122416 = December 24, 2016            24000 = 11:00 pm

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! I was going to post this at 11pm hence the clue 2400 (military time) but I have to attend a family gathering so I decided to post this earlier as I might not post it at the hinted time. So here it is. Enjoy your Christmas present.

Without any debate, Nayeon and Jihyo decided to pair the beds up because of Nayeon’s reason quote unquote to watch over Mina if she ever starts sleepwalking again. So during their free day, the four of them cleaned up their room (much to Jeongyeon’s surprise) and repositioned their beds: Nayeon with Mina’s and Jihyo with Sana’s.

Mina is still sleepwalking but Nayeon keeps her at bay not letting Mina wander outside their room. She’ll notice the cold area beside her and Nayeon jerks up in search for Mina immediately. And to be honest, Nayeon’s sleep schedule went chaotic because of it and her sleeptalking got worse but she doesn’t mind.

“Good morning Nayeon unnie!” Dahyun cheerfully greeted her while she pours two glasses of juice and Nayeon tried to respond but it came off with a grunt.

“Did you sleep well unnie? You wake up later than your usual time.”

“I’m fine. I’m just tired, I guess from all our schedules.”

Dahyun put her glass down and grabbed her bag from the chair beside her, “Tzuyu and Chaeng are waiting for me downstairs. I’ll see you soon unnie.”

Nayeon waved her hand, “Tell the other two to do well in school.”

“Will do, unnie!” Dahyun closed their dorm door and Nayeon is left alone in the kitchen, nursing a glass of orange juice Dahyun poured for her before she left.

She heard a shuffle in Jeongyeon and Momo’s room and a few seconds after, Momo’s complaining whine was heard.

“Yah Momoring, fold your piled up clothes will you? Gosh, our room is becoming the quartet’s room.”

“But Jeongyeonie~ it’s our day off, let me sleep!”

And everything went quiet afterwards. Nayeon wondered where Mina was since the younger girl was not on the side of her bed the moment she woke up. Brushing off the thought, Nayeon stood up and went back again to her room to catch up some sleep.

Nayeon awoke.

She woke up being hot all over, feeling her sweat trickling down on her forehead. She was used to the feeling with the hour long practices and wet t-shirts and towels. Sweat is not a problem. She was not, however, used to her roommate trying desperately not to laugh.

Sleepily Nayeon blinked. “What’ so funny?” she asked; Nayeon couldn’t fathom what caused this reaction. Not even puns from ⅔ of the J-Line made Mina giggle (Nayeon admits the puns were lame).

Mina dressed in a loose white shirt and shorts crossed her legs. “I understand the whole sleeptalking thing” — Nayeon groaned inwardly — “but what I don’t understand is the ketchup kingdom dream and why am I in it.”

At this Nayeon rolled to the center of her bed, “Ketchup what, now?”

Mina began to giggle. “I have no idea Nayeon unnie,” she said. “This is why I am asking you.”

Nayeon struggled to piece together the dream she had but to no avail, it made no sense. “All I remember is that you were the queen of the Ketchup Kingdom and you have fries as soldiers.”

Mina doubled in laughter and Nayeon groaned again and covered her face with her hands. She feels the hotness doubled as she feels herself burning up with embarrassment and Nayeon starts tugging at her shirt repeatedly to cool herself.

“By the way where were you this morning?”

Mina is sound asleep next to her and Nayeon is wide awake wondering how her blanket suddenly ended up on Mina’s side. She is freezing and her legs are too cold to get up and get another blanket. She looked at her phone to check the time and groaned how she woke up at  2 am shivering at the coldness of their room.

She laughs internally just how it was scorching hot earlier and now she’s damn cold