For the fifth time Minho shrinks that morning, with the noise that echoed through the coffee shop still closed. Jinki had dropped another thing and they still had not even opened. Kibum would get very angry, as usual.

Seconds later Jinki appeared behind the counter, his face red with shame and something broken in his hands, something that looked a lot like one of porcelain teapots hand-painted by Kibum who liked to brag saying it was he himself who painted it.

Yeah, Kibum would not get very angry, he would be furious and as always, Minho and Taemin would had to try to convince him not to kill Jinki, for the umpteenth time in three months that the oldest was working there.

"Are you okay?" he asked wiping his hands on his apron after having placed the cloth that he was using to clean the tables inside the bucket.

Jinki put the pieces of the poor teapot on the counter and Minho approached, realizing that the eldest had cut his finger and blood was staining the white pieces.

"I-I think I b-broke it."

Minho snorted. He thought he had broken? "Yeah, I'm sure you did."

The older withered. "K-Kibum will kill me."

"He will not, you didn't mean to."

"S-still, this was one of the teapots hand-painted and..."

"Lee Jinki!"

Jinki squealed and Minho sighed. Kibum had arrived.

"What the hell did you break this time?" he said yelling and entering the coffee shop like a hurricane. Taemin following behind.

"I-I... t-the teapot slipped out of my h-hand and..."

Kibum gritted his teeth and Minho glared at Taemin who nodded, it was time to save Jinki again, and the day was just beginning.

"You know he likes you, right?"

Minho glanced at Jonghyun who was leaning against the coffee machine, arms crossed and a totally relaxed posture. They should be cleaning the machine, but apparently, only Minho was working, while the oldest was talking nonsense.

"No, he doesn't. Don't say bull."

"Oh, please." Jonghyun rolled his eyes and snorted, shifting the weight to the other leg. "He is quite obvious about it. It's just you look toward Jinki and he drops or stumble on something."

"Are you..."

"And he is looking at you all the time with those puppy in love eyes and, ugh, very, very obvious."

He shook his head, finishing removing all coffee powder that had fallen under where the cups and cups were, throwing the cloth in the sink. "I don't even know why you're talking about these things, Jinki..."

"Yeah? Then just look at him." he said, pointing with his chin to Jinki who was sweeping the floor, or should be.

Minho turned and looked at Jinki who was standing in the middle of the coffee shop, looking directly at them, with a beautiful smile on his lips, but as soon as their eyes met, the elder widened his eyes and fumbled with the broom, that fell with a loud bang on the floor.

Jinki quickly bent down, picking up the broom and ran to the back of the coffee shop, where was kept cleaning things, but not before without tripping, twice, on anything along the way.

He blinked, staring at the back of Jinki's head even before the oldest disappeared into the storage room and Jonghyun barked a laugh, loud and annoying.

"I told you."

"I had not realized." he murmured, still staring at the door, which was closed now.

"Because you're so damn oblivious. He always gets even clumsier when it is close to you."

Minho did not said anything, he stood there staring at the door until Jinki went out of there and once again widened his eyes when he saw that Minho was looking at him, his face turning red in seconds.

Jinki quickly passed them and Jonghyun laughed, poking Minho who was in a catatonic state, not even blinking.

It's not like he had never realized how Jinki was beautiful, how his lips were plump and red, how his smile was one of the most beautiful and bright things that Minho had ever seen, how his eyes disappeared when he smiled and how good was hear Jinki's sweet voice and laugh.

He had just never noticed that Jinki looked at him that way.

Right, as Jonghyun had said, he was very, very oblivious.

The days passed and Minho watched Jinki more and more, without the older noticing. Quick glances and silly smiles when Jinki smiled brightly for a customer.

Minho had fallen in love with Jinki in less than a week and he had to do something so that he could finally experience those lips, because yes, were so red and plump like a strawberry. Minho loved strawberries.

