“Oh my, it’s Yeollie baby! Sooyoung ah come and help me get a pic with darling here!” Hanmin waves her phone excitedly, placing her arm around the human-sized paper board of Park Chanyeol which she calls “Yeollie-baby”. Her friend sighs, “You took a picture with the exact same paper board yesterday…”

 

*snaps*

 

“Yeollie-baby you look awesome!” Hanmin squealed excitedly, checking the photo while tipping her toes as she struggled to put her arm around Yeollie-baby’s shoulders. Her affectionate actions towards the cardboard earned stares full of judgment from the staff of the outlet and passer-bys. Sooyoung rolled her eyes as Hanmin moved on to rub Yeollie-baby’s cheek, cleaning off dust, “Yeollie-baby stay clean! Why is your face so dusty!”

 

“Obviously he should be dusty, he’s a freaking paper board! Oh God, why am I her friend….” Sooyoung muttered under her breath, covering her face awkwardly as she tried the hardest to blend into the walls. 

 

“Yeollie-baby, I have to go now, it’s getting late… I will see you around! Don’t miss me too much!” Hanmin grinned a little widely at the motionless cardboard, waving vigorously. Sooyoung mentally lets out a sigh of relief, “Finally it’s over…”

 

Hanmin skipped to Sooyoung’s side, “Let’s go now!”

 

“God, you were so embarrassing Min…”

 

“Haha sorry, but how can I not say hi to my baby? He will be sad! He has been standing-“

 

“Yeah yeah, you’re right. Oh, look! It’s a poster!” Sooyoung frantically cut off Hanmin by changing the topic, not wanting to hear anymore of her nonsense. Hanmin moved closer to the poster and screamed, “Oh my, it’s not just any poster! It’s a poster of EXO! Oh my, oh my,” Hanmin scanned the poster and continued,” They are holding a Christmas fan-meeting!”

 

Sooyoung walked closer, “On the 25^th! I am going to get the tickets! Yippee, I will see my Jongin Oppa!”

 

Hanmin replied with a sigh, “Good for you. Mom’s never going to let me go…”

 

“Why don’t you try and ask again? The fan-meet’s tickets should be cheaper than the concert’s, maybe she will let you go! And you can see the real Chanyeol Oppa then! Not just the paper board thingy, but the real moving, gorgeous oppa! Hanmin, try asking!”

 

“Yeah, I guess you’re right, I will try asking tonight.” Hanmin smiled hopefully.

 

 

At the blink of an eye, Hanmin is standing in front of her mother, ready to ask her about the fan-meet. She is shivering slightly, fearful of her mother’s chiding.

 

“Yeah? Hanmin… I thought you wanted to say something…” Hanmin’s mom asked, hands placed on her waist with authority.

 

“Um.. mom, I want to go to EXO’s fan meeting! It is held on the 25^th, the day after tomorrow… please?” Hanmin asked, doing her best to pull a puppy face. She blinked innocently, praying. Mom, please, please say yes. Please.

 

“Hanmin, how many times have I told you? Those idols that you like, what were their names again? Egg-so? They are only there to your money! So Koo Hanmin, no matter how many times you ask, my answer to these concerts and fan meets, whatever, is no.”

 

“But please, mom. I really like them, no, I love them! You have to at least let me see them once!  And I-”

 

“Koo Hanmin, no. No still means no. Go back to your room and stop thinking about spending your money on those guys.” Hanmin could hear her mom’s serious tone. That was final.

 

She felt tears welling up in her eyes, but why? She had expected this…

 

I will meet my oppas one day. At all cost. She tells herself, Koo Hanmin, you can do this.

 

Feeling defeated, Hanmin plopped tiredly onto her rotating chair, sitting in front of her table. A long, frustrated sigh escaped - It’s Christmas in 3 days, her mom could have got her the fan meet tickets as a Christmas present. A Christmas present…?

 

She takes out a paper, a pen and an envelope, and starts writing…

 

Dear Santa,

 

It is that time of the year again, and I believe that you will come and give nice kids presents again, right? I am writing this letter to ask for something for Christmas, like the other kids. There is something I really want for this Christmas, and that is to meet EXO oppas…

 

Although I am not exactly a nice kid, but I hope you will consider letting me meet oppas, because my mom is very strict and never let me go to their concerts and fan meets. All my friends went for their concert, and only I never got to. That’s really sad, right?

