------------" E n e m i e s  T o  L o v e r s "------------ [Part one]

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  It’s that time of year again… isn’t it?

  Christmas trees are put up… candles are lit… mistletoes are hung… houses are decorated… LED lights are everywhere… The holiday spirit is in the air and Father Christmas is getting ready for the big day. It’s the one time of the year that people spend horrendous amount of money on gifts and decorations for the Winter holiday.

  Money is being saved up, wish lists are being made, secret santas have been assigned and picked, and shopping is in the air. It’s gotten to sweater weather… then jacket weather… then finally to heavy coat weather as the days get deeper into December. It’s also the perfect weather for love to wake in the air as well.

  Couples spend days cuddling in front of the fireplace under a warm blanket, sipping hot chocolate in a coffee shop or at home, walking around the mall hand-in-hand, and leaving warm kisses everywhere against the cold. If you want to confess to someone you’ve had your eyes on for a while, Winter would probably have to be the best season to confess, since the cold can bring anyone together… neighbors… exes… ex-best friends… step-mothers and fathers… grandparents… siblings… boyfriend… girlfriend… and even enemies.

  you held a piece of paper in her hands as she checked off everything she had already and had already bought. She bit the bottom of her lips as she stopped to the side to read what was left on the wish list. Blinking, she eyed the last item on her niece’s wish list.

  “Okay… she wants a unicorn stuffed animal…” she muttered before stuffing the paper into her heavy jacket pocket. While walking along the sidewalk of the outlet mall, she window shopped a bit, looking from the outside in at the same time as finding the last needed item on the list.

  you rubbed her hands together and slowly breathed on them for warmth as she looked around. There were people everywhere spending almost every penny in their wallets for Christmas in a couple days. Amongst those people were mostly couples on dates or window shopping.

  She envied them. Ever since she broke up with her boyfriend two years ago, exactly on Christmas Eve, she vowed never to celebrate it ever again and wanted nothing to do with it. After a year of not celebrating it, some certain new people she met convinced her to celebrate it this year.

  Her heart ached as she saw the couples holding hands… giggling… cooing… and even kissing. Heck, she was disgusted but still envious at the same time. The only thing closest to being a couple with her would have to be her Siberian Husky, Fang, who she adopted a couple months before during the Summer.

  Her best friend had a crush who liked her back… her cousin had a boyfriend… even her younger sister had a crush who she was gonna confess to with chocolate and a teddy bear as if it were Valentine’s day. She had no one.

  Others would see it differently though.

  Since she broke up with her boyfriend, her best friend made her make new friends and those new friends ended up being the closest people she ever cared about. … But one of them… she didn’t care about whatsoever. They were the ultimate enemies. They hated one another after a conflict that happened and every time they saw one another, it was like watching a vicious puppy go up against a sensitive big dog.

  People always paired them together and it ended up turning them into the ‘ideal couple’. It was their title together and of course, both were annoyed of it.

  Besides, he had a girlfriend and she had no one. It wasn’t right to pair two enemies, one with a lover and one without, together. At least that’s what both of them thought.

  “Man… why in the world did I get him…? Does the world hate me or what?” she muttered as she felt another piece of paper in her pocket. The whole group decided to do their own Secret Santa that year and you had chosen the one guy she wished she didn’t get. He had filled the whole list from numbers one to ten and boy were they quite expensive.

  “Why didn’t Joonmyun-oppa get him? Why me?! I don’t have a load of cash like he does… Geez… my whole wallet is going to be eaten empty by the end of the day…”

  you finally reached a gift store where there were tons of stuffed animals, cards, gifts, and gift bags inside (hence it was a gift shop after all) , and opened the door, then walked into the warm store.

  “Welcome!” the cashier smiled. “How are you?”

  “I’m good, thank you,” she smiled back.

  “Is there anything specific you’re looking for?” the cashier blinked as she came out from behind the cash register.

  “My niece wants a unicorn stuffed animal for Christmas…”

  “Ah, right over here!”