However, to get a day off, where he and Jinki could leave, was out of the question. Kibum would never allow it, not when Christmas was approaching fast and the coffee shop was fuller than normal.

But Christmas Eve was a special day, a perfect day for a date and Minho definitely needed to get out with Jinki that night. Then he needed a plan and Taemin and Jonghyun would help.

He was an incurable romantic after all.

Minho waited Jinki finished changing, drumming his fingers on the counter. Everyone had already left and the two stayed behind to turn off the lights, turn on the alarm system, make sure that all the lights were out except the emergency that was in the kitchen, and lock the coffee shop. It seemed complicated, but after so many months doing this, Minho did it with his eyes closed, but not Jinki, of course.

"I-I'm ready." he said pulling the strap of the backpack over his shoulder and stopping next to Minho.

He nodded and walked to the door, unlocking and turning off the lights. "Did you turned off everything back there?"

"Yes."

"Okay then, let's go."

Jinki quietly slipped out of the coffee shop and Minho locked the door. They walked in silence to the bus stop, both shivering in the biting cold that shivered to the core. Winter was really tight this year.

"I think it will snow soon." he said looking up, heavy clouds drifted across the sky.

Minho nodded. "Hmm, I think so."

"I..."

"We should go out on a date."

The elder stopped walking and Minho turned back, looking curiously at Jinki, who has his eyes wide and was red-faced. But after all, it was cold, so he could not say for sure whether Jinki was blushing or not.

"W-what?"

"Taemin and Jonghyun will cover us for an hour, then we will not have much time. But we can have another date when we have a break." he said smiling. "At eleven of the twenty-fourth day, meet me at the back door of the coffee shop, okay?"

Jinki opened and closed his mouth. "W-what?" he stuttered again.

Minho chuckled. "I gotta go, see you tomorrow." he said turning and running, the bus was already stopping at the bust stop and he needed to hurry.

He looked back once he sat on the bus seat and smiled when he saw Jinki was still standing in the same place, eyes wide in shock. "So cute." he whispered, laughing then.

In the days that followed, Minho did not take his eyes away of Jinki and every time their eyes met, he made a point of smiling and winking, making the older blush and stumble across something. It was hilarious and cute in a way that only Jinki could be.

Minho was doing everything possible to show Jinki he was also interested, even that asking him for a date was already enough. But Minho wanted to prove his point and maybe let Jinki even more in love with him, why not?

The coffee shop was crazy and they barely had time to breathe. It seemed like everyone had settled just go in that coffee shop on Christmas Eve and Minho was beginning to worry, perhaps his plans did not work out because obviously they would not be able to leave.

Jonghyun laughed, shaking his head and pushing Minho to the back of the coffee shop. "Don't be silly, we can handle it. We have had more crowded and half the employees before, we will not die because of it. Go and have fun."

"Are you sure?" he asked uncertain. It was not fair with his friends.

"Go!"

Minho smiled and opened the door, stepping into the alley behind the coffee shop that was silent. Christmas colored lights lighting up the whole alley and reflecting on the white snow that had fallen that day, blue, red, green, yellow and pink flashing with Christmas-motives and he looked up, smiling.

Minutes later the door opened again and Jinki appeared, wrapped in a big caramel coat, partially hidden face in a white scarf and unkempt hair, probably because he had changed quickly.

"Hey." he said smiling. Butterflies flying inside his stomach. Jinki was so beautiful.

Jinki smiled brightly, stopping in front of Minho and putting his hands in his pockets. "Hi."

Man, Minho wanted to kiss Jinki right there.

"I... well, we don't have much time, so I thought I'd take you to the park that it have here in front of the coffee shop and... you will see. Come on." he said grabbing Jinki's hand.

"Will we have a picnic?" he asked pointing to the basket on Minho's hand, walking beside him, hands linked.

"Well, that's what I expect. I don't know exactly what Taemin put in here." he said laughing.

Jinki chuckled and nodded, remaining silent and Minho smiled, feeling the icy fingers of older against his.