 

Santa, I know you are very busy and sick of reading letters like this one. But I really really hope to meet them, especially Chanyeol oppa, I like him the most out of all the members. Maybe you could let us walk past each other at a shopping mall, or eat at the same restaurant coincidentally? Or work some of your magic…?

 

I will be really grateful if you grant my wish, and I promise I will be a nice kid next year as a repayment for your kindness! Thank you for all your hard work, although the other kids don’t believe in your existence, I have done so for all the past 15 years of my life, and will continue believing in you. To brighten your mood, here is a complimentary lollipop.

 

Thank you Santa, and Merry Christmas!

 

P.S. My address is No. 1107 Daegu Road, in case you want to drop anything for me. We have no chimney though, so maybe through the windows.

 

Yours sincerely

Koo Hanmin

 

Hanmin really shouldn’t be believing in Santas at this time and age, but she didn’t really care anymore. It was her last hope at meeting her Chanyeol oppa. Hanmin fishes out a Chupa Chups from her pocket, and placed it into the envelope, along with the folded letter. After making a nervous prayer hoping Santa does picks up her letter, Hanmin drops the envelope into her Christmas sock, which was hanging loosely on the handle of her closet.

 

Please, Santa. Please.

 

 

Hanmin wakes up with a start as golden rays of the sun pierced through her eyelids. She checked the time - ten-thirty in the morning. She wiggled out of her comfy blankets and immediately grabbed her jacket, keeping herself warm.

 

Before leaving for the toilet, Hanmin casually reached into the Christmas sock that was hanging lifelessly at her closet. Her eyes widened as her hand touches something – something that she didn’t place into the Christmas sock.

 

Her eyes widened as she removed the Christmas sock from the closet handle. Santa is working! Her heart leaped in excitement. Her eyes sparked with anticipation. What was inside the sock? A fan-meet entry ticket, perhaps? She would be super grateful.

 

She emptied the sock’s contents onto her table.

 

Her letter was gone, replaced by a red, soft object. Hanmin’s heart dropped - Not a fan-meet ticket… boohoo. Hanmin picked the red object up suspiciously.

 

A Christmas hat.

 

A rather familiar looking one, actually. Hanmin recognized it at once. She tried it on yesterday, at the 2-dollars shop at the mall.

 

She wrote a letter to Santa asking for a chance of a lifetime to meet her beloved Chanyeol oppa, and Santa replied with nothing but a 2-dollar Christmas hat. Hanmin rolled her eyes.

 

What is this? A prank? Once again, Santa has disappointed her. In the past years, Santa did not even reply her letters nor did he send her a present, and this year, Santa gave her a cheapo Christmas hat. She feels played, betrayed, stupid. So much for believing in Santa. Screw Santa.

 

With a heavy heart, Hanmin threw the Christmas sock and Christmas hat onto her bed and left for the toilet.

 

 

After getting cleaned up and changed, Hanmin sits down at the edge of her bed again. Santa could not have given her a Christmas hat out of the blue, there must be a reason. Unless he was really that cruel and mean. And Hanmin believed he wasn’t… Santa is supposed to bring joy to Christmas, right?

 

Did Santa hide the ticket in the hat? At the thought of that, Hanmin grabs the hat and flips it in-side-out excitedly, her heart running like an express train. Tickets, tickets, tickets…

 

Emptiness.

 

No ticket again.

 

Hanmin rolled her eyes, what was she expecting anyways? Which 15-year-old on earth still believes in damn Santa-freaking-Claus? She was just being childish, stupid, dumb. She was just lying to herself. She was just believing in something that never existed. Who the hell is Santa Claus anyway? It was just adults making up stories to make their children happy-

 

In the midst of imaginarily slapping her own cheeks and mentally chiding herself, something silvery, shiny at the side of the Christmas hat caught her eyes.

 

For the third time of the day, she picked up the red, furry Christmas hat. She examined the silvery sticker on the price tag carefully, and made out an EXO logo.

 

What?