  The cashier led the young woman to the back wall where there were hundreds of stuffed animals everywhere. She looked around her and felt like she could adopt all of them and stuff them in her room. It was like a stuffed animal heaven where she didn’t want to leave. They were just so adorable and cute, she couldn’t resister buying five or ten of them.

  “Thank you,” you smiled as the cashier nodded and went back to the counter.

  She picked up a medium pastel colored unicorn and inspected it. It was soft and fluffy that she wanted it for herself. But she remembered that she couldn’t get greedy and get it for herself. Sighing, she put it down and looked at more options.

  After ten or fifteen, she heard the front door open and the bells jingled.

  “Welcome! How are you?” the cashier beamed her bright smile.

  “I’m good,” a deep voice replied.

  “Is there anything in particular you’re looking for?”

  “Um…stuffed animals…”

  “Are you buying it for your girlfriend?” she smiled.

  “Not…really… Just…I’m just looking around.”

  “Ahhh, I see.”

  That voice sounds familiar… why?

  you blinked and turned around to see the cashier with the person she least expected. As she held onto a unicorn stuffed animal, her eyes widened as she stared up at the tall male. He noticed her immediately and froze. The cashier was explaining what they had… and both of them weren’t listening one bit.

  “Oh, that’s cute! That’s one of my favorites!” the cashier said to you. That snapped her out of her trance.

  “O-Oh yeah… it’s cute…” she replied, throat suddenly dry.

  “I’ll let you guys browse around then!”

  Wait… don’t leave!

  She walked away and it left the both of them.

  Okay… this will be easy if you don’t say one word to me. You better not say ANYTHING.

  you just turned her back to him, looking at the other wall for more unicorns. But she could feel the male’s eyes glued to her back for some reason. It made her uncomfortable. She hated it. She didn’t want to be there any longer than she needed to… but she had to for the sake of her niece…

  Just when things were great…

  “I didn’t expect to see you here,” he muttered.

  Damn you… Why did you have to talk to me!? Why couldn’t you just BE QUIET!?

  “Me neither…” she replied with a forced tone as if someone was making her talk to him against her will.

  “Didn’t know you liked unicorns, shorty.”

  I . Hate. You.

  “It’s for my niece, you totem pole… What about you? Thought you weren’t into girly things.”

  “It’s for my girlfriend…” he sighed.

  “Thought she wanted purses and jewelry rather than… stuffed animals…” she frowned.

  “Don’t all girls like stuffed animals?”

  “…Sujin doesn’t seem like someone who adores them.”

  “…Whatever… I’m getting it anyways.”

  you sighed and just as she turned around, she collided into his hard chest. She made an ‘umph!’ sound before pulling back and touching her nose.

  “You idiot!” she hissed.

  “It’s your fault for getting in the way,” he glared down at her.

  “You shouldn’t have been standing behind me anyways, dumb nut!”

  “Well you shouldn’t have been standing there anyways, dwarf.”

  She glared at him and she swore it was as if the whole store was on fire, because it was hot. She pushed past him to get to where she needed to go before he spoke.

  “Why don’t you just grab one and go already?”

  “Well excuse me for taking my time,” she said, sarcasm dripping in her tone.

  you decided to look up at the big ones and saw a really big and adorable panda bear. Her eyes widened as she froze. It was calling out to her and she wanted it. Badly. But the thing was… she couldn’t reach it. It was way out of her reach.

  She glanced at the male’s back and growled.

  I’d rather choke on a block of ice than ask him for help…

  The young woman went on the tip of her toes and tried reaching it, but it was obvious, she wasn’t even near it. Groaning, she decided to jump and grab, but it was no use. She was way too short for it. And her efforts were heard by a certain someone.

  When she jumped for the third time, her foot slipped and bent to the side, making her cry in pain before an arm wrapped around her waist, stopping it from seriously getting injured. Her eyes widened as she looked up to see the male, supporting her. His eyes focused on her as it was the first time they were ever that close to one another.

