“Good evening Sir. Is this the Young Guk residence?”

….

“Ah good, well Sir my name’s Minho and I’m calling on behalf of the Seoul Children’s Hospital, asking for holiday donations to provide-“

CLICK.

‘Seriously?’ I thought as I sat in my cubical; alone on Christmas Eve. Sure, it wasn’t the best way to spend Christmas, but my parents decided to take a vacation for the holiday, and being a under-paid, overworked graduate student, I definitely needed the cash; plus I doubted anyone would miss me. 

The rest of the volunteers and employees at the children’s hospital had all gone home to be with their families for Christmas, leaving me alone in a big, dark, and stuffy office building, making phone calls and asking for donations for the kids. It felt good knowing that I could do something for the children that didn't have families or even worse didn't have a cure for whatever sickness ailed them. However…

“Good evening, I’m calling-“

“We don’t want any and we’ve already given to the veterans! It’s Christmas Eve for Christ sake! Stop calling!”

CLICK.

I’m starting to think that the call center of a children’s hospital might not have been the best place to work for. Every time I was hung up on or cursed out over the phone for calling at such a late hour only reminded me more and more of not being with my family; and being single doesn’t make the holidays any more magical…

I glared at my computer screen flickering in the surrounding darkness. The sun had already set and the city began to quiet down as the last of the church goers scurried to attend midnight Christmas services.

Scrolling through the endless list of names still yet to be called, I blindly selected one from the list and let the machine dial. Lee was the surname under the account. I raised an eyebrow as the phone rang, seeing that The Lee’s appeared to have given money almost every year. 

“Hello?” A small and gentle voice answered on the other end. It was refreshing from all of the previous angry and frustrated callers.

“Hello, Mrs. Lee?” A laugh as light as a feather and as infectious as silver bells rang through the line. 

“Mrs. Lee is my mother, please call me Taemin.” Taemin. The name set alarms off in my head. I felt like I had heard that name before, something about it was just so familiar. Maybe I had called them already? Or maybe it was another callers’ name, or similar? 

“Oh! Hello Taemin, is she around, may I speak with her?” 

“May I ask who’s calling at such at late hour? And on Christmas Eve too?” 

“Oh pardon me, my name is Choi Minho, and I’m calling on behalf of The Children’s Hospital in Seoul. And we are collecting dona-“

“Hold up. You work for the Children’s Hospital?” 

“Yes…that’s where I’m calling from. Anyway we are taking donations f-“

“It’s Minho right?” He cut me off again, but I didn’t mind, I was half expecting for his mom to eventually pick up the phone, but to my surprise…she never did. 

“Can…can you tell me about what you do?” Hook. Line. Sinker….So I thought.

“Oh! We'll the hospital gives children-“

“No no no. I KNOW what the hospital does. I wanna know what you do….tell me about yourself.” 

“Uhh.” I was speechless as I held the phone to my ear, not really knowing what to say or what to do. “I- uh I just do the calls, so if you can’t contribute I understand, I don't want to waste your time…”

“Let’s make a deal. I swear I’ll make a contribution, a big one, if you tell me more about yourself.”

“Seriously?? It’s Christmas. Don’t you have family you should be getting back to?” 

“Don’t you?” Well that stumped me. He was entirely right. I sat for a moment, weighing my options, but hey what the heck. A donation for the kids is a donation nonetheless. “Well…I-I mean, no not really…” The phone crackled at the other end. There was a strange but comfortable silence that settled over me. Suddenly I heard a loud thud followed by a very agonizing ‘owww.’ 

“Um…Sir, are you ok?” I asked with honest concern. 

“Oh! Oh yea! I’m fine- but please call me Taemin.” I hummed before asking him what he wanted to know about me. His name still spinning in my head. 

“Ok for starters, what do you look like?”

“I’m 6’5, muscular, with short brown hair and brown eyes.” I continued to hear the other rustling around as he hummed in thought. 

“So…how did you get roped into working on Christmas Eve?” He asked with a hint of sarcasm in his tone. 

“I didn’t. I volunteered.” Suddenly there was a crash, the sound of shattering glass vibrated through the phone. 

“WHAT!? IT’S CHRISTMAS!!” 

“Taemin are you ok!?”

“MINHO. IT’S CHRISTMAS! Oh please tell me you aren’t there alone!” His voice was panicked. 

“Well…” I paused to look up; the entire floor was darkened with only the glow from my screen shedding light on my small cubical. The cubicles around me were decorated to reflect the season. 

“Yea. I am.” Silence fell again. It was so long that I thought we had gotten disconnected. “Hello?” I asked, my heart thumping in my chest. In an odd way, talking to Taemin, even if he was a stranger, made the loneliness retreat, even for a little while. Then I heard the soft ruffle of…tin foil? 

“Well….that . I’m sorry to heard that.” I breathed a sigh of relief once I heard his voice. 

“It’s not…so bad.” My voice trailed off; to tell the truth, it did kinda . 

“How old are you?” 

“I just turned 23 earlier this month.” 

“Ohhh well then happy belated birthday!” I blinked as his attitude turned completely around. 

“Um…thanks. How old are you?” Oh my god. What did I just ask. Stupid stupid stupid. 

“I’m 22. I’m 5’9, lean, with sandy blonde hair and hazel eyes.” I heard him chuckle lightly over the phone, he sounded…cute. “What’s you’re favorite food?”