They sat on the towel that Minho had spread on frozen grass and Jinki shivered with cold.

"I'm sorry, it's a little cold but anywhere that we were now would be crowded and we have not much time."

"No, it's alright. I like it here and we can see the stars." he said pointing up.

Minho looked up and smiled. "Yeah."

Both were silent for a while, but they had no time to lose, so Minho quickly took out things of the basket and put it on the towel. There was not much, but Minho did not care too much about it.

"Here." he said handing a cup of steaming hot chocolate for him.

The elder smiled and took a sip, sighing pleased when the warm, creamy liquid down his throat, warming his core. "That's nice. Did you do this?"

"How do you know?" he asked smiling.

"I just know, your hot chocolate is always so tasty. I always hear the customers commenting."

"Thank you. Here, try this, Taemin is testing some new recipes and needs of guinea pigs." he laughed.

Jinki bit the muffin and nodded happily. "Apple with cinnamon muffin, my favorite. We must tell him that was very good."

"Yes, sometimes it doesn’t hurt to be Taemin's guinea pig."

The elder laughed and looked at him, smiling. "Thank you."

"For what?"

“For asking me out."

He shook his head. "I wanted to have some time alone with you. I..."

"Do you mean it?"

He looked at Jinki a bit confusing. "What I mean?"

"All of this, the date, the smiles and winks, the brush of hands."

"Yes, I mean it."

Jinki nodded and took another bite of muffin, chewing quietly and Minho wondered if he had did something wrong.

"Why now? Why after so long?"

"Hm, because I'm too oblivious, because just now I realized that I have a crush on you, I'm in love."

It was beautiful to see the blush rise up by Jinki's face, starting from the nose and spreading through his cheeks, the tips of his ears turning red and his lips trembling slightly. Minho swallowed, he wanted so badly to kiss Jinki.

"I... are you sure what you're saying?"

Minho smiled, approaching slightly of Jinki who blinked and lowered his head slightly, looking at him through his lashes. "Yes, I do." he whispered.

"Can... can you kiss me now?"

He winced and had nothing to do with the cold wind, but with the sweet and gentle sound of Jinki's voice, asking so cutely for a kiss. Minho had really hit the jackpot, he only regretted having wasted so much time, but he would recover this lost time, starting now.

They leaned at the same time and ended up bumping their noses. Jinki giggled, going slightly red and Minho looked at him, fascinated by the beauty of the older face. He cupped Jinki's face that stopped giggling, looking into Minho's eyes, who slid his thumb on his cheek.

"You are so beautiful." he whispered leaning, tilting his head, so their noses would not bump again, and closing the gap.

Jinki closed his eyes so that their lips touched, heat spreading through their body and before Minho could pull away, the older wrapped his arms around his neck, bringing him closer. Pressing their lips together even more.

Minho made a contentment noise in the back of his throat, leaning even closer to Jinki, sliding his hands down the elder’s back until one hand tangled in his hair, his fingers sliding by soft strands and pulling Jinki further close, if that was possible.

The kiss was long, long minutes in which the pressed of their lips getting stronger, hugging each other, feeling the heat radiating from the body of the other, the hot breath against their faces and trembling eyelashes. So good for so little.

Yes, plump and juicy as ripe strawberries and everything Minho wanted to do was kiss and kiss Jinki until they were gasping for air. Minho had to taste the oldest so bad.

He kissed Jinki again, eager to have more, to have all of Jinki, who went to him willingly, shaping up against him. Minho slid his tongue over the lower lip of Jinki, requesting passage, and the oldest gasped, parting his lips. Wasting no time, Minho deepened the kiss and Jinki cried, putting his leg to the side and leaving Minho stay between his thighs.

They parted panting and Minho smiled, his lips. Jinki looked down, embarrassed, they were in a strange position and anyone who passed by there would think they were doing something wrong. Not that Minho would care much, but it was not the time or place for that.

"A great first kiss." he whispered.

