This is a total disappointment. I honestly don't like how it went. :C Prompt is from dear Jan @sehuntics. I promise to make you a fic next time bb! Ily! This is just in fulfillment of the prompt which has diverted so much from the given plot. 

Warning: Unbeta'ed

Title's taken from Jackson 5's song.

Christmas won't be the same this year

It’s official.

Tubbs is his favorite cat.

Tubbs doesn’t require a lot of items; it only needs to be fed with Frisky Bitz (because it is much cheaper than the Deluxe Tuna Bitz) and minutes later, when Jongin clicks the ‘Gifts Await’ panel, he’ll just see the cat leaving him with a generous amount of fishes.  Not even cats in real life could be that charitable.

“You, Kim Jongin, are stuck in a rut.”

Jongin looks up from his phone and sees Baekhyun standing on the doorway. He mutters a soft ‘yo’ and ignores the other male’s remark. It’s not as if he doesn’t comment it almost every day. He resumes playing Neko Atsume and sees Tabitha being comfortable on the wooden pail he placed inside the room a while ago (it is hard to get a hundred and eighty gold fish).

He hears Baekhyun sigh in resignation while plopping himself on the couch near him. Soon, he sees Sehun entering their shared flat. Sehun plants kisses on Baekhyun’s lips and cheeks. The latter giggles and encircles his arms on the taller male’s neck. Jongin rolls his eyes. It’s hard being single and having best friends who are dating each other and cannot control themselves from being all touchy and .

Tubbs appears on the game again. Jongin grins and momentarily forgets about the couple near him.

“You are cute like that Baek, but, I want to know why you’re pouting right now.” Sehun says, coaxing his boyfriend to spill whatever he’s thinking at the moment. Jongin knows where it is going but he continues to swipe left and right, admiring the cats on his screen.

“I hate Jongin!” Baekhyun whines, crossing his arms at Jongin who is rolling his eyes for the nth time. “The feeling’s mutual!” The younger bites back and Sehun throws his a toss pillow on his face.

“Hey, I’m older than you, brat!” Jongin hollers, throwing the same pillow to Sehun. However, the latter successfully dodges the attack. The tan-skinned male gets up to smother him with whatever item he can, leaving his phone on the coffee table. Sehun continues his banter with Jongin while Baekhyun secretly picks up the younger male’s phone on the table. His face scrunches in disgust as he stares at the animated cats on the phone screen.

“I keep on persuading you to join the Christmas party but you also keep on telling me that you can’t come because you’re busy when in fact, you are just playing these animated kittens on your phone?” Baekhyun seethes through his frustration which brings Sehun and Jongin’s argument into a halt. The tan-skinned male rushes to get his phone back but Baekhyun tosses it to his boyfriend who swiftly catches it.

“What the , guys?” Jongin pouts and runs a hand on his curled, bronze hair. Baekhyun raises an eyebrow at him and Sehun just mouths him a ‘sorry’ (happy wife, happy life apparently). He sighs and frowns at them. “I don’t want to go to that Christmas party. I’ll be travelling home to visit my parents.” He continues, still sulking because the idiots have hoarded his phone.

“You told me your parents were going abroad for Christmas.” Sehun rebuts and ignores the numerous glares his best friend is sending him.

“Then I’m going to my sister’s house!”

“You sister is flying to Spain with his husband.” Baekhyun is the one who speaks this time, throwing a pillow on Jongin’s head.

“I’m going to visit my dogs then.” Jongin insists and tosses the pillow beside him. He gestures the older male to give the phone back to him but Baekhyun shakes his head.

“You are not going to have this until you tell me why you don’t want to go to Joonmyun’s Christmas party. He has been inviting you every year and you turn him down every single time.”

Jongin feels his resolve begin to waver. “Because I’m stuck in a rut,” He says, grabbing the bar of chocolate he placed on the coffee table a while ago in case he get hungry while he’s playing a game. Baekhyun smacks Jongin’s head. Sehun watches them in a distance, completely amused by his boyfriend’s motherly instincts.

“It’s because of Do Kyungsoo, right?” Baekhyun asks and Jongin’s fear unfurls again. He furiously shakes his head and keeps his mouth shut, ears and cheeks are flushing in embarrassment.

