December – two months later.

Every year for his homeroom class, Mr. Jung always organized a Christmas party, and every year it took place at the small café his wife managed, which he would kindly ask her to close it for one evening for his homeroom class. The Christmas party was something the class would look forward to, and this was their second year doing it.

Hyunjung went last year, but she only remembered sitting at the back playing a card game with Eunsook and a few others while watching their other classmates sing karaoke. But already, Hyunjung felt that this year’s Christmas party was going to be different for her. Looking back, she was thankful for the friends she had gained, and the new feelings she experienced. And she thought back to how Jungkook gave her that little push, and even to her decision of deciding that Taehyung – who at the time was a new student – as the first person she’d ask to be her friend. Yes, she did hit him with her bag, but if she didn’t, the kind of relationship they had now wouldn’t have been the way it was now.

It was strange how the people who at first had hardly any importance to you, could become so important to you now. Hyunjung was so lucky, so thankful.

Thanks to her uncle, Hyunjung made the mistake of wearing a dress last year, and when she arrived at the party, she had been one of the few people to wear one. This year she was just going to wear fitted jeans with a knitted Christmas sweater her mom sent for her. Hyunjung was more than happy when she had first seen the smiling polar bear on it when it first arrived, and promised over the phone to her mom that she would wear it very soon.

Jungkook said that his dad would pick her up from her house so that they could go together, since they lived quite close anyway. And also because he knew her uncle was working that day and couldn’t take her there, and Jungkook didn’t want Hyunjung walking to the venue on her own.

She was sat in the living-room, and checked her mobile to read the text Jungkook just sent her, saying that he and his dad were on their way to her house to pick her up. Hyunjung slipped on her parka coat, then putting her mobile into one of her pockets. It wasn’t long until she heard a knock on the door and she stood to answer it. She undid the chain on the door and unlocked it, and there revealed Jungkook; cheeks pink from the cold with his hands ferreted in his jacket pockets, and although the beanie he wore covered half his ears, they were very much the same color as his cheeks.

“Hey,” he said with a breath, and Hyunjung immediately took him by the arm to stand closer to the door where it was warmer.

“Hi,” she replied with a small smile, “hang on, I’ll just go get my things.” Hyunjung padded back to the couch to get the bag of gifts she got for her friends and went back to the front door to put on her shoes. Jungkook stepped aside to let her out, as Hyunjung locked the door. When she put the key in the inside pocket of her coat, a pair of cold hands settled on her waist, whirling her round, and she found herself facing Jungkook who then encircled his arms around her to hold her closer.

“You okay?” he asked, and she nodded.

“How about you?”

“I’m alright, thanks,” he answered with a gradual grin. He pulled away to hold her hand tightly. “Let’s go.”

Jungkook led her down the path until they reached his dad’s car, and he opened the door for her. “Thank you,” Hyunjung said, and Jungkook sent her one last smile before rushing round the car to go on the other side.

“Hello, Hyunjung,” a voice greeted when she sat and shut the door.

“Good evening, Mr. Jeon,” was Hyunjung’s cheerful reply as she put on her seatbelt. Jungkook moved to the seat in the middle so he could sit closer to her.

“Seatbelts on?” Jungkook’s dad asked, turning to the back, and both Hyunjung and Jungkook nodded. Mr. Jeon started the car and they headed off.

Hyunjung had only met Jungkook’s dad a few times since he was usually working when she would visit, but from those few times she did meet him, she concluded that Jungkook’s dad was a kind and hardworking man who adored his family. When she had first met him, she could definitely see the striking resemblance between father and son.

The journey was a quiet one, with Jungkook talking to Hyunjung now and then in a low voice, to which she would reply in a quiet volume also. And at some point she laughed abruptly at a joke he told her, and she instantly quieted down when she realized how loud she was being.

“You two don’t have to be so secretive,” Jungkook’s dad said with a chuckle when he saw the surprised expression of the two from the rear-view mirror, “I know I’m here, but I’m not the principal or the – oh look! There’s a parking space.” He slowed the car down and began to reverse the car. Hyunjung dazed out the window, and felt a hand on hers. Jungkook fiddled with her fingers.

“Your hands are cold,” he whispered.

“I’m alright,” she assured, looking back at him, and Jungkook entwined her fingers with his.

“Better?” he asked. Hyunjung nodded slowly, and her smile matched with his.

Jungkook’s dad also smiled.

-

Parties were never really Taehyung’s thing. But if it wasn’t for Hyunjung and her unpersuasive but incessant pleas, he would have most likely be still at home.

