“Sandeul-ah, what are you doing?” Sunwoo asked from the bedroom. He’d been watching a soccer match for a while with his boyfriend, but Sandeul got bored and left “We’re going to have dinner soon” he nagged.

“I’m not eating anything!” Junghwan whined, offended “I’m not even in the kitchen”

“Then where are you?” he said, raising his voice so he could hear him.

“Somewhere” the boy yelled back “Somewhwere, over the rainbow, way up high~ There’s a land that I’ve heard of, once in a lullaby~”

“Dear lord, do you have to sing at every word you say?” Sunwoo muttered.

“What? I didn’t hear you!”

“Nothing!”

When Sandeul didn’t say anything back, Sunwoo got worried. He was usually persistent. And what the hell was he doing out there, if he wasn’t in the kitchen? He should be cuddling with him, instead of just wandering around the house.

And then it hit him. He had bought presents in the morning. Among those was the present. Baro ran into the living room.

“Yah! Sandeul-ah, what are you doing!?” Sunwoo exclaimed at the sight of Junghwan shaking the bigger box under the tree “Leave that alone!”

The kid blushed immediately, but he also giggled, like he knew he was going to get caught but also knew that Sunwoo wouldn’t get really mad at him. He never did.

“I was just admiring it” he lied shamelessly

“Things have to be still for you to admire them” Baro pointed out “You were cheating, Lee Sandeul”

“I was curious” he pouted, knowing that Sunwoo had a soft spot for his expressions “I can’t wait two more days”

“It’s technically just one day, as today it’s almost finishing and we open the presents in the morning of 25^th” Sunwoo touched the tip of his nose “Also, don’t be such a kid”

Sandeul pouted harder.

Baro squished his face, making it look chubbier, and stole a quick kiss.

“C’mon, you already distracted me from the match” he said in a tone that indicated that he was too used to it by now “Let’s make dinner”

***

Sandeul rolled onto him, whining, rubbing his face against his chest. Sunwoo had been awake for a while now, thinking about the big event that was coming in less than a day. Christmas, it is. Christmas presents. As he wasn’t really paying attention to his needy boyfriend, Junghwan started groaning. Sunwoo lowered his gaze, just to presence his sleepy face, eyes still closed.

“Why are you complaining, if you woke up by yourself?” Baro’s tone appeared pissed, but he ruffled the boy’s hair anyway.

“I woke up because I’m hungry” Junghwan said in a tone that was cute for everyone else but his boyfriend.

“Make breakfast then”

Sandeul pouted.

“I made breakfast last week” Sunwoo reminded him “It’s your turn”

“Last week. I’ve been cooking everyday”

“You don’t cook, you make ramyeon”

“It’s more than what you do” the boy complained, but he didn’t even look at his boyfriend. He just kept his head in his chest, feeling his under the t-shirt “Please” he insisted.

Baro sighed “Okay, I’ll do it. Just because you’re insufferable when you’re hungry and I want a nice Christmas Eve from the beginning”

“I’m not insufferable when I’m hungry” Junghwan frowned.

“You’re right, you’re insufferable all the time”

 

The sound of the frying bacon made Sunwoo feel relaxed. They sometimes like to had American breakfasts, just because you can get easily bored of rice, they learned. He was making eggs and toasts and bacon, hoping it was enough for the two of them –with Junghwan there he could never be sure-, when he heard his humming boyfriend leave the bedroom. Sunwoo was ready to send him back to bed, but he didn’t show up. Weird, he thought, the smell of bacon should’ve attracted him.

It was a minute or two before Baro understood. He ran to the living room.

“Lee Sandeul” Baro felt like he used those two words too much. Too much to be healthy, anyway.

“Ooops” his boyfriend giggled shamelessly “You caught me”

“Leave that box on the floor” Sunwoo demanded “Before you break it or something”

“But why is it so heavy?” Junghwan ignored him “What’s inside? A puppy? A DUCK?”

“You’re helpless. How on earth do you think you can put an animal inside a box for days without oxygen?”

A guilty smile appeared in Sandeul’s childish face “I guess I didn’t think about it?”