Minho laughed loudly, pulling Jinki to his arms, who laid his head on his shoulder. "First and second of many."

Jinki snorted. "You're a bit cocky. Who said it would have more?"

"I am. I can be oblivious, but the minute I fall in love, it will last for long. "

"How much longer?"

"I should say for the rest of my life, but then yes I would be cocky."

The elder giggled, lifting his head and looking at him. "Maybe we should just live one day at a time, I don't like to plan ahead, I don't like to think about what will still happen. I prefer to enjoy what I have now in my hands."

"Hm, I like that." he whispered, leaning again. "So let's enjoy our first date." he said softly, brushing his lips against Jinki's. "Let me kiss you again and maybe lose count of our kisses."

Jinki smiled and nodded, kissing Minho.

The phone's clock struck midnight and Minho and Jinki looked at each other, smiling one to the other happy, it was Christmas.

They were huddled together under a blanket that Taemin gently placed inside the basket, their fingers linked and silly smiles on both their faces. They were only comfortable there, spending Christmas together and Minho desperately wanted it to be the first of many.

"Merry Christmas, Minho."

Minho turned his face, smiling so much that his cheeks were starting to hurt. Damn, he was just so damn happy.

"Merry Christmas, Jinki." he said, capturing his lips in a quick kiss.

"We need to go back to the coffee shop, I'm sure Kibum already noticed that we are not there and I honestly don't want to spend the end of the year unemployed."

"Yes, I think so. But don't worry, he can't fire you."

"Oh, and why is that?"

"Kibum is my cousin and I will not let him fire my boyfriend."

Jinki's eyes widened. "K-Kibum is your cousin? So that's why... you always fight with him and never get fired. Honestly at first I thought you were the owner because you, well, you are kind of bossy with Kibum."

He laughed aloud. "Don't say that to him, ever."

"I won't." he said laughing and standing, earning a whimper of Minho. "We need to go."

Once Minho and Jinki entered the coffee shop, they were greeted by a crowded place, Jonghyun and the other waiter running from one side to the other and Kibum was very, very angry. Yeah, Minho was too damn happy to care.

Quickly they returned to work and the three in the morning the coffee shop was finally closed, sending home some couples who insisted on staying there, everyone was almost entering in collapse.

"I'll talk with you tomorrow." Kibum said, glaring at Minho who shrugged.

After that everything was clean and tidy, everyone went home, Minho and Jinki, as always, staying behind to lock everything up.

They walked silently down the sidewalk, holding hands and the streets, despite the hour, were still busy, people leaving parties, singing and laughing aloud.

"I'll take you home today."

Jinki shook his head. "You don't have to, I'll get a taxi."

"No, I don't have to, but I want. Let me do this."

"Okay." he smiled sheepishly.

Inside the taxi, Minho made sure to keep his hands to himself, not wanting to embarrass Jinki in front of the driver.

Christmas songs played on the radio and Minho smiled, looking at Jinki who was looking out the window, looking delighted at the decorations throughout the city, lightning up his face gently.

Minho did not think twice about leaving the taxi and paying the run, not caring that he would have to walk home. He did not live so far anyway.

Jinki turned to him, smiling beautifully. "Do you want to come inside? Perhaps a cup of hot chocolate or a glass of bourbon to warm up?"

He laughed a little. "Do you want to get drunk, Jinki?"

Laughing, Jinki shook his head. "I'm good in drinking."

"Yeah? Well, I don't think it would be good to get drunk today, but I would love a cup of coffee and maybe cuddle on the couch?" he said with raised eyebrows.

"Or maybe in bed." he said over his shoulder, opening the door and taking off his shoes.

"If you say so." he said eagerly taking off his shoes and following Jinki inside.

How he could keep his hands out of Jinki now was away from him, but well, maybe Jinki wanted his hands exactly where Minho wanted to put.

"So where is your room?"

Jinki laughed and Minho smirked. Definitely the first Christmas of many.