Of course he knew that it was a Christmas party for all the people in his homeroom class, but if Taehyung were to speak from the dark, inner depths of his soul, he would – without a doubt – get a punch from Hyunjung.

But basically, he did not care. He barely knew any of the people in his homeroom.

But he also knew that wasn’t completely true. He just didn’t want to admit it.

Also he also had to admit, he liked the venue; from the Monet prints on the walls to the shiny wooden rectangle table tops.

“Hey Taehyung, do you want a drink?”

Taehyung blinked and turned to the voice. Jimin momentarily flicked his eyes to him then back to the menu. “What do you want? Orange juice, apple juice, and oh look –” Jimin slid the menu closer to him. “—they even have grapefruit and guava juice.”

Taehyung slid it back to him. “Just water is fine.”

Jimin’s brows creased. “Um, are you sure? They have hot chocolate and coffee if you wan—”

“Water’s fine.”

“But water is boring. You don’t even need to pay for it here.”

“And?”

Jimin sighed. “Bubble tea?”

“No, thanks.”

“Café au lait?”

“No.”

“Americano?”

“No.”

“Expresso romano?”

“No.”

“Macchiato?”

“No.”

Jimin’s brows fell lower. “Café sua da.”

“No. I just want water.”

“But they even have eggnog!” Jimin exclaimed, and shared a look with Hoseok who merely rolled his shoulders.

“If the guy wants water, just give him water,” he said.

 “Fine,” Jimin surrendered, and moved on to the others to ask what drink they wanted.

Hoseok clapped Taehyung hard on the back, which Taehyung was not prepared for, but Hoseok spoke before he could. “Jimin just doesn’t want you to waste such an opportunity. I mean, this is probably the only time of the year when he’ll buy his friends a drink without complaining.”

Taehyung flicked his eyes over at Jimin who was showing Yoongi the menu, before turning back to Hoseok again. “What happens at these parties anyway?” he asked.

“We just eat, chat. Some exchange gifts, etcetera.”

“That’s all?”

“Pretty much.”

Taehyung’s eyes would drift now and again to the distinct faces of his homeroom mates around the room. Much like in their homeroom class, they stayed in their friendship groups and huddled around tables. He watched how they all laughed and smiled with ease, and shared hugs as a greeting when one of their friends would arrive.

When Taehyung found something funny, the furthest reaction from him would be a twitch of the lips.

And Taehyung did not hug – ever.

Hoseok had gone to go to the restroom so Taehyung resumed to scanning the room again. When Taehyung had first arrived, he originally sat by himself on an empty table. But as soon as he was seen, he was pulled over by Hoseok and Jimin to sit at their table instead. Although he questioned why they joined multiple table together to make one big, long one, he could see why they did as more people had arrived. Taehyung rarely ever missed small details, but he had forgotten how many friends Jimin and Hoseok actually had. He was reminded of that after only a few minutes.

“So who’s not here yet?” Namjoon asked and put down the book he was reading to check for himself.

Taehyung played with a drink straw he found strayed on the table. Hyunjung and Jungkook.

“Jungkook and Hyunjung,” Jimin answered.

Jin checked the time on his phone. “I’m sure they’ll be here soon,” he said.

Yoongi scoffed and then chuckled. “In their own good time.”

The rest laughed a little, and Taehyung reached into his pocket to get out his phone and earphones. He only just lodged one of his earphones in when someone tugged them out, turned out it was Hoseok who returned from the restroom.

“What did I miss?” he asked as he sat down opposite.

Taehyung put the earphone back in his ear. “Not much.”

“Jungkook and Hyunjung are coming, aren’t they?” Jin said.

Hoseok nodded and took out his phone from his pocket and put on the self-camera. “Pretty sure they are.” He shifted his position so that everyone on their table could be shown on his phone screen. “Selca, secla!”

“Hang on—I’m not ready!” Jimin stood from his seat and hobbled closer to Hoseok.

“Hey! Watch where you’re –”

“Sorry, Yoongi.”

“Too late.” Hoseok had already taken the photo, much to Jimin’s dismay. Hoseok tilted his head and narrowed his eyes to look closely at the photo.

Yoongi noticed this, and rested an elbow on the table. “What is it?” The rest looked at Hoseok with anticipation. The corner of his lip jutted, and he showed them the photo.

Hoseok had zoomed in on Taehyung’s face. Taehyung glanced up and scowled.