“I knew it. God, Jongin, it’s been three years and you’re still afraid of him?” Sehun states, it is hardly even considered a question. He moves to sit on the arm chair beside Baekhyun but the latter gestures the taller male to just sit on the chair so he can just sit on his lap.

Jongin frowns. He never attends any kinds of parties, partly because he despises attending those, mostly it’s for the reason that he’s lazy. He only agrees to go on other occasions if it only includes their circle of friends and it doesn’t include much of compromising (read: talking) on his part. He is not afraid of Kyungsoo, who is one of the popular guys on their university and the sole reason behind his unrequited love for seventeen agonizing years (he realized that he loved him when he was just three, okay). He just feels bashful every time he sees him.

“I’m not afraid of him. Also, we talk to each other too, okay?” Jongin replies while munching on the chocolate.

Sehun snorts. “If you call that ‘hello, the weather’s good isn’t it’ talking, then I’m afraid with what the world has come to.”

Jongin glares at him but Sehun ignores him and continues to speak. “Are you still thinking about what happened years ago? When the first time you met him, he approached you but you ran away and of course, karma is a so you fell on your while running. And just because you saw Kyungsoo laugh at you, you avoided him ever since.” 

“I didn’t avoid him just because he laughed at me!” Jongin complains, puffing his cheeks in annoyance.

“Of course,” Sehun mumbles.

The tan-skinned male notes the sarcasm on Sehun’s tone so he defends himself. “I am not avoiding him. Why would I? I’m just embarrassed every time I see him. Who would ever want to talk to someone like me?”

Baekhyun smacks Jongin’s head, “I swear to the heavens above, you are so stupid. Poor Kyungsoo, he always thought you hated him.”

Jongin’s eyes widen. “I don’t hate him!”

“Of course,”

“Shut up, Sehun! I don’t hate Kyungsoo. I love him okay!” Jongin blurts out before he could stop himself. His ears have turned redder and Sehun thinks that younger male looks like a human steak because his skin’s complexion right now is a combination of red and brown.

Baekhyun smacks his head again and finally earns an ‘ow’ from the younger male. “You think we don’t know that? Everybody knows about your big fat crush on Kyungsoo. So be a good boy and tell us why, on a sweet day, did you run away from Kyungsoo the first time you saw him? It’s been years and this is the perfect time to tell us.”

Jongin gulps, throat getting itchy from the amount of sweets that he ate. Sehun looks at him with glint on his eyes and Baekhyun patiently waits. He scratches his head and sighs, “I felt angry with myself, okay? It’s been almost ten years since I last saw him. I promised him before that I would always visit after we moved to Seoul but I was never able to do it. I’ve always harbored feelings for him but I could never tell it because I’m still guilty of what I did. I couldn’t live with the fact that Kyungsoo always waited for me at the playground where we used to stay before. I didn’t expect that he was studying here in Seoul too. I was just shocked when I saw him at the university. I expected him to be angry at me but he even approached me while smiling. god, I didn’t know what to do. I was too guilty. I wasn’t even able to apologize for what I did.”

Silence engulfs the three of them. Jongin brings his knees to his chest. Baekhyun looks at him with pity and hugs him; Sehun complains and tells the older male that he could comfort the other male without hugging him.

“Has it ever occurred to you that Kyungsoo have always understood your situation so he’s not angry at you? You are childhood friends, right? So he would know you. I mean, even if you didn’t grow up together.”

Jongin doesn’t answer and hugs his legs tighter. Baekhyun continues, “You could join the Christmas party and man up. You need to confess your feelings to him. Kyungsoo’s probably just waiting in a corner.” The younger male doesn’t notice the grin plastered on Baekhyun’s face but he answers, “I’m scared.”

“Man, I’d get scared too if I was Jongin. Kyungsoo is a bit feisty. If he was a dog he would have bitten everyone in the campus.” Sehun comments and earns a slap on the chest from Baekhyun. (“You are not helping right now.” The older male grits through his teeth.)

Jongin chuckles, “Kyungsoo has always been like that. He tends to be a bit aggressive because he doesn’t like people looking down on him just because he’s tiny like that.”

Baekhyun clears his throat and successfully catches Jongin’s attention. He flashes the smart phone and speaks, “Listen, it’s either you man up or this phone will be destroyed.”

