Joy woke up to what she thought was an earthquake. It was Yeri jumping on the bed. She groaned and turned over and immediately got turned back around again.

“It’s Christmas! Christmas!”

“I swear that stupid holiday comes earlier every year,” Joy muttered.

She got up anyway. She couldn’t hide the smile on her face. She stretched and Yeri jumped off the bed and started running around the room like a headless chicken. Joy swung her legs off the bed and walked to the closet. She chucked a box at Yeri.

“I knew it! I knew you got me something!”

“I bought that on the first day of the month. I honestly didn’t know when Christmas was,” Joy said.

“You got me a scarf!”

“Yeah, and you’d better use it. That thing was seventy bucks. Must be made out of gold or some - .”

Joy stumbled back a few steps. Yeri burrowed her face into her shoulder.

“Thanks, Youngie.”

Joy sighed. She returned the hug. “Yeah, no problem. By the way, where’s my present? It better be expensive.”

“Hey! Don’t ruin the moment!”

Irene was surprised when Seulgi walked up to her and shoved a bag into her arms. Then walked away without a word. She sat still in her seat and stared at the bag until Minho walked up to her and asked if she was okay. She finally got his name right. Maybe it really was Christmas.

She looked into the bag and did a double take, then pulled out its contents. It was a bag of espresso beans and chocolate. There was a yellow post-it note plastered onto the package of sweets.

‘Have some sweetness in your life and stop being a cranky grandma. P.S. I only gave this to you because I have no one else to give them to.’

Irene stared at the gifts for another minute. Then she put them back into the bag and sat back in her seat again. Wendy had gone to Canada the night before to be with her family. Irene had seen her off. The rest had unsurprisingly stayed behind.

Irene looked at the bag again. She wondered if Seulgi was alright in the head.

Seulgi stepped towards the large double doors. Stepped back again. Stepped forwards then back. She ran a hand through her hair. The guards watched her with judgemental eyes. She knew talking to Frost wasn’t smart. He was a master villain. Extremely dangerous, extremely clever. He wasn’t trustworthy. He would most likely feed her lies. He would lure her over to his side.

But she wanted answers. She wanted to know and understand and find out what exactly it was that he needed to tell her. She wanted to get it out of him and hear it for herself. She made her decision. She turned and headed straight for the double doors.

“Kang Seulgi.”

Seulgi froze and turned around. Lee was smiling at her. He was holding a wrapped box in his hands.

“Would you mind having a cup of coffee at my office?”

Lee’s room was warm and had a pleasant atmosphere. It was the same as ever. Perhaps that was what made it seem so comfortable. The never changing aspect of it. The lack of change in a continuously changing world.

A woman that Seulgi was vaguely familiar with placed a mug in front of her. Lee was already taking a sip from his. A plate of cookies was set in the middle of the desk.

“Thank you, Taeyeon.”

“Of course, sir.”

The woman left. Seulgi took a sip from her cup. She watched Lee with a certain degree of suspicion. There was no reason for the man to call her up to his office. It obviously wasn’t for a meager cup of coffee and cookies. He probably had better things to do as a director of an agency. Lee put his cup down in its saucer. He leaned back.

“Do you remember coming into the agency, Seulgi?”

Seulgi carefully put the mug down. She searched Lee’s face. He looked as calm as ever and it was worrying. “Yes.”

“What you told me then, is it still true now?”

Seulgi narrowed her eyes. “Yes.”

Lee sighed. He looked tired, and for the first time, Seulgi could see the years etched into his face. Lee slid open a drawer from his desk and pulled out an envelope. He stared at it then handed it to Seulgi.

“Open it.”

Seulgi didn’t want to. She had a bad feeling about it. She felt like it would be a mistake to open the envelope. But looking into Lee’s eyes, she knew she had to. It wasn’t a choice, it was an order. And orders were meant to be followed.

She tried to take it with confident fingers. She failed. Her fingers shook and created their own little dance in the short distance between her and the envelope but she reached it and slid it over to herself then let her hand drop. Her mind was reeling and her breathing shallow and she almost felt dizzy. Pathetic, considering the countless life endangering situations she’s been in.

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