  Somehow it made her heart race like crazy. And she didn’t know why. It just did.

  “Why didn’t you just ask for help, you idiot?” he sighed and helped her back to her feet before, going on the tip of his toes and grabbing the large panda bear about her size and bringing it down.

  She didn’t want to say thank you. She didn’t want to give in. But… she was taught to be courteous and thankful… so…

  “Thanks…” she said softly.

  “What was that?” he blinked, pretending not to hear. “What did you say?”

  She felt her fuse pop.

  “I said… Thanks,” she said.

  “I couldn’t hear-“

  “I SAID THANKS, YOU PANDA!” she yelled, angered.

  “I am a panda, aren’t I?” he smirked and held the panda bear to compare him and it. “You wanna pay sixty bucks for this?”

  “W-Wait…hold on…s-six….s-sixty…S-SIXTY BUCKS?!” her eyes widened.

  “Yeah,” he blinked and showed her the tag that said exact sixty dollars. “-sixty bucks…”

  “…Um…I don’t…Uh…” she stuttered, not knowing what to do. “I…”

  “You don’t have that much money, don’t you?” he chuckled.

  “Shut up! I…Forget it! I’m getting this!” she picked up the unicorn from earlier and stomped off to check out. Once she did, she looked back at him, who was still looking at the panda bear, back facing her. She stuck out her tongue, earning a giggle from the cashier and left the store.

  I frickin’ hate you, Huang Zitao… You ruin my life!

  Her niece’s list was finished. Now it was onto the real challenge.

  you found herself a nice bench to sit on as she read the list to herself.

  “A new Gucci bag… A big Panda bear… a panda keychain… a new hat… a scarf… new rings… a new pair of shoes… a new button up shirt… more ramyun… and… a girlfriend?”

  She stared at the last thing Zitao wanted on his wish list for about two minutes.

   Wait… what? A girlfriend? … Doesn’t he…already have… IS HE CHEATING?! Wait, well it’s okay since she doesn’t really care about their relationship besides being spoiled to death, but… WHAT?!

  “How the heck am I supposed to find him a girlfriend!?” she yelled, earning weird glances from strangers passing by.

  AND WHAT THE HELL. A GUCCI BAG. A NEW HAT. A SCARF. NEW RINGS. NEW SHOES. NEW SHIRTS. Can’t Joonmyun buy him all that?! Doesn’t he have money!? My poor wallet…

  Then she realized… the big Panda bear… was back in the store Zitao was in… and it was sixty bucks. Even her whole paycheck wouldn’t pay enough for all of those.

  “Okay…clam down… let’s just… pick out the ones you can afford…” she muttered.

  A new shirt… a scarf… a keychain… ramyun… That’s it. I don’t even know what his ring size is!! Wait, do I?

  She blinked and tried not to remember, cause she didn’t want to remember anything about him. But the magical number popped into her head anyways. She groaned as she got up and dragged herself to the nearest male store where she went to get the shirt first.

  For thirty minutes, she browse around for the right size shirt, color and style that fit him.

  “Wait,” she froze. “-how do I even know his shirt size…? Oh dammit…”

  Mentally groaning, she decided on a black button up and dark blue before checking out. She left the store and went to another cute gift shop upstairs.

  When she entered it, she found someone she didn’t think she’d run to either.

  “Sehun?” she blinked, seeing the blonde-haired nineteen year old.

  “Oh, you-ah,” he blinked too. “-what…are you doing here?”

  “Um…finding a panda keychain… for Zitao…” she said slowly.

  “Oh…”

  “What about you…?”

  “…I’m looking for a keychain too…for Hye-Su…” he replied.

  “You got her?” she asked.

  “Yeah… you got Tao-hyung?”

  “Yup…”

  “The ideal couple again…” he snickered.

  “Yah… not funny…” she muttered. “I ran into him today…”

  “What a coincidence,” Sehun laughed. “-he told me he was buying something for the person he got.”