Baro took the box out of his hands “I’m going to put this in a safe location, that is, away from you” he touched the pout on the other’s face “Go back to bed”

 

Junghwan usually fell asleep when they cuddled, and with a full stomach and nothing to do, Sunwoo knew he wouldn’t have him back until he was hungry again, which, he realized, wasn’t entirely a bad thing.

Baro wasn’t a fearful person –at least, that’s what he liked to think of himself-, but he felt now like he was about to jump from a plane, and miles under him was the ground, announcing a merciless death, and the only thing that could save him was the parachute, but he didn’t know whether it was going to open up or not. He didn’t know if he was going to end up alive.

If his Sandeullie said no, if he freaked out and leave, Sunwoo knew he couldn’t take it. They’ve been friends since school, a couple for four years now, and he was sure there was no other person he wanted to spend his life with. There will never be; it was Hwannie or nothing. It was the most blessed life, or the unavoidable solitude. And he just couldn’t take it.

The sleeping boy started making noises, whining, Baro slid his hand under his t-shirt to rub his tummy, to keep him calm. It was maybe the last time he would touch him.

Proposing was starting to seem a terrible idea.

Sandeul smiled at the rubs, curling up in a ball next to Sunwoo, and he couldn’t help himself anymore. He began placing kisses all over his face, and when Junghwan started laughing, Baro kissed faster and faster until he found his mouth and comprehended how hungry he really was. How needy.

He deepened the kiss, finally awakening Junghwan, who seemed suddenly as anxious as the blonde boy. He sat down in bed and Sunwoo pressed his head against his, his hair, pushing him closer to him, he moved to his neck and Sandeul squealed, a single sound that made Baro go crazy.

He harder the second time, to make sure there was a mark left after he was finished.

The chubby boy let go a when Sunwoo encountered his soft jawline. If his plan was making him hard, it was certainly working.

“Did you wake me up for this?” Junghwan managed to ask, pleased.

Instead of making Sunwoo want to provoke him more, it stopped him instead. Did he really wake him up for this? Probably. But he didn’t want to (he did), it felt like cheating. Like it wasn’t right yet. Of course, they made love before, and each time it was delightful, but how to do it now, when Baro wasn’t sure of Junghwan’s reaction was going to be? He wouldn’t be able to hide his worries.

“No” he finally said “No, let’s go for a walk, okay? Outside”

“It’s snowing” Junghwan argued

“You love to make snow angels” Sunwoo said back, his eyes fixed in the red spot on his boyfriend’s neck “I’ll treat you to hot chocolate”

“Mmmm… okay, but only because you want it so badly”

Baro smiled “Sure, Hwannie”

***

His hand was freezing.

It was freezing because he wasn’t wearing a glove, and he wasn’t wearing a glove because he very much rather hold Sunwoo’s hand, even in a dreadfully cold day like this.

Sunwoo… he’d been acting weird all day. He’d been avoiding him, stealing glances when he thought he wasn’t looking, stopping mid-kiss. The look on his eyes seemed off, too. Junghwan didn’t know what to do, he probably wanted to be with his family instead of having such a small celebration between the two of them, but he was (or appeared to be) so happy with the idea of being by themselves. Was he missing something?

“Baroro” the air was so cold that he could see his breath “Is there something wrong?”

“No, everything’s alright” he was absently minded.

“You’re weird today”

Baro smiled despite himself “You’re weird everyday and I say nothing”

“Not that kind of weird, you funny”

“So you admit you’re weird”

“No. Well, yes, maybe a little” the blushing grew on his face “Does it matter?”

Baro brushed his cheek with his thumb. “You look particularly pretty today, all stuffed into your coat and scarf”

It was a nice compliment, but it still sounded sad. Sandeul wrapped him in a hug.

“I love you” he said simply.

***

“Let’s open the presents now” Sunwoo told Sandeul when they were setting the table for Christmas dinner.

“Now?” Junghwan eyed the food “But it’s not Christmas yet”

Baro insisted “People in other countries open the presents on Christmas eve”

“Do they?”