 

She clearly remembered that the shop’s name was Parker’s House, not EXO… or maybe the hat was not from Parker’s House?

 

Her attention turned to the price tag – or maybe not a price tag after all. It was a list of instructions:

 

Instructions

Place on human-sized cardboard to turn him alive!

Note: Only effective on the night of Christmas Eve

Enjoy! :D

 

Hanmin blinked, confused. This wasn’t a cheapo Christmas hat after all. It was a cheapo Christmas hat with a ridiculous price tag. Human-sized cardboard? Hanmin literally laughed out loud, where do you find such cardboards anyways?

 

“Oh my…” Hanmin muttered, her hand covering , her laughter abruptly stopping as the answer came miraculously to her, “S…SPAO?”

 

Yes, Park Chanyeol’s cardboard outside of SPAO!

 

After sitting in the same position for 10 minutes, her hand still covering in disbelief, this is what she worked out: Santa did read her letter and he even knows of her habit of fangirling with the cardboard of Park Chanyeol outside of SPAO. Santa granted her wish and gave her this hat to turn Yeollie-baby alive. Santa… is a genius.

 

Or maybe she’s an idiot. She snapped out of her reverie, finally realizing that she has spent 10 minutes thinking about retarded .

 

 

“Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo!” The ugly cuckoo bird popped out of its ugly wooden house to report the current time: Seven o’clock on the night of Christmas Eve. Hanmin was sitting in her bed, dressed in a white long-sleeved crop tee with a festive graphic of a reindeer printed on it, a red skirt and a pair of black-and-white striped socks. She was clutching the Christmas hat in her sweaty hands.

 

I should at least give it a try. I have been retarded ever since I started writing to freaking Santa, so let’s go retarded all the way.

 

Hanmin has thought it through. She will give it a try. She will steal Yeollie-baby’s cardboard from the outlet, run to the girls’ loo, put the hat onto Yeollie-baby’s head, and if he turns real, she has a hat and sunglasses prepared for him – so other fans won’t recognize him and interrupt their precious time together. They would then sneak out of the loo and enjoy the best Christmas Eve ever.

 

With a determined nod to herself, Hanmin stuffed the Christmas hat into her stylish brown sling bag. After grabbing her jacket, she left her room.

 

“Mom, I am heading to Lotte Mall for desert with Sooyoung.”  Hanmin’s voice rang throughout the house.

 

“Okay, make sure you’re safe! Enjoy!” Hanmin’s mom’s reply rang throughout the house as well.

 

After a 5-minutes walk, Hanmin arrived at the SPAO outlet, and sees the Chanyeol cardboard standing outside the shop as usual.

 

“Baby!” Hanmin said, grinning happily at the cardboard stupidly. She looked around the mall to make sure no one was watching her. Everyone was paired up, whether it is with their lovers, or their friends, chattering away. If Santa is for real, I will be paired up too, Hanmin thinks to herself. She glanced into the outlet – the staffs are either busy refolding pieces of clothing that were messed up by shoppers, busy answer the customer’s questions, or busy fulfilling their cashier posts. The shop was busy on this festive nights, and the staffs rarely came near the outlet’s entrance. Hanmin glanced upwards for any CCTV, and finds none. Stupid shop, ha ha ha! Everyone was preoccupied on this peaceful night, and no one had a second to spare a glance at Hanmin. Everything was perfect for her plan.

 

Without a sound, Hanmin lifted the cardboard, and dashed for the loo. It was a bit difficult as the cardboard was made according to the actual height of Chanyeol, which was approximately 20 centimeters taller than Hanmin. Hanmin struggled to keep Yeollie-baby’s legs from being dragged on the dirty ground. It was tiring, but anything for my Yeollie-baby, she thought.

 

Along the way, she heard voices from all around her, “What’s with that girl…”

“Isn’t that the board from SPAO?” “Where did she get that board from?”

“Is she insane?”

 

But she reminded herself over and over again, anything for my Yeollie-baby. Even if that means getting looked at as a freaking weirdo.

 

Finally, she reached the loo. Phew, it’s empty. Hanmin brought the paperboard into one of the cubicles and locked the door. The cardboard stood in the female toilet cubicle awkwardly by the wall.