Hoseok said with a laugh, “You’re the only one who’s not smiling. Even Jimin did, and he wasn’t even prepared.”  Taehyung’s brows fell low over his eyes, and he glanced back down at his phone.

“Whatever,” he muttered.

The door swung open, the cold inflowing the room and all heads turned.

“Sorry we’re late!”

A sly smile caught on Yoongi’s lips when he saw Hyunjung with Jungkook close behind her. “Actually,” he said slowly, “you two are just in time.”

Hyunjung sighed a breath of relief and grinned, her eyes bright and her cheeks flushed. “Really? That’s good!” Jungkook let go of her hand to shut the door.

“Geez, it’s so cold out there,” he commented as he did so, burying his hands in his pockets and following Hyunjung who had just placed her bag by the coat pegs.

A chuckle came from Namjoon. “Well it is winter.” Jungkook smirked playfully in return.

“Of course.”

Taehyung’s eyes met with Hyunjung as they approached. She smiled widely and waved to him.

“You actually came!” she exclaimed. Taehyung only nodded. He was tempted to say that she was the one who begged him to, but he decided against it.

Hyunjung’s posture suddenly straightened when she saw the sweater Jin wore. Her reaction was all too obvious, and Jin smiled at her. She had given him that sweater for his birthday, and she had been at first worried it wouldn’t be what he liked, so seeing him wear it was a massive relief to her. Jungkook placed a hand on her back to guide her where to sit.

“Jimin, please move over.” Jungkook didn’t even wait for him to shift, and Jimin rolled his eyes at his rush.

“Alright, golden boy, be patient. Hey Hoseok, can you please move –”

“Sure thing!”

“Seriously, guys, I’m being crushed over here,” Yoongi groused in protest, but no one seemed to be listening. He grumbled, “You know what, I’ll just move.” The commotion caused Hyunjung to stumble and suddenly plop onto her seat, and her knees bumped against someone else’s.

“Sorry,” she said quickly, and when she looked up, she was opposite with Taehyung. “Sorry, Taehy—”

“It’s fine,” he murmured briskly, and glanced back down at his phone as if nothing happened. Hyunjung blinked at him, but then nodded. She shifted in her seat, her eyes wandering around the room, and her feet tapped on the floor continuously.

Jungkook laid a comforting hand on her knee, and she stopped tapping. “You okay?”

“H-huh? Oh, it didn’t hurt.”

Jungkook furrowed his brows. “What did?” he asked.

Hyunjung wanted to slap herself. Of course that wasn’t what he was referring to. “O—oh, I meant – I—I’m fine. Thank you,” her words strung out. Hyunjung almost flinched in surprise when she looked up and her eyes met directly with Jungkook’s. She directed her eyes back down at the table, and slowly looked back at him again.

And he was still looking at her.

Was there something on her face? Hyunjung hoped not.

She only just realized how close everyone was in order for there to be room.

Which made her all the more nervous with Jungkook’s gaze. True that he did that a lot, but it didn’t mean she was used to it – especially when he wouldn’t stop looking at her. And most of the time she didn’t know why.

A small smile formed on Jungkook’s lips, and he placed his elbow on the table top, his chin resting in the cavity of his palm while with the other, he joined his hands with hers. Hyunjung remained still, even as he inched closer, closer until he stopped so that there was only a few centimetres space between them. Jungkook tightened his grip around her hand, and Hyunjung just wanted to hide.

“You two are adorable.”

The two slowly turned to Hoseok who was watching them in glee with both hands cupping his face. Everyone else on their table were also staring at him.

Yoongi rolled his eyes. “Stop being nosy,” he said, but Hoseok grinned, ignoring the impending pinkness of Hyunjung’s cheeks.

“Seriously though, I never would’ve thought Jungkook and Hyunjung would be together.”

Jin then added, “Well, this year has been full of surprises.”

“Sure has,” Jimin agreed, resting his hands behind his head. “I can’t believe this year is almost over.”

Hyunjung couldn’t believe it either. So much had happened that it would almost seem impossible at the start of the year. Her eyes drifted around the table at the people she somehow managed to befriend, and she smiled.

Jungkook still held her hand firmly. “What are you thinking of?” he asked in a low voice while everyone else continued to chat amongst themselves.

Hyunjung finally met her eyes with his, and at first didn’t know how to answer. Jungkook smiled, and even till now, Hyunjung still could never get tired of it. His smile was so natural, so charming – it was always something she admired – something she thought she’d only catch from the side-lines, but now she was able to see it up close.

Hyunjung reciprocated his smile, though it probably never would be able to match against his.