“Yes” He wasn’t so sure, but it was worth lying “Let’s open them now”

“But dinner…”

“You can eat after we’re done, Hwannie” his boyfriend was such a kid, a childish nightmare. His nightmare.

“But it’ll be cold” he pouted “and I’m really hungry. Why do you want to open them now, though? Your presents are not that great”

“Just let’s”

Sandeul gave a last look to the food and sighed “Okay”

 

“Are you serious, Sandeul?”

Baro was looking at his present like it was a joke. Well, obviously, it was a joke but he wasn’t expecting it. Not that it was so terrible; most people did it, but he was too into fashion to wear something like that.

“Matching ugly Christmas sweaters!” Sandeul cheered, clapping loudly.

“Especial emphasis on ugly” Baro muttered

“Don’t be a Grinch” Junghwan took the sweater and passed it over his boyfriend’s yellow head “They’re cute”

Sunwoo finished putting on the sweater, and he immediately fell like a giant marshmallow. “This is too fluffy”

Sandeul smiled openly “You look terribly adorable”

“You look terribly chubby, oh no, wait, you always look like that”

“Ha. Ha. So funny”

“I know I am” Baro said with fake confidence. His good mood was starting to face at an alarming pace. “Your turn”

“Okaaaay… I choose… tururururururruru-“

“What the hell, Hwannie”

“It’s drumroll” he said happily, Baro rolled his eyes “Tururururururururururu… the big magic box!”

Baro felt his heart sink at the same time he felt a great relief. It was now or never.

“You better sit down” he suggested “It’s a big surprise”

Sandeul sat down in the couch and put the big box on his lap. It was the size of his torso, and he couldn’t even begin to imagine what could be in there when he opened it and… found another box.

He opened the smaller box and inside was another.

And then another.

And then… yes, another.

“Cha Baro” Sandeul said clenching his teeth “What is this? Do you think this is funny?”

Baro felt too nauseous to give a proper sarcastic answer, so he simply said “No, not really”

Junghwan didn’t pay attention, he was just focused in opening boxes, tearing apart the cardboard mercilessly. Until he found a little can.

“It’s Danish cookies!” he exclaimed happily, and Sunwoo felt almost guilty for making him so excited “Thank you Baroro! You’re the best” he said hugging him hard.

Baro kissed his forehead. One last kiss? No. Don’t think those things, Cha Sunwoo.

“Baro!” Sandeul snapped him out, he was probably trying to catch his attention for a while “Can I eat one?”

No.

“Sure, it’s your present”

Sandeul face was pure disappointment when he opened the can and found it empty, his expression read ‘betrayed’ all over his face. Until he noticed the small box at the bottom.

He looked at Baro, and Baro bit his lips unconsciously but said nothing.

He spoke the same second Sandeul was done opening the little box.

“Lee Junghwan, would you marry me?”

Some seconds passed and none of them said a word. Baro thought, no, he knew, this was it. He had ed it up.

But Junghwan jumped over him, catching his scared breath with a kiss. He pressed his lips so hard against Baro’s that they hurt, but all Sunwoo felt was relief.

“Yes. Yes. Yes, all the time yes” Sandeul cried into his mouth, not wanting any space between them “Cha Baro” he murmured.

“Lee Junghwan” Baro whispered back.

“I love you”

“I love you too”

***

They were sprawled all over their bed in just t-shirts and boxers. Christmas dinner was a lot of feeding each other and play with the dessert in each other’s cheeks instead of some nice meal accompanied with candle lights.

Junghwan had his hand under Sunwoo’s shirt –he liked that better than just having him shirtless, it felt more… forbidden-, he felt his muscles slowly, tracing his abs with the tip of his finger. His stomach was hard, attractive.

“You fooled me into believing you bought cookies for me” he reproached him.

“At least I didn’t buy us horrible sweaters”

“They’re pretty, and at least I didn’t lie to you”

Sunwoo pinched the fat on his arm “Don’t you think my present was better than cookies?”

“Yes but...”

“But?”

“You lied to me”

Baro sighed “I’ll make up for it tomorrow, okay? Dear lord you’re so whiny”

“And I’ll be like that for eternity”

To Sunwoo, that sounded just perfect.