 

“It’s time, Yeollie-baby. It’s time to find out if Santa lied to me. It’s time to find out if this stupid hat works.” Hanmin fishes out the Christmas hat. She takes a deep breath, and closed her eyes to calm her nerves. Please. She prayed for the last time, “Please let the hat work.” If it doesn’t, all this would be in vain.

 

With shaky and sweaty hands, Hanmin gingerly placed the Christmas hat onto Yeollie-baby’s head.

 

Please.

 

Nothing happened.

 

Hanmin shut her eyes tightly, still not giving up. Her fists clenched tightly in desperation.

 

Please. Please. Please. Please.

 

Suddenly, a manly, husky voice echoed through the female’s, “Erm, excuse me, hello -“

 

Hanmin’s eyelids opened immediately at the familiar voice. Deep and sweet. Her heart’s melody. Park Chanyeol’s voice. She lifted her head, and finds…

 

“HOLY !” Hanmin’s voice rang loudly.

 

Park Chanyeol was towering over Hanmin by at least half a head. His huge eyes were staring down at hers, his mouth twisted into a smile. “Ello, I am Park Chanyeol from EXO. Congratulations on picking up the Christmas hat!”

 

“How did this happen…” Hanmin shook her head in disbelief. It worked?

 

“You placed the Christmas hat on my paperboard, didn’t you?” Chanyeol blinked, his brows turned into furrows of confusion.

 

“Yeah, I did.” Hanmin said, “Wow. Wow… Right, I did.”

 

“Great! Then let’s enjoy this night together!” Chanyeol grinned at Hanmin, causing Hanmin’s heart to melt into hot chocolate.

 

“Right, Chanyeol. Wait, can I call you Chanyeol? Or oppa is better?”

 

“Anything you’d like, erm… what’s your name?”

 

“O-Oh. I’m Hanmin. Koo Hanmin.” Hanmin smiled awkwardly, blushing profusely. She had never imagined her meeting with her dream boy to be this embarrassing, in a female toilet. Oh, right. They’re still in a female toilet!

 

“Oppa, we need to get you disguised and then get out of this place. Here.” Hanmin regained her composure quickly and handed Chanyeol her prepared cap and sunglasses.

 

“Thanks…” Chanyeol put on the items.

 

After a few awkward moments and some trouble, they fled from the female’s.

 

 

“Wah, it’s so cold…” Chanyeol shivered next to Hanmin as they walked side by side in the mall, just like any other couple.

 

“Oh, right! Oppa, let’s get you a jacket and a change of pants.” Hanmin mentally slapped herself for forgetting to bring Chanyeol one of her brother’s jacket. He was wearing a short sleeved t-shirt and shorts, for goodness sake! Dumb Hanmin!

 

Hanmin had to make sure that they avoid appearing in front of the SPAO outlet, so they grabbed Chanyeol some clothes from A&F nearby, he changed, and they’re settled. (Chanyeol paid with his credit card which he fished out of his pocket.)

 

“So, my princess, where would you like to go?” Chanyeol smiled at Hanmin, his dark brown orbs consuming hers.

 

Hanmin has mentally fainted a thousand times. Chanyeol called her his princess! She’s his goddamned princess! Kyaaa!

 

“Oppa, if you’d like some cakes, there is a café nearby that has super delicious cakes.” Hanmin replied with a shy smile. She prayed to God, Please let me be pretty right now so Chanyeol oppa likes me…

 

“Sure, let’s go there, then!” Chanyeol grinned at Hanmin again. Hanmin creates a whole new level of blushing. Oh my God.

 

 

The pair ordered a double chocolate mousse each, and sat down at a table by the window. It was snowing outside.

 

“This weather is perfect for Christmas!” Chanyeol chirped happily.

 

What a cutie!

 

“I agree, oppa! Anyway, there is something that I am really curious about…”

 

“Ask away, Hanmin!”

 

“Well, just now when the magic… I mean when you came alive- I mean…”

 

“When I appeared? It was a bonus treat for the fans that EXO has planned with Santa… Each of us have a cardboard representing us scattered around the earth. And Santa charmed a Christmas hat for each of the members. The Christmas hats were then distributed through Santa to fan girls like you. When the right Christmas hat is placed on the right cardboard, then boom, the respective member appears. Talking about that… We are really fated!” Chanyeol mused excitedly.