  “Do you know who it is?”

  “What’s the point of Secret Santa if I tell you?” he smirked.

  “…He told me he was shopping for his girlfriend…”

  Sehun froze and she blinked, confused. He turned around with a frown.

  “…You didn’t hear?”

  “Hear…what?”

  “…They broke up two months ago…”

  “…”

  Wait what?

  you blinked and then an anger bloomed inside of her.

  “WHAT?!” she yelled. “They broke up?!”

  “Yeah,” Sehun frowned. “-you didn’t know? I thought he would’ve told you…”

  “…He didn’t… of course.”

  “Yeah… He broke up with her because he was tired of emptying his wallets for her all the time. Instead of being a boyfriend, he ended up being a walking bank account for her.”

  “Ouch… Well I mean… how come no one told me about this?”

  “We all thought you knew… He even told us you knew… So we didn’t speak about it anymore.”

  “No…He didn’t tell me …” she muttered.

  “Well, yeah… he’s a single man now,” Sehun chuckled. “-if you want him, now’s the time to get him.”

  “What?! Yah! What is that supposed to mean?!” she hit his arm.

  “Ouch! Noona!!”

  As they were playing around, they found what they needed and left the store.

  “What did Tao-hyung write on his wish list?” Sehun asked.

  “A Gucci bag… new shoes… new shirt… new rings… a big panda bear… panda keychain… ramyun… new hat… a scarf… and…”

  “And…?”

  “…A girlfriend…” she said softly.

  Sehun went quiet.

  “…Well that’s not a surprise,” he chuckled.

  “It’s… not?” she blinked.

  “Not really. He told us he’s had his eyes on a certain woman.”

  “Wait… since when?”

  “I think… it’s been… almost a year now! He told me he fell for her almost the exact same time as now, but last year,” Sehun nodded.

  “…Then why did he agree to me Sujin?”

  “To make the girl jealous. It didn’t work.”

  “…Do I know her?”

  Sehun said nothing and she just blinked, waiting for an answer.

  “Maybe…”

  “Ah Sehun-ah!” she whined.

  “That’s what you get for hitting me earlier! Anyways… what did you get so far?”

  “…Two shirts for him and the key chain… I’m planning on hand making the scarf. So… I’m on my way to get the rings and ramyun later.”

  “I’m guessing the Gucci bag, the new shoes, the hat, the big panda bear and girlfriend aren’t in.”

  “Well there was a big panda bear… but it was sixty bucks… I can’t get him a girlfriend, cause I don’t even know who he likes! I don’t have enough for a Gucci bag… Joonmyun-oppa or Yifan-oppa can get him new shoes… and the hat…maybe…” she said.

  “Haha, that’s so like him,” Sehun chuckled.

  “Yup,” she nodded. “-so… when are you gonna confess?”

    “To…”

  “Hye-Su…” she frowned. “Who else you have in your heart, boy?”

  “Ah…haha…um… maybe on Christmas Eve…” he said shyly.

  “How cute… I’m envious,” she chuckled.

  “You can get a boyfriend too, Noona. You just have to open your eyes to see him.”

  “…Last time I got a boyfriend… he dumped me on Christmas Eve…”

  “…So that’s why you didn’t celebrate it last year…”

  “Yeah…getting another boyfriend is like bringing back the past… especially if it’s on Christmas Eve…” she sighed.

  “Well… it depends on the guy,” Sehun nodded. “-it’s in the past. You should move on, Noona.”

  “…Maybe I should…”

  “Tao-hyung moved on… you should too.”

  you went quiet and just nodded.

  Sehun decided to help her finish up what she needed and they parted ways when walking home. She couldn’t carry everything. It was heavy, and she had to walk to the supermarket to buy his ramyun and dinner. It was also cold, so she was freezing herself to death while carrying heavy bags.

  “Ugh… sometimes… I hate the cold…” she muttered.

  A car somehow zoomed past her out of nowhere, scaring the wits out of her, making her drop everything.