“Pizza and beer.” He laughed again, I thought I could listen to it forever. I found myself smiling with him, a warmth growing in the place where loneliness had been. 

“Ok, I meant your favorite holiday food.”

“Definitely ham with mash potatoes, green beans, and my mom’s infamous apple pie. She only makes it for Christmas….” I thought about my parents, about all the holidays we spent together, my mom cooking in the kitchen and my father watching the soccer game. Dinner with my cousins, the younger ones devising a plan to steal the freshly baked cookies. I smiled at the memory. I guess I wouldn’t get a chance to have my mom’s pie this year. 

“I see… do you miss them? Your family?” He asked in a soft voice. I heard more shuffling at the other end but chose to ignore it. 

“Yea. I miss them a lot actually… I didn’t think that moving out would make me miss home so much.” He hummed in agreement. 

“I feel the same way. Its always during the holidays when I miss my folks the most too, no matter how much of a pain they can be.” I chuckled, grateful to know that I wasn’t the only one in this situation.

“Taemin I-“

“So hey! What um what floor are you on in the hospital?” He sounded breathless.

“Um…why?”

“Just tell me!” 

“I’m on the 7th floor in the call center, but why? You aren’t like a stalker or anything are you?” He laughed again. 

“No. I’m definitely not. I’m just still wrapping my head around the fact that you’re working on Christmas…”

“I don’t mind it too much, plus I could really use the cash, seeing as I’m going to school and living by myself.” 

“Oh? What school? What are you studying?” He seemed genuinely curious so I couldn't help but give in. 

“Konkuk University. I’m studying filmmaking and I play soccer there too.” I heard him in a breath before he excitedly started rambling.

“Oh my God! That’s so awesome! I’m going there too! I study dance and vocal training! I  live by myself too but wow this is so cool. Small world huh?” 

“Wow I bet your parents must be proud. Are they enjoying their holiday too?” The line was silent then. I feared the worst, thinking that I had offended him when I heard his mousy voice.

“Well…I- I don’t know.”  

Taemin, are…are you alone for Christmas too?” Suddenly I heard the glass door to my office swing open and the florescent celling lights flickered on. I jumped up from my chair to look out over the vast room of empty cubicles to see a man, no older than 20 staring back at me, a cell phone raised to his ear. I watched and listened as Taemin whispered in my ear.

“Not anymore.” 

~

“Merry Christmas Minho!” Taemin sang sweetly as we sat across from each other in the staff lunch room. He had brought his families Christmas dinner to me, made of ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, and a large slice of apple pie. He looked a lot cuter than he described himself as, soft baby-like face, fluffy hair, and sparkling eyes. 

“Taemin…thank you…but you didn't have to do this for me…” 

“No…but I wanted to, plus I figured if dad roped you into working…it was the least I could do…” He shyly looked down at his plate, a cute pink blush tinted his cheeks. 

“I told you I wasn’t roped in I- wait a sec…dad?” I cocked an eyebrow at him as he fidgeted in his chair. 

“Well…um, my dad he uh, he’s Mr. Lee.” He glanced up at me and I felt my face heat up. Mr. Lee…Mr. Lee as in the CEO of the hospital…Mr. Lee? 

“My…my boss?” I swallowed a mouthful of food almost cartoonishly as Taemin giggled behind his fist. 

“He’s everyone’s boss actually.” I sat, trying to take it all in. That would explain why his name sounded so familiar. I looked at the beautiful boy in front of me, a shining diamond in a pale grey lunchroom with pale grey appliances, counters, and cabinets. No Christmas decoration could compare to his charms. “Don’t be scared though…I’m sure he’d like you if he knew you.” 

“You don’t even know me…”

“I’d like to…” His voice trailed off and my heart skipped a beat. A goofy grin spread across my lips as he embarrassedly dug into his slice of pie.

“What are you doing tonight Taemin?” He looked up at me with wide eyes, pieces of apple pie crumbs dotted on his lips. He shrugged his shoulders as he tried to chew slowly. 

“Nothing really, my parents already had their fancy-schmancy dinner party…” I sighed, looking at him I decided to take a leap of faith…it was Christmas after all.

“Well then that settles it.” He stared at me as I quickly got up from my chair and cleaned up the staff remove. He quietly followed me out to my desk where I hastily it cleaned off and shut down my computer. Snatching my coat off the back of my chair, I grabbed Tae’s hand and hurried for the door. 

“Minho…where are we going?” Tae pulled me back right as we were about to pass through the office door threshold. I turned back to him and looked into his eyes. 

“Care to join me tonight Taemin?” His smile grew wider and his eyes sparkled as he nodded furiously. He squeezed my hand and my heart pounded in my chest. I was just about to lead him out when he stopped me again. I looked at him curiously before he glanced up to the ceiling. 

“You know…there is one thing we have to do before we leave.” He turned strawberry red as I looked up to see mistletoe hanging from the doors’ archway. I felt my cheeks heat up as I pulled him slowly closer before kissing him, soft and sweet; our lips melting together in holiday bliss. 

“Merry Christmas Taemin.”

“Merry Christmas Minho."

A/N: I would like to wish all of my friends, readers, followers, subscribers, and fan a very Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year! I hope that 2016 finds you well and great and wonderful things come your way in the new year. Thank you for all of your love and support this past year and always being there for me when I needed it most. All of you truly mean the world to me! Please please please never hesitate to message me or talk to me! I love hearing from you!

Thanks again! and again, Merry Christmas!

~S.I.R.