The younger male’s eyes widen in horror. “Why the hell are you blackmailing me? I didn’t even do anything!”

“Oh you did! You did everything. god, I am so tired of seeing you sulk and store yourself in this room like you are a vampire who refuses an intake of vitamin D. Also, it’s about time that you and Kyungsoo date each other. You need to get laid.” Baekhyun replies. Jongin hears both of them laugh at his despair.

“Wait,” Sehun deadpans. “I heard that Park Chanyeol is making a move on Kyungsoo. You know him Jongin, right? Park Chanyeol, that dear jock in the university.”

Jongin doesn’t even know why he suddenly agrees to Baekhyun’s idea.

All he knows is that he really loves Kyungsoo.

And Tubbs has to be saved from the hands of the enemies.

-

The weather is unpleasantly cold at December and Jongin hates going out at times like these. But at two o’clock in the afternoon, he finds himself walking on the streets to look for a gift for Kyungsoo. He doesn’t even know where to start.

He still hasn’t reacquired his phone from Baekhyun but the older male gave him a small, quaint device that is enough for text or call. All his gadgets are confiscated, lest that he’ll forget about what he promised. Sehun says that it will be returned if he successfully asks Kyungsoo out. Jongin wants to scream in despair because what do they even know? Kyungsoo probably doesn’t even like him back.

He feels his phone ring. He fishes it from his pocket and sees a message notification from Baekhyun.

From: Baekhyun-hyung

Text: Go 2 Co-ex mall. Asap. 2days da selling of tix of Maroon 5’s con on 31^st. U kno what to do nxt.

Jongin cringes at Baekhyun’s way of texting. Before he could even reply, Baekhyun sends a follow up text.

From: Baekhyun-hyung

Text: U also kno y. Kyungsoo. Maroon 5. U.

Jongin hails a cab and rushes to buy two tickets.

-

Joonmyun always schedules the party the night of the 24^th. He claims that it’s much better to celebrate it on the Christmas Eve. Every morning Jongin wakes up, he feels the food he ate the night before lurching up on his throat. However, today is a bit different. He doesn’t feel the nausea that usually hits him. He wonders if it is a good sign.

He reminisces the first time he meets Kyungsoo when they were young. He remembers the two of them running to each house on the neighborhood to sing Christmas carols. At the end of holidays, they will check how much they have collected and divide it into two so they could buy gifts for each other. Jongin chuckles at this. When it’s time to exchange gifts, they always ended up buying the same presents. It’s ridiculously sweet, almost as if they’re really meant for each other.

But he doesn’t raise his hopes up. He doesn’t even think of the possibility that Kyungsoo might like him back. He was an the first time they met, and everybody sees him as a lanky and clumsy individual. Jongin doesn’t even know when he became such a bore and a sap. Baekhyun’s right, he’s stuck in a rut.

The clock strikes six ‘thirty. The party will start at seven. He stands to get dressed; he doesn’t bother putting on the suit that Baekhyun ordered him to use. He says that it doesn’t matter if he wears Armani or some rags, he will still look the same (and Kyungsoo’s feelings will not change). He laughs at how he looks; he wears the round specs he bought from the store when he strolled to buy a gift days ago.

He looks at the mirror and practices a few lines for his plans later, “Do Kyungsoo, I’m sorry for being an . But will you please go out with me?”

He shakes his head. “Do Kyungsoo, will you go out with me? A for yes, B for A, C for A and B.” Jongin stops and cringes at how cheesy it is.

He places his right hand on his chest and clutches it dramatically, “Do Kyungsoo, are you in love with me? No? Then please hurry up and fall in love with this man in front of you.”

He breathes, composing himself before facing the mirror to speak, “Kyungsoo, it has been seventeen years since my heart decided to choose you. When I left, I didn’t know how to face you. Moreover, I didn’t know what to do when I wasn’t able to keep my promise to you. I hope it’s not too late to say sorry. And I hope that it’s not too late to tell you my feelings. I hope that it’s not too late to tell you that you will always be a biggest part of me. I hope that it’s not too late for a start of you and me. I love you—”

“Jongin-ah, we should go—” Baekhyun stops in horror, “What the are you wearing?”