“Just how lucky I am,” was her reply.

-

“Here’s your damn water.”

“Thanks,” Taehyung replied, taking a sip from the glass in front of him.

“You’re welcome,” Jimin said with a restrained grumble. “But you sure are missing out.”

Taehyung didn’t say anything and continued to sip the water. While they waited for their pizza, a few had gone off to talk to their other classmates while they waited. And by a few meaning only Hoseok, Namjoon and Jin. But Hoseok was equivalent to three people if you considered how much that guy talked.

Meanwhile, Jungkook and Yoongi had just left to go the restroom, which left Taehyung, Jimin and Hyunjung alone on their table for the time being.

“Taehyung?”

He paused briefly and flicked his eyes to the voice. Hyunjung was watching him closely.

“Are you okay?” she asked. “You look bored.”

He immediately shook his head. “I’m fine. Just tired.”

She almost appeared apologetic, and Taehyung felt a stitch of guilt for not talking to her much. But Hyunjung tried her best to muster him a smile. “I really appreciate you coming, I hope you know that.”

Taehyung looked down at the water in his glass. It had been brought to him chilled, and he stared at the condensation beading the outside of the cup.

“Where are our pizzas? I’m so hungry,” Jimin complained, rubbing his tummy in discontent after he saw a waiter walk past with two pepperoni pizzas balanced on trays in his hands. Normally, Taehyung would tell him to stop whining, but they had been waiting for their pizzas to be ready for over twenty minutes – he was getting hungry too.

Huffing, Jimin leaned back on his chair and twirled the straw around in his coffee. He looked between Taehyung and Hyunjung. “So… Hyunjung, did you get anything for Jungkook?”

Hyunjung blinked at his look of curiosity. She hung her head. “N—no. I haven’t bought it yet.”

Jimin frowned and wished that he could take that question back. He was only meaning to start conversation, not make Hyunjung upset.

Taehyung’s brows furrowed. “You’ve got everyone else a gift, but not your own boyfriend?”

Hyunjung slouched and placed her elbow on the table, placing the side of her head on her palm. “I’ve thought about it for ages, but I just don’t know what to get him.”

Jimin pursed his lips together and moved closer to her. “Just don’t get him anything fancy or expensive. Jungkook would prefer if you got him something simple. Besides, receiving gifts aren’t something on his mind. Don’t worry so much over something small like that.”

This only made Hyunjung sigh.

She was grateful for Jimin’s words of reassurance, but she really wanted to get Jungkook a gift.

Jimin opened his mouth to speak, but he was interrupted by Taehyung.

“—Maybe you could bake something? Like a cake?”

Hyunjung lifted her head up and stared at him. She was surprised he’d even suggest that. “You know as well as I do that I can’t bake to save my life,” she said with a frown.

“But you’ve gotten better at it,” Jimin piped in. “And Jungkook loves sweet foods like cake,” he added with a grin.

Once again, Hyunjung sighed.

Taehyung observed her downcast expression, the subtle lines creased on her forehead as she furrowed her brows in thought. Although Taehyung complained a lot, and Hyunjung being the one to endure his blunt side-comments and harsh opinions, she still managed to remain indifferent by them, accepting the fact it was merely part of Taehyung’s character. But during the times when she was upset, Taehyung realized how much he preferred her when she smiled – when she was happy. Not like now when she was troubled over a trivial reason.

Taehyung cleared his throat, his eyes settling on the table’s surface. “Hey, idiot.”

Hyunjung looked up.

He continued when she didn’t say anything, “If Jungkook is the good boyfriend he is; he would be happy with what you’ve made for him. Even if it ended up being completely disastrous.”

Hyunjung blinked at him wonder, and Taehyung finally met her eyes, along with an ever so slight upturn of one corner of his mouth. “And I’m sure he would, because Jungkook is a good guy,” he said, firmly – definitely.

Hyunjung gulped visibly, and opened to speak, but then shut it, gulping again when she couldn’t salvage the right words.

“He’s right, you know,” Jimin added with an easy smile. “So don’t worry.”

A gradual curve formed on her lips. And that was all Taehyung needed as reassurance.

“Okay,” Hyunjung said with a nod.

“Good,” Taehyung returned.

Jimin grinned at the two, but it fell when his stomach began to give a low, churning, grumble. “You know, as glad I am that we’ve pretty much solved Hyunjung’s problem, I’m still hungry,” he admitted blatantly.

“Still complaining, are we now?”

Taehyung shifted in his seat and took a sip of water. Jimin and Hyunjung turned behind them and saw that Yoongi and Jungkook had returned from the restroom.  

