“You're my only angel

You're my only angel

Ms sweety be my Mrs

I will make you mine. Girl be easy

You know you are driving me freaking crazy

I'm your No.1 fan!!!”

 

She shook her head helplessly as two girls in the background continued their butchered cover of the song, “Angel.” Seohyun looked at them one last time, trying so hard to keep the smile to herself as she used up her acting skills to deflate their hopes.

 

“Unnies, for the millionth time, I’m telling you, there’s nothing going on between us.” she explained.

 

Her two unnies looked at each other and laughed.

 

“And who are you trying to fool Seo Joohyun?” Hyoyeon asked.

 

“I’m not trying to fool anyone. I’m merely stating the truth. There’s nothing between me and Yong oppa. There n-never…” she defended.

 

“Don’t you say there’s never a “something” between you two because a girl wouldn’t give her first kiss to a random boy if said boy didn’t mean anything to her.” Yoona stated as she gave a cue which signaled the eldest lady in the room to blast out that Soyu-Junggigo song. Which, coincidentally or not, has become Seohyun’s anthem for quite some time now.

 

The two belted the lyrics as they teased the maknae. She could feel herself blushing to no end but she’s still adamant on keeping up with the denial.

 

“Now I know why our company put you two unnies in the dance line and not the vocal line. I strongly agree with their decision now.” Seohyun answered back, giggling.

 

The two immediately halted their “performance” to shout a unanimous, “YAH!!!” All three girls fell on their knees, holding their stomachs from laughing out loud. It’s been awhile since they’ve had this bonding and it feels good to be able to spend this time together before going on their respective Christmas vacations. Once the laughter died down, Seohyun wiped her tears and spoke up first.

 

“I’m serious unnies, there really isn’t anything between us…”

 

“Not yet at the moment but eventually, there will be. We all know it’s you and him in the end. Those who refuse to see otherwise are either blind or stupid. Period. BUT! What I don’t understand is why you two pabos are still not together.” Yoona added.

 

“I don’t understand why either..” Hyoyeon chimed.

 

The two were about to speak again but Seohyun held up her hand to interrupt.

 

“Can you please let me finish first? Hear me out, jebal.” She pleaded. The two nodded and made this gesture to zip their mouths shut.

 

“There’s nothing going on between Yong oppa and I.” Seohyun declared, hoping that the hint of her voice would signal the finality of this topic.

 

“But the songs he’s written as of late...” Yoona started again.

 

 “I don’t even want to think about those times I got carried away with the delusions that every title track or song that he’s composed pertained to me. Those break up songs included.” Seohyun thought to herself.

 

“Doesn’t necessarily have to be attributed to me.” she answered confidently, though she knows her voice quivered just a little bit.

 

“Fine. Then what about those times he picked up and hugged a Tamama doll during their concerts?” Hyoyeon reminded.

 

Again. That Tamama doll. It’s not that difficult to connect the dots especially if you’re an avid WGM fan (of the goguma couple specifically), a diehard Seomate, or perhaps even a dedicated hater of the YongSeo tandem.

 

“Could be fanservice. It’s not like it’s the only item he’s ever picked up.” Seohyun shrugged as she averted her gaze to the snow globe, hoping to hide the sadness in her eyes.
 

“Ideal type?” the two unnies chorused.

 

“He mentioned Kim Yuna countless times. Never once did he say it was me when our WGM ended.” she said. It’s not like she’d tell them about the disappointment she felt whenever he chose another girl over her, even for something as trivial as that.

 

“We all know that’s a very generic and safe answer. It’s the same as idols or actors picking uri Yoona or Kim Taehee or any of those supposedly “unattainable” celebrities just to cover up the real thing and avoid being asked about some specifics which, would probably give it away, hence, the career suicide.” Hyoyeon answered back. She mentally gave herself a high-five for being able to recall those endless lectures from their agency whenever they caught her dating.

 

“Then how about the clothes, accessories, and other items that screams “OMG! The YongSeo Couple is real!!! manse!!!”” Yoona squealed.

 

“Could be just coincidence…” Seohyun trailed off, though deep inside, she was partly curious too. Okay, maybe not just partly, but really really curious.

 

“Three times is the last draw for something to be considered as a “coincidence.” Yours my dear, surpassed that number eons ago. Can’t even keep track of it.” Hyoyeon said smugly.

 

“Well then, those are fan gifts! Of course it’ll be similar!” Seohyun said, exasperated. Stop unnies. Stop before I start believing in those things again…She thought.

 

Her two unnies shared this knowing look and patted her shoulder.

 

“Who are you trying to convince Hyunnie?” they asked.

 

Seohyun looked up to them, her big brown and clear eyes (the one they noted/shouted that uri “Yong seobang” would fall for any time of the day) and said stubbornly,

 

“The two of you.”

 

“Ne. It’s all just a “coincidence” or an “accident” per se.” Hyoyeon said.

“Yep. We totally believe you. Like, for real. Honestly.” Yoona added.

 

She didn’t miss the sarcasm and could only sigh as her unnies chuckled.

 

“We’ll pretend that Seo Joohyun is unaware that she met her soulmate when she joined that show. Who would’ve thought?” Hyoyeon continued.

