THE PRESENT

"You're mean, hyung." Sungjong whined. "How can you interfere with who Yoomi makes friends with? You're not her husband or even boyfriend."

Woohyun made a face. Looking back, he knew it was rather selfish of him to force Yoomi stop befriending Onew. She had her choice after all.

And the reason for this was because he didn't want his best friend to mix with other nerds, cause that in turn would look bad on himself.

"Do you know what you did wrong now, darling?" Sunggyu asked, wriggling his brows. Woohyun rolled his eyes and slapped his "husband's" shoulder.

"Well..." Woohyun started. "I shouldn't interfere in her choices and I shouldn't be so judgemental in people just because they were nerds?"

"DING DONG DAENG!" Sungyeol sang. "Correct!" L shook his head in amusement at his buddy's lameness.

"Wow I'm starting to think that this flashback thingy may really cause Woohyun to turn into that sweet boy in the past." Dongwoo exclaimed, as if he had initially thought the jerk in Woohyun could never be cured.

Hoya chuckled. "I'm sure that best friend Woohyun hyung I made friends with will appear someday." he patted Woohyun's shoulder. "Let's continue watching."

As the next film began playing, Woohyun couldn't help that irritating feeling in his heart. He knew that Yoomi had rights to make friends. He knew that Onew was a good person, and he treated Yoomi like a gem. He knew that there wasn't any reason for disliking their relationship.

But he did.

It just gnawed at his heart painfully, the replay of his memories at that time, showing how Yoomi and Onew interacted just brought more irritation on his part. His logical side of his mind was overtaken by this new feeling that washed away all sanity.

He just hated Onew with a passion. And he didn't know why.

The Eve of Christmas was even more exciting. The mothers from the four families (Onew's family joined in the fun too) were busy preparing for the feast at night. The fathers were ordered by their wives not to step into the kitchen for fear that their efforts would go down the drain.

The kids on the other hand, explored the farm and played around in the mud even though it was rather cold. Woohyun made it a point to scorn at Onew every chance he got. He just detested that dorky nerd who was obsessed about chicken. He just hated how he laughed, how he smiled, how he knew more things than him.

GOD. How Nam Woohyun hated Onew.

Yoomi couldn't see why Woohyun hated Onew so much. Sure he was a nerd, but he was a good and friendly person inside. Wasn't the inside that counts?

She began to be a little afraid. *What if someday, Woohyun oppa doesn't see what's inside of me as well, and hates me like he hates Jinki oppa?* she thought.

She shook her head. *Nah. Woohyun oppa is my best friend. He won't do that to me.*

The kids or rather, teenagers fooled around in the mud for the whole day, making themselves dirty like pigs. Woohyun had initially scorned at them, standing by the side while his two best friends and one of this hated enemies were looking like complete idiots throwing mud at each other.

"Can you guys get anymore disgusting?" he retorted.

Yoomi and Hoya met eyes and smirked. In less than a blink of an eye, both of them ran towards Woohyun and pulled him into the muddy pool. Woohyun's eyes widened as his hair and clothes got dirty. "Whaa?"

"And they say mud is a form of facial." Hoya smirked.

"Oh you're so going to get it." Woohyun growled. Soon, he charged towards Hoya and Yoomi, and was playing along with them like a three year old, forgeting his stance and image. He wasn't aware, but that were the times when he was genuinely happy. Really really happy.

They washed up and got changed into their comfortable but presentable clothes and got down to the dining room for the Christmas dinner feast. Yoomi squealed when she saw the log cake, her eyes round and large, yearning for a bite.

Woohyun shook his head in amusement, tapping her nose. "You'll get to eat it later, babo."

Yoomi pouted cutely and went to sit down beside him. Onew on the other hand, wasn't impressed with the roasted turkey at all. Turkey? Why turkey? Turkey was aso expensive and one turkey could buy him a few chickens instead! He complained in his mind.

His mother came out with a plate of roasted chicken and his face immediately lit up. His mother laughed. "I knew you'd not let me off if there wasn't chicken, even if I'm your umma."

They settled down and cheered to a jolly christmas, and began feasting on the food their mothers had spent so much time preparing.

"It's such a coincidence that Yoomi met her classmate here too." Mrs Shin commented. "I never knew Yoomi had other friends besides Hoya and Woohyun."

At that, Yoomi was reminded of when she decided to stop befriending SHINee and the guilt washed over her again. Whenever she thought of it, she really couldn't forgive herself. It gnawed her her repeatedly, making her feel bad.

Onew noticed her fallen face and placed the roasted chicken drumstick on her plate. "Hey." he whispered gently. "Don't space out. Eat the chicken before I finish everything!" he joked.

A small smile appeared on her face as she remembered the friendship Onew offered her despite what she did to him in the past. *I'll never betray you or leave you again Jinki oppa. I'm glad you still treat me so nicely.* she thought. She was jerked out of her thoughts when she heard what Onew's mother said.

"Well, our Onew kept talking about your Yoomi since last year." his mother revealed. "She was the first girl he brought home after all, even though it was just for a project. My husband and I were getting headaches from hearing Yoomi's name, he really couldn't stop mentioning her at every random moment!"

Onew's face was as red as the plums and apples that sat at the corner of ther table. "Umma!" he hissed embarrassedly. Yoomi's face was just as red, and she focused on the chicken drumstick Onew got for her, not knowing how to react to a news of a guy talking about you to his parents.

"Now that I see it," Hoya father chuckled. "I think both of you look rather good together! Onew and Yoomi!"

Both of them choked, one on chicken, one on coke, and they patted their chests furiously to calm themselves down. Woohyun scowled and rolled his eyes. *Yeah right. Even though Yoomi's a nerd, she's still Nam Woohyun's best friend. How can a loser like Onew look good together with my best friend. Get real, Ahjusshi.*

"Aww look at them. Young love~" Woohyun's mother sang.

"Ahjumma!" Yoomi whimpered, still pink. Hoya shook his head in amusement. The idea of Yoomi getting attached with someone never occured to him before. Now that he thought of it, Onew and Yoomi did look rather good together.

*And he's good to her as well.* he thought. He blinked for several seconds after he realised what he thought. *Hah. I'm really thinking as though they're already together.* he shook his head.

The dinner lasted for two hours and they huddled around the main hall's television set, watching some Christmas film. Honestly, it was a crappy piece of work, but they were just waiting for midnight to strike so that they could exchange presents.

Woohyun on the other hand was occupied with his phone all the way. *Probably Soyi that lucky girl.* Yoomi thought. *They're probably exchanging mushy messages now.*

When the clock struck midnight, everyone broke into cheers. "MERRY CHRISTMAS!" They cheered and hugged each other.

Yoomi raced to hug her mother, that strong woman who managed to support Yoomi by herself. "Thank you for being my mother, umma." Yoomi beamed. Mrs Shin bit back a cry and hugged her daughter, who was the only reason why she could continue with her life with so much determination.

Yoomi turned around, to see Onew coming towards her with his present. She smiled for a millisecond, only to notice something everyone didn't.

A soft beep alerted Woohyun of a message.

He grabbed at his phone urgently, and opened it.

The way his face fell, the way his shining eyes dimmed, the way all the brightness and cheerfulness in him seemed to be away...

Yoomi would never forget that.

He stood up silently and exited the room. No one noticed, no one cared. All except for that stupid girl who's eyes had never left him since she was seven.