Jongin nervously laughs, hoping that Baekhyun didn’t see his monologue. “I’m wearing the spirit of Christmas!” He pulls the edge of his sweater and shows it to Baekhyun who is looking at him with much abhorrence.

“I swear to god if you weren’t my best friend and we’re not running late for the Christmas party, I would have kicked you in the shins for wearing that tacky Christmas sweater. You look like .” Baekhyun says and Jongin looks like a kicked puppy on the corner.

“Let him be, Baek.” Sehun deadpans and motions Jongin to leave the room (which he immediately followed).

Sehun then turns to his boyfriend and sighs. “Joonmyun-hyung showed me a picture of what Kyungsoo-hyung is wearing right now. It’s as absurd as Jongin’s. Why are we even playing Cupid at them again?”

Baekhyun laughs.

-

There are three obvious truths right now.

Jongin hates parties. He misses his phone. He loves Kyungsoo so much he feels like peeing on his pants due to anxiety.

Joonmyun’s house is the biggest one in Gangnam and when Jongin sees the sight of it. He feels his legs wobble and his heart throbbing in fretfulness. It takes almost ten minutes before Sehun and Baekhyun are able to coax him out of the car. He fixes his eyeglasses with his shaking hand. Joonmyun greets him with much enthusiasm (he even earns a hug because hey, Jongin finally attended a party all because of Kyungsoo.)

When he enters the rich boy’s house, he finds himself greeted with enormous and posh Christmas items placed inside the house. The table is filled with food and the whole living room is even designed like that of a hotel. Jongin wipes a fake tear and wonders why he was stupid enough not to join the parties before.

Joonmyun stands on the mini-stage while holding a glass of champagne on his left hand. “I—” he clears his throat, “—I’d like to thank everyone for coming to our annual Christmas party. I’d like you all to raise your glass and shout cheers for those whose Christmas wishes will be granted.” Jongin wonders why Joonmyun winks at him during this point. “I hope you all get the Christmas gifts you deserve to get. I know you’ll get great ones! Merry Christmas, everyone! Cheers!”

Jongin raises his glass and he sees everyone join the cheer. The party starts, half of the guests start eating, others already enter the dance floor. He scans the mob and he suddenly feels absurd for wearing the Christmas sweater. Most have their fashion on point and Joonmyun is even wearing an Armani suit. He stares at the crowd longer and his eyes catch one sight,

Chanyeol is standing on a corner and Kyungsoo is in front of him, laughing together while Kyungsoo lovingly slaps the taller male’s arms.

Jongin laughs at himself. Of course, Kyungsoo would choose Chanyeol. He hasn’t even confessed to him yet Kyungsoo already made a decision. On his peripheral vision, he sees Baekhyun running to him and the latter stops when he sees the scene. He saunters to Jongin’s side to comfort him but the younger male shakes his head. He leaves and finds a good place to be alone.

Surprisingly, the kitchen is free. Jongin feels a pang on his heart. He sits on a counter and silently listens to the loud music on the living room. He hears ‘Christmas won’t be the same this year’ playing and Jongin bitterly smiles. It’s still the same; it’s a Christmas without Kyungsoo knowing his love for him. It’s a Christmas where he faces the fact that Kyungsoo and he are beautiful where it belongs to, the past. He doesn’t cry but he feels a huge lump on his throat, he swallows it with much difficulty. He feels lost.

He doesn’t notice a person entering the kitchen. He only does when the lights are flicked open. Jongin looks up to see Kyungsoo, wearing the same ridiculous, tacky Christmas sweater. Unlike him, Kyungsoo appears cute with his outfit. If it is another night, Jongin would have laughed because even right now, they ended up having the same clothes. The older male smiles while toddling towards him, Jongin gathers his courage to smile the same way his first love can.

“I was informed you would be at the party but when I looked for you, you weren’t at the living room. Luckily, I found you here.” Kyungsoo states while hoisting himself to sit beside Jongin.

“Y-yeah, I felt like staying here for a while.” Jongin lies; he doesn’t even have the heart to look at Kyungsoo right now.

Kyungsoo smiles, “I was also informed that you will be telling me something tonight.” He says, putting a hand on Jongin’s shoulder.