 

“Wow… You mean that there is only one Christmas hat that would work for each member?” Hanmin asked. She has been smiling a little too widely like an idiot since the minute Yeol appeared in front of her, and she was quite sure that her face muscles would ache tomorrow. But she cannot stop smiling. He was just…. Just perfect.

 

“Yeah. And also, the hat only works tonight.”

 

“I guess we are really fated!” Hanmin grinned. Chanyeol grinned back. Hanmin notes that her oppa’s even more handsome than he is in posters and MVs.

 

“So, who is your bias in EXO?” Chanyeol asked, curious.

 

“Of course it’s you, oppa! I fell in love with you the moment you appeared on screen in MAMA music video. You looked really adorable then, your eyes so huge and innocent-looking, although I admit your hair was weird… And I fell even harder for you when ‘Wolf’ was released, your voice’s so y…” Hanmin loses herself fan-girling, and suddenly become extremely self-conscious, “I mean… I like you the most. Hehe!” Hanmin let out a small giggle, still blushing like crazy. She did not have a mirror, but she was quite sure her face was going to turn purple from blushing too much soon.

 

“Ha ha ha! I feel so loved! Thank you, Hanmin.” Chanyeol laughed at Hanmin’s actions of fan-girling.

 

“All of us fans love you guys crazily! This kind of love cannot be translated into words – that would not do justice to it. Just know that we love you like crazy! I do, oppa, I just want to hug you to sleep everyday…. No, no, I mean… yeah. I love you. As an idol.” Hanmin ended off awkwardly. What on earth is she blabbering about? Oh my God Chanyeol is going to think that she is incapable of expressing herself, she is so retarded.

 

Chanyeol’s laughter were like sprinkles of the spring’s rain, watering the blossoms of crazy love in Hanmin’s heart. She feels like the happiest person ever alive. This is beyond surreal. Park Chanyeol, her prince, her love, her Yeollie-baby, is sitting across her, enjoying chocolate mousses with her.

 

This has got to be the best-est-est day of her entire life.

 

“Hanmin, thank you so so much for the love. I really love you too! I will never forget this night, 24^th December 2014. I will never forget you, Hanmin. The crazy, lovely girl who wants to hug me to sleep.” Chanyeol said, although it sounds like a joke, he was sincere.

 

Hanmin’s heart scrunched up.

 

“Oppa…” Hanmin felt tears welling up in her eyes. Not now, stupid tear ducts!

Why did she feel like crying…? It was too late. A big, fat drop of tear has fell upon her cheek. She immediately covered her face, not wanting to show her ugly, teary side to Chanyeol. Ugly sobs escaped Hanmin’s mouth.

 

“Hey, don’t cry! I am really bad with crying girls… you know?” Chanyeol said, riffling Hanmin’s fringe gently.

 

“Th-thank you. For everything. For being EXO. For being Chanyeol, oppa. Thank you.” Hanmin managed after her sobs died down a little.

 

“Thank you for being our light, Hanmin. I will remember us.” Chanyeol said, feeling a little warm and fuzzy inside as well.

 

“Me too.”

 

 

“At the twinkling stars all night
We softly smiled
Under the tree, without anyone knowing
I hid my heart as you held my hand

After going around the earth a few times, I met you again
Only you held me so warmly

A white snow that resembles you falls
It builds up cozily
And disappears like snow melting in the cold winter”

 

 

[A/N: The end! Thank you for reading =) By the way, the beautiful lyrics that ended the story is from EXO's December, 2014 (The Winter's Tale)! I really like the song <3  This story was definitely fun to write, and during the process of writing it, my love for Chanyeol has definitely increased a lot XD. (He was already my bias in EXO tho <3) Let me know what you guys think about the story, because I am currently thinking of a small epilogue ;) and also, I am currently writing another story here http://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/849104/the-eye-of-the-thunderstorm-fluff-jinhwan-supernatural-donghyuk-ikon featuring iKON's Donghyuk and Jinhwan and OC, please check it out when you're free! ^^" Again, thank you for reading this story and have a merry christmas! xoxo <3]