  “Dammit! Thanks a lot you dumb car! And your dumb owner!” she yelled.

  And like a reaction… the car stopped… then backed up. Her eyes widened and she froze.

  Oh … did he hear me? Oh , oh , oh … I’m screwed.

 The car parked in front of her and the passenger seat window rolled down to reveal Zitao with his shades on.

  “Oh, it’s just you…” She muttered. “Gave me a frickin heart attack…”

  “Who did you call dumb? I swore I heard someone say something,” he asked, smirking.

  “Um… nothing. What do you want?” she asked, sighing.

  “You need help?”

  “Uh…” she looked at her dropped bags then back at him. “Uh… No.”

  “You sure?”

  “…I’m sure…”

  She started picking them up and when she heard a door open, she looked up, only to have the bags taken from her hands. Her eyes widened as she watched Zitao put the bags in the back seat and then opening the passenger’s seat for her… as if he were a gentleman.

  “Get in,” he motioned his head towards the car with his shades still on. “-I’m not offering, you-ah. So you have no choice but to go.”

  “You…Always…UGH…” she muttered and got in. He closed the door and she seat belted herself before he got into the car.

  “Where are you heading to? This isn’t the way to your house,” he said as he buckled himself up, then starting the car again.

  “How do you know where I live?”

  “Who’s the dumb nut who keeps driving you home from your parents’ late parties?” he smirked and drove down the street.

  “…I’m going to the supermarket…”

  “Why?”

  “To buy dinner of course…”

  “That’s good. I needed to go there anyways.”

  “You have enough money? I mean… you probably spent a bunch on your girlfriend,” she lied.

  “Eh. If I don’t have enough, I can borrow from you.”

  “You idiot… My wallet is almost empty because of-“ she stopped herself from revealing that she was his secret Santa.

  “Because of…?” he glanced at her.

  “…My niece… and the person… I got… for the secret Santa…”

  “Who’d you get?”

  “Why do you care?” she muttered.

  you then noticed… he didn’t tell her that he broke up with Sujin.

  Why?

  As the silence continued in the car, she found herself glancing at him from time to time. For the first time… she started noticing things about him she never noticed before. He had perfect lips… his skin wasn’t light but wasn’t dark either… it was pretty fair to her liking… his fingers somehow attracted her to them…He was pretty fit too… Some of his muscles were showing through the button up shirt he wore, which was white… She saw a glance at his collar bone and neck… then her eyes lowered…. But when she did, she was caught.

  “Are you checking me out?” Zitao smirked.

  “W-What?” her eyes widened and she looked away. “N-No I’m not…”

  “I could see you staring at me from behind my shades,” he chuckled.

 “I…was not staring…” she frowned.

  “Sure…whatever you say, princess.”

  “Don’t call me that…”

  “Then I’ll call you babe,” he chuckled.

  “Don’t call me that either!” she blushed. “I’m not your girlfriend… It’s Sujin remember?”

  “…Yeah…right…” he said quietly.

  Seriously… he’s not gonna tell me he broke up with her? Really? … I wonder what’s up…

  They arrived at the supermarket and Zitao grabbed his long coat, putting it on before getting out. She got out too and a cold wind hit her right in the face. She winced at how cold it was and when she realized that he had grabbed her hand in his, dragging her quickly inside, she felt her heart pound and her cheeks burn hot.

  His grip on her hand was tight… as if he was afraid to lose her if he let go.

  Zitao made sure she got inside first before going out to get a cart. When he returned she was already looking around.

  “What do you have in mind of getting?” he asked as they were looking around.

  “Hm… maybe kimchi tofu soup? I have rice at home… and I need some ramyun as well…” she said.

  “You mind buying me some?” Zitao chuckled. “I was planning on getting them too.”

  “…Sure…” she agreed.

  “…Really?” he frowned.

  “Yeah… why not?”

  “…You always reject me when I ask you to buy me something…”

  “…Well this is an acception…”

  “What’s the special occasion?”