The latter stiffens at his touch and his words. “I-uh, no, not really.” Jongin laughs nervously. He slowly peeks at Kyungsoo who is already staring at him intently. He gulps and parts his lips to speak but he can’t find the words to tell, he’s not even planning to confess his love now. “I just want to say sorry for everything. I know I wasn’t able to give you the best impression when we first met each other at the university. I’m sorry for not keeping my promise when we were children.” Jongin suddenly feels brave and looks at Kyungsoo through his eyes. “Sorry for not making it up to you. I wanted to, but I end up being a coward every time.”

He sees tears pooling in Kyungsoo’s eyes and Jongin feels the same. He continues, “Sorry for not being a good friend.”

Kyungsoo shakes his head and smiles, “I understand. And yes Jongin, I may have been angry before but I could never stay mad at you for long. You are too important to me.”

Jongin feels a huge weight being lifted off his chest. He smiles and hugs Kyungsoo, his resolve even becoming stronger. He mutters a soft thank you. He closes his eyes and accepts everything. If he couldn’t have Kyungsoo, he might as well become a good friend again to him.

“So, what was it that you needed to tell me again?” Kyungsoo asks between their hug, Jongin feels his resolve begin to waver. “I just told you everything.” He replies and he hears the other chuckle.

Kyungsoo lets go and makes the younger male face him. He looks at him with glint in his eyes, “Liar.” He says and playfully pokes him in the ribs.

Jongin covers his reddening ears. “I think you should go back! Chanyeol’s waiting for you.” He nudges Kyungsoo to leave but the doe eyed male just looks at him confused.

“Why would Chanyeol wait for me? He’s with his date right now, Yixing, you know.” He says and Jongin looks at him with the same amount of confusion.

“Aren’t you with Chanyeol? Earlier, I just saw the two of you together.”

Kyungsoo snorts, “Chanyeol was teasing me about this ‘tacky Christmas sweater’. Isn’t this cute? And oh my gosh, do we have the same sweater?” He laughs, “Just like the good old days.”

Jongin still doesn’t comprehend the situation. “So you and Chanyeol…”

He feels his arm being slapped by the older male. He sees him pout (god he’s so cute, help me not to make a sin) before crossing his arms at him. “We are not together. What the hell, Jongin? Is this something about what you really have to tell me?”

Jongin coughs and finds a way to cover his ears again. Kyungsoo grins and patiently waits for the younger male to speak but he doesn’t.

“Look up,” Kyungsoo commands, Jongin obeys and sees tiny mistletoe hanged on the cupboard. He feels heat warming up his cheeks.

Kyungsoo giggles, “Want to see if something really happens under the mistletoe?”

The younger male feels like his body is going to explode. He coughs and Kyungsoo laughs harder.

The doe eyed male pinches the tan-skinned boy’s cheeks. “You are so cute.”

“I am not cute!” Jongin complains but doesn’t argue further when he sees Kyungsoo smiling.

There is a long pause before Kyungsoo speaks again. “I love you too, Jongin-ah.”

Jongin looks up and sees the other male staring at him lovingly. “Seventeen years and counting,”

Kyungsoo closes the gap between them and kisses him fully on the lips. The clock strikes twelve, Jongin isn’t able to confess his love for Kyungsoo in words but he pulls him further, expressing everything that he cannot with language.

He smiles, because between their tacky Christmas sweaters and late bloom of romance, Jongin has just received the best present for Christmas.

Who says it’s too late, anyway?

End

“Kyungsoo-yah! Jongin is inside. He attended the party. Wait, let me show you something.” Baekhyun enthusiastically shows him the video which he recorded earlier while Jongin was practicing his lines.

Baekhyun grins.

Snippet:

Jongin hands out a small envelope and hands it to Kyungsoo. “Merry Christmas, love.” He says, ears are flushing and cheeks are splashed with red.

Kyungsoo kisses Jongin on his cheek. “Thank you, Jongin-ah!” He fishes from his pocket a small envelope too and hands it to his boyfriend, yes, boyfriend. “Merry Christmas!”

Both of them open their gifts at the same time. When they found out about their gifts for each other, Kyungsoo laughs hard and Jongin chuckles.

Each of the envelope contain two Maroon 5 concert tickets.