 

“Soulmate? Nah. Uri maknae would disagree saying it’s unrealistic and what not. How about we say that uri Joohyunie believes that quote, “love is blind” because four years has passed and she still can’t see the obvious. Tsk.” Yoona said.

 

Knowing that there would be no end to this conversation, she picked up her coat, cap, mask, and bag. As she’s heading towards the door, she heard them ask,

 

“Where you going? Meeting up with your “soulmate” so soon? The day before Christmas? Omo!”

The squeals and jeers (add in the OST for this moment aka “Some” by Soyu-Junggigo) were enough for her to roll her eyes, smile, and replied with all the sass she’s got in her system,

 

“Last minute Christmas shopping…AND! I’m off to meet my “soulmate” as you say because I finally decided to stop pretending and open my eyes to the obvious.”

 

The two unnies gave her a thumbs up though they knew that she was just being sarcastic. It’s soon to be Christmas after all…there’s still twenty four hours left…but, maybe, just maybe, a miracle isn’t too far off.

 

 

 

 

When Seohyun said she was going on a last minute Christmas shopping, that wasn’t a lie. What she didn’t say was that she’s done buying gifts since two months ago. This day was solely for her. Everything she bought was just to cater to her own needs.

 

She thought she’s mastered the art of going undercover, that is, until she collided with a stranger and her cap fell down. Thankfully, her mask was still in place. She bowed in apology but before she could stand up and make her escape, she felt a hand on her arm. She thought of her options quickly.

 

1. She could scream and ask for help. Nope. Would attract attention. Not a chance. Next!
2. Politely ask the stranger to let go. He’d probably get curious why my face is covered. Can’t take a risk. Next!
3. Shrug it off harshly, say sorry, and run. Least risk. Perfect!

 

She was determined to put Option C into action when she heard his voice. No. This cannot be real. Not here. Not now. It must be a dream.

 

“Hyun?” he asked.

 

She recognized his voice immediately. She panicked but deep inside, she was happy. She tried to hide her face but before she knew it, she was staring into those beautiful brown eyes of his.

 

Sh*t. I never should’ve looked up. Get your cameras ready because any minute could spell disaster for Seo Joohyun. You wouldn’t want to miss this. Seohyun thought as she’s still trying to make her brain convince her heart to execute Option C.

 

“It really is you. I can’t believe it.” he smiled. To make things worse for her, Yonghwa lifted his mask down just to give her a glimpse of that toothy grin that broke all her defenses.

 

Why oh why does he have to torture me like this? And why am I still affected like a high school girl experiencing a crush for the first time?! Seohyun screamed in her mind. However, the thespian in her won as she was able to calmly come up with a reply.

 

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

 

“I was about to ask you the same thing.” Yonghwa answered.

Seohyun looked at him like he was some giant octopus stuck in a desert. Yonghwa felt puzzled for a second before he realized the gravity of that mistake.

 

Pabo Jung Yonghwa! It’s Seohyun. Seohyun and bookstores go hand-in-hand. Jung Yonghwa and bookstores? Jinjja? Who are you kidding? He thought.

 

Seohyun on the other hand was expecting him to answer coolly or shrug it off with a joke so seeing him become fidgety all of a sudden was a shock.

 

“I, uh…I…I’m…” he stuttered.

 

“You’re not…f-following m-me, a-re y-you?” Seohyun stuttered back, half hoping he was following her and the other half hoping for the opposite thing. Aish. Why can’t her mind and her heart agree on one thing?! Why does the two always have to be in an endless debate?

 

“Ani! I-uh…I was just walking around...and uh, some high school girls started to look at me or maybe recognize me so uh, before the chase or anything else began, I walked away quickly. They followed me first until I had to run and I, uh, I ended up h-hiding here. Yeah…” he lied. How can he tell her that he asked for his schedule to end earlier so he could find time to go to the bookstore to buy a certain novel?
 

It was a lie that anyone could easily believe in no matter how pathetic it may be. However, it was at this moment that some five year old kid ran into him, knocking him off balance, making the things he held scatter to the floor. The boy ran away and though he wanted to get mad, the boy’s mother (who looked like she was in her early twenties) apologized for her son’s behavior. He did grumble though as he tried to pick up his things while Seohyun helped him.

 

“Gone With the Wind?” she asked. He could probably hear the giggle in her voice.

 

He harshly snatched the novel from her and stashed it inside his backpack. He thought all was clear until she handed him the DVD of the movie adaptation of the same novel. If there was any moment he wished the earth would swallow him or if he had any teleportation (he’s been hanging around those EXO dudes for the “superpower” concept of theirs to rub in on him) abilities, he fervently wished it could be now.

 

Her discovery of the book was self-explanatory already, but a copy of the movie too? And isn’t it too much of a coincidence that she’s starring as the female lead in the Korean musical adaptation of it this coming new year? Why would a certain Jung Yonghwa bother to read such a book if Seo Joohyun doesn’t have anything to do with it at all? How can one cover that up? He didn’t say a word as his hands trembled when he took that DVD and shoved it inside his bag.

