.

“I didn’t think he would be so scared,” Jongin’s eyes were cast down on his breakfast as he munched on his breakfast, guilty. Kyungsoo ate his cereal silently and opted to stay out of their childish disputes.

“You don’t ever think,” Zitao complained. His bags were darker than usual and was super grouchy; he didn’t deserve the scare of his life with Kyungsoo’s bloody scream either. It sounded like a scream from a horror movie. “Who wouldn’t scream when you guys aren’t even supposed to be home?”

“Blame that idiot.” Kris grumbled; his eyes were barely holding up. Yixing to his left, though, offered no attempt to hold up his eyes.

Breakfast was full of complaints here and there. Some remained quiet, drowsiness still in their systems. Chanyeol, being one of the exhausted ones since they came home so late, couldn’t even lift a finger. Baekhyun ended up feeding for two mouths that morning.

After breakfast, everything was quiet. Kris, Jongin, and Chanyeol returned to bed for nap; which was reasonable since they’ve only slept barely 4 hours. Jongdae crawled onto one of the couches and dozed off; Minseok his auburn hair as he watched their TV screen. Sehun on the other hand got his promised bubble tea and was too hyperactive for sleep. Kyungsoo joined Jongin in his room, snuggled into the younger’s toned arms, after he did laundry for his housemates. Joonmyeon, being the dedicated vice of the headquarters, headed to the command rooms with the rest and reluctantly, a clingy Sehun. Baekhyun landed a soft kiss on the side of Chanyeol’s eye before he left. A quiet ‘I missed you’ whispered into the air.

~

Towards the end of the day, as the sun rose to its highest in the sky, Kyungsoo woke up alarmed. Jongin’s arms still wrapped around his waist.

It was Christmas Eve; and more than half of the day went by consumed by sleep.

The doe eyed boy unwrapped himself from the sleeping boy’s arms. He decided the most he could do for these assassins on such a holiday would be to fix up a feast. As he walked by the living room, he caught two sleeping males curled into the other. Kyungsoo made an errand to grab them a large blanket and setting it over there bodies. Being an assassin was tough and exhausting work.

He left a note on the kitchen counter after checking their food supply explaining his trip to the supermarket. Coincidentally, as he was putting his shoes on, Zitao returned from the headquarters.

“Oh, you’re going somewhere?”

“Yeah,” The shorter boy replied, his eyes were still focused on tying his shoes. “Buying groceries.”

“Can I come too?” The panda-like boy asked with a hint of excitement.

“Sure, tag along.”

“I’ll go grab extra money,” Kyungsoo watched from the entrance, as the younger boy ran to his room, his shoes scattered messily at Kyungsoo’s foot.

~

“Kris!! Kris!” Kyungsoo’s voice blared into his ear.

“What?” A sleepy groan replied through the receiver.

“I lost Zitao!” Kyungsoo was panicking. He couldn’t believe the younger would disappear barely thirty minutes after arriving at the shopping center. Never did he think he could actually lose an assassin!

“Are you guys out shopping?” Kris asked. He struggled hard to adjust his eyes to the orange sunlight entering through his bedroom window. Hearing a quick ‘yes’ from Kyungsoo, the head of assassins continued, “Have you walked by any designer stores?” Another ‘yes’ was heard. “Check them. I’m going back to sleep now okay?” Before he could though, Kyungsoo yelled into his ears.

“Zitao!! I found him, Kris!” The said male groaned a congratulatory response; then he hung up.

~

It was about five when Kyungsoo returned with hands full of bags. Zitao entered the house behind him, carrying the same amount- if not more. Everyone was up by then. The living room was crowded with assassins scurrying over another to wrap their prepared gifts. A Christmas tree was set up in the corner of the room; the lights already lit and ornaments already decorated the evergreens, It was a surprising sight to see. Only three hours ago, Kris was still sleeping. But not he was up like any other assassin in the room. He was struggling with gift wrap in fact. Everyone was gathered together.

“Soo!” Jongin yelled from the floor as he saw the said boy enter. “Tao, you’re back! Whoa! What is all this?” Jongin almost ran over, immediately taking a few bags to dig into.

Chanyeol and Luhan joined in with Jongin’s digging through the bags, while Yixing offered to help cook.

In the end, dinner was fixed with everyone’s help (no one could actually escape anyway).

“Merry Christmas!” The night was filled with laughter.

~

Christmas morning has finally arrived. Kyungsoo woke up to Jongin’s warmth missing from his side of the bed. Not minding it too much since he could hear someone in their bathroom, Kyungsoo went to the kitchen for a cup of refreshing water.

It didn’t surprise him to find the latter joining him in the kitchen, arms wrapped around he waist like deja vu a while after.

“Morning,” Jongin breathed against the elder’s neck. His voice was rich and velvety from sleep. It sounded raw. This voice was the only voice Kyungsoo heard alone. It was special.

The smaller boy turned and landed a kiss on Jongin’s pouted lips. It was a chaste and gentle.

“Do you want some water first?” Kyungsoo asked as he draped his arms around the sleepy boy.

Jongin hummed softly and forced his eyes open, greeting Kyungsoo with his rich, caramel brown eyes. With just that pair of sleepy eyes, Kyungsoo melted. This was exactly why he fell in love with Jongin. His beautiful eyes emitted so much emotion, so much love that it was impossible not to do the same.

Jongin’s gaze fell on Kyungsoo’s full lips. Almost as if asking for (unnecessary) permission, Jongin leaned in slowly, casting his slow breath on the tops of Kyungsoo’s lips.

“I love you,” He sealed it with a kiss.

~

Marriage, Jongin had always thought as a super important occasion. Perfection was an requirement. Even every step towards it should be perfect. When Jongin was a kid, he made up a long list of things he wanted to do leading up to his marriage. A list of steps and rules were made too.

But life wasn’t decided just like that. It didn’t matter how well Jongin planned, fate decided how things actually went.

The first violation on his list was his own feelings for a boy. As a kid, growing up to love a wife was what he had expected. His heart, though, swayed towards a boy and at first sight. Jongin met this boy amongst his group of middle school friends. His first love and his only.

It didn’t stop there though; violations occurred one after another.

He wasn’t supposed to kiss anyone without permission, especially not when they weren’t in any sort of relationship. Yet he did. Jongin kissed Kyungsoo for the first time till he was out of breath.

Jongin wasn’t supposed to graduate without his love. Yet, again, he did. Kyungsoo graduated a year before him.

He wasn’t suppose to move into an apartment building. Yet he did, and made significant memories, happy and sad, there with no one other than Kyungsoo.

Becoming an assassin wasn’t on his list either.

Making Kyungsoo cry neither.

Making Kyungsoo suffer wasn’t supposed to happen.

Moving into a house shared with ten other assassins was just a child’s naive dream.

Yet, they all happened.

Everything happened opposing to Jongin’s plans.

And that Christmas, he broke another rule.

“Kyungsoo,” Jongin began; he fell on his knees. Raising one he continued, “Will you marry me?”

Jongin always wanted his wedding on a warm day. His engagement just a month before.

But the best gift, he decided, was to officially make Kyungsoo his.

A squeal answered him. Then tears, and finally a kiss.