  “…It’s for… uh… the ride… yeah,” she lied and nodded.

  “…Thanks,” he nodded awkwardly.

  As he waited at the certain spot with the cart, you ran around, grabbing the ingredients and everything she needed before they roamed around the supermarket more.  When they got to the noodle section with ramyun, Zitao threw in five large boxes of them.  

  “That’s a lot!” she cried, eyes widened. “They’re like twenty bucks per box!”

  “Okay… three…”

  “Zitao…”

  “Three…”

  “…”

  “Please…”

  “…”

  He approached her, alarming her and pouted.

  Huang Zitao pouted. Right in front of her. He never did that before. Yet he did.

  Her heart throbbed and she felt her cheeks reddened before she pushed him away.

  “O-Okay! Fine!! But I swear I don’t have enough money to pay for all of them!!” she cried, looking away embarrassed.

  “Thanks, you! I love you!~” he cooed and walked up to her, wrapping an arm around her.

  That made her heart pound even more. Harder and faster than before.

  “Y-Yah! S-Stop it!” she yelled and pulled away, rushing off with the cart.

  “you! Watch out!” Zitao yelled as she almost ran into two other carts.

  Her whole face was burning bright tomato red and she did not want him seeing that.

  They finished their grocery shopping another thirty minutes later and went to check out. When the total priced came up, you felt her face pale. She stared at the triple digits haunting her. Her eyes were wide as she blinked and stared at it. Zitao just blinked and sighed.

  “Here…”

  He pulled out a card and slid it, typed in numbers before the cashier handed him a receipt. She was still frozen in place so he had to drag her out while pushing the cart. Outside, she unfroze herself due to the coldness and gaped.

  “Y-You said you didn’t have money!” she cried.

  “I was joking… I was planning on paying the whole thing in the beginning,” he smirked. “-I wasn’t going to let you spend your money.”

  “B-But how…”

  “Suho-hyung lent me it for the day,” Zitao chuckled.

  Of course… That’s why it looked familiar…

  “Go get in the car and start it, I’ll put them up,” he said and handed her the keys.

  “But-“

  “Just go and warm up the care for me, babe,” he smirked.

  She blinked and hurried away to cover the blush rising on her cheeks. When he said that, it triggered that feeling again in her chest, which was too familiar to her. She started the car and kept glancing in the side mirror to see how he was doing.

  When he finished he got back into the car after putting up the cart and let out a relieved sigh.

  “Thanks,” he said and started the car fully.

  “Mhmm…” she just said, looking away. Because if she looked at him, she felt as if her heart was going to burst all of a sudden. As they hit the streets, she felt her left hand being taken into coldness. Her eyes widened and she saw that Zitao had held her hand.

  “Your hand is warm…” he chuckled.

  “Z-Zitao…”

  “My hand is cold, isn’t it?”

  She just nodded silently, gently holding his hand while trying not to let her heart explode. He gripped her hand tightly and just everything about it set of sparks.

  The feeling was too familiar… but much more different.

  When they arrived at her apartment, he parked the car on the curb and looked at her, their hands still together. She was avoiding his look.

  He smiled and grabbed her other hand in his other one, which was cold. Her eyes widened and she stared at him, shocked.

  “My hand’s cold… warm them up for me…” he said softly. Her cheeks reddened as she tried hard not to look into his eyes. Both her hands were held in front of her by him and she was forced to face him. But her eyes refuse to meet his.

   “Thanks for tonight…” he said and pulled away slightly. “I’ll help take your things up.”

  He got out the car with a smirk and left her there, frozen.

  She pressed her trembling hands to her chest where her heart was and felt it pounding madly and throbbing. Then she realized what was up…

  No… not again… No… Why him? Out of all people… why…him?

  She got out of the car and watched him get the bags. Her heart thumped.

  …That’s bad… This is not good…

  He looked up at her and chuckled.

  “Are you gonna help me or not, babe?”