 

What he did instead was to channel his nervousness into irritation as he asked,

 

“Yeah so what? I’m…uh…It’s for…Aish. Why do I have to explain this to you? Besides, you still didn’t answer my question. What are you doing here?”

 

“I’m here to go check some new releases in the self-improvement genre.” She answered confidently. She thought she got the upper hand until she heard him ask,

 

“How long have you been searching?”

 

“Probably half an hour or more. Why?” she replied.

 

“Then what are you doing in the “Romance” section when the self-help books are on the far end of the opposite isle?”

 

She could practically hear his laughter. Though a mask covered her face, she knew her cheeks were heated red. It didn’t help either that she’s in the section of adult romance. She panicked and grabbed the first book she could.

 

“Didn’t know you’re into that genre.” He teased.

 

Her eyes did a quick glance at the book she held. Bared To You: A Crossfire Novel. This was the book her Fany unnie kept nagging her to give a chance whenever her Sunny unnie wouldn’t argue that Fifty Shades was the better one.

 

Her panic was replaced with curiosity when she asked back,

 

“And how do YOU know that this book is of that genre?”

 

It felt like a ping pong match with the two teams on an equal score, vying for victory. Before he could answer, the usual announcement was heard:

 

“Please do not leave your valuable things unattended. Thank you. Enjoy shopping and merry Christmas!”

 

The next thing she knew, she felt his hand holding hers. She looked at him accusingly, but he just shrugged and leaned closer to whisper,

 

“Didn’t you hear what they just said? To not leave your valuable things unattended?”

 

She felt that shiver in her spine as he interlaced their fingers and held on to her tighter. Now she knows why it’s never the same with other guys. It’s because when it comes to him, it’s never just about holding hands. It’s about that feeling, that security that you two belong to each other and that no matter what, there’s no letting go. That’s what this is all about. That’s what she knows he wants to convey to her. For the millionth time since she first held his hand that night on a fishpond, she knew that this gesture will always be her favorite skinship. More so that she shared it with him.

 

“What? Why are you looking at me like that? Yah! I’m just being the obedient citizen. There’s still 24 minutes to midnight, wanna go grab some coffee? Now don’t you say coffee is unhealthy because I saw your airport pics holding one when you were on your way to Japan.” He said as he tugged her and led her outside.

 

She chuckled as she nodded her head while he led the way. They didn’t make it to a café though because all were packed and the area was being surrounded by teenagers. They couldn’t risk being discovered so he decided to just walk her home. They spent the entire walk catching up to each other, and it felt like the distance never existed.

 

“And we’re here…” he announced.

 

She didn’t pay attention to what he was saying as she looked up, that peaceful angelic smile painted on her face as she said,

 

“Look. The snow is falling!”

 

He felt his heart beating incessantly and that’s when he knew that it’s her. It’s always been her. She’s it. His endgame. She has always been that to him ever since she walked inside MBC’s lobby that late night in February. He chuckled as he shook his head. How could he be so much of a coward and a pabo. All it took was twenty four minutes before he realized what he should’ve. That all along, they were two people in love with each other but still not together.

 

Perhaps, now is the time to change that. He decided.

 

“I love you.” he said, his voice so gentle and soft.

 

He thought she’d be scared and run away, but to his surprise, she looked right into his eyes as she said,

 

“I love you too.”

 

He couldn’t believe what he just heard so he lightly slapped himself just to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. She smiled at him so sweetly that made his knees turn into Jell-O. The kind of effect only Seo Joohyun has on him. He still didn’t make a move so she took it as her responsibility to wake him up from his trance by tugging his collar and brush the tips of their noses together before giving him a sweet, heart-melting kiss.

 

“Merry Christmas, Yo~ng. Goodnight.”

 

She didn’t even wait for a reply. She didn’t have to. Because twenty four hours after that, on the night of Christmas eve, Dispatch released photos of the Yongseo couple out on a date. She forgot that Dispatch has been on her trail for almost a year now. But it didn’t matter. SM and FNC confirmed the news right away adding the standard “they’ve been dating for four months” type of story in their official statements.

 

Her phone beeped endlessly and she laughed as she saw her unnies’ messages.

 

*KYAAA! I knew it! Yongseo is real!*

*So sneaky of you maknae! Going out on a date?!*

*I told you but you wouldn’t believe me! She went out to meet her soulmate!*

*Omo! That picture with the snowfall and the kiss! Kyaaa! So perfect! How could it look like a romance movie scenario?!!*

 

She didn’t get to read the rest as she heard her parents ask her to open the door for the guest. She felt herself blush as her Y~ong oppa stood there, holding a beautiful bouquet on one hand, while the other scratched the back of his head. He was nervous and she was falling in love with him even more.

She made way for him to come inside but before he took another step, he held out the bouquet to her, smiled that heart-dropping smile of his as he said,

 

“I didn’t get to reply yesterday. You ran out on me so fast…”

 

He leaned closer, kissed her cheek as he whispered,

 

“Merry Christmas Hy~un.”

 

 

 

The End.

 

 

Author’s Note:

 

Sorry for the delay but anyway, here it goes. Belated merry Christmas!!! :D