Jimin rolled his shoulders as they sat back down. “Well, can you blame me? We’ve been waiting for ages.”

“We can wait a few more minutes,” Yoongi told him. Jimin dramatically threw his head back against the backrest of his chair.

“Fine.”

Taehyung took his phone out again while Jungkook and Hyunjung talked amongst themselves. He put an earphone on his ear so that he wouldn’t snoop in on their conversation. If it didn’t have anything to do with him, it wasn’t his business. But he couldn’t avoid sparing a few glances now and again at them. Some strands of Hyunjung’s hair would go loose, and Jungkook would tuck them behind her ear again. Jungkook would say something, and Hyunjung would give a small smile along with rosy cheeks. Taehyung noticed a lot of things, and he was long already aware of moments when Hyunjung was at her happiest. Being with Jungkook was one of them.

-

A few minutes passed swiftly, and Hoseok, Namjoon and Jin returned to the table – along with the noise and liveliness they had with them. It was suddenly the way it was when Hyunjung first arrived; animate, and above all, loud. Hyunjung was by now certain that Hoseok always had something to talk about.

“It was so quiet until they returned,” Yoongi murmured next to her while watching steadily at Hoseok who was imitating Park Bosung’s walk (which was actually pretty amusing).

Jimin was so distracted that he even forgot about his hunger, and joined in with Hoseok who was now doing an impression of Mr. Song. Jimin began scrunching up his face in such an exaggerated way that Hoseok took a breather, before chortling and dissolving in laughter, along with the others on their table.

Taehyung folded his arms and arched a brow at him. “You know you’re screwed if he finds out about this.”

Jimin waved him off. “He’s not here anyway.”

“Yeah, but someone could snitch on you.”

“Well they better not.” Jimin paused and pointed a finger at him. “You better not.”

Taehyung merely shrugged.

“Please don’t,” Jimin begged.

Hyunjung laughed a little at them, and turned to Jungkook who tapped her on the shoulder.

“You look like you’re having fun,” he said with a wide grin.

She reciprocated it and nodded. “I am. Thank you, Jungkook.”

Both his brows raised. “Why are you thanking me?”

“If it wasn’t for you, I probably wouldn’t be here. I wouldn’t have had such good friends by my side.” She gestured to everyone sat at the table, and then even over at Shinae who was only a few tables away. Among it all, you could still here Jimin arguing with Taehyung, and Hoseok’s background laughter, Yoongi’s grumbling, and Namjoon and Jin’s sudden conversation about the different theories of the universe.

Jungkook bit his lip in thought for a while, but shook his head. “True that I gave you a push, but in the end, it was all you. When I told you that day to just be straightforward and ask people to be your friend, you could have not followed my advice and continue to wait for something to happen. But you didn’t – you did something, and here you are.”

Hyunjung was about to say something in return, but quieted when Jungkook leaned in to press a haste kiss on her cheek. Jungkook tilted his head with a smirk. It was so subtle, but because of their close proximity, Hyunjung noticed it right away. She sulked to herself, and Jungkook chuckled when she did so.

Hoseok clapped his hands in glee. “Pizza’s here!”

Everyone on their table paused to look up at the waiter who began placing the trays of pizza down. Hyunjung gaped. There was a lot they had to eat.

“Thank the lord, finally!” Jimin cried.  He darted his eyes around the room. “Of course we had to be the last to be served,” he murmured.

Namjoon massaged his temples with a sigh. “Why are you still complaining about that? The pizza’s here now.”

“Yeah, but still.”

Hyunjung watched as everyone reached to the middle of the table to claim their slice. Once again, it reminded her of how lucky she was. But sitting back, she noticed something.

The place where she sat last year.

The table was still in the same position – in fact, it barely changed. In the corner where it could barely be noticed. It was where she sat with Eunsook last year because neither had a friendship group they could go sit with. Only difference was, that Hyunjung wasn’t sat there.

Eunsook had already began eating her pizza, and Hyunjung easily saw how nervous she was, from how her eyes would be fixed only to her plate, and from the way that she would shift in her seat every few seconds.

Hyunjung looked at Jungkook and then over at Eunsook.

A small part of her told her to leave Eunsook alone. A voice telling her that it wasn’t her business.

But Hyunjung didn’t want to leave Eunsook on her own for the rest of the evening.

No matter what the voices inside her head said against it.

Because if anything, Hyunjung understood.

Being alone with no one to accompany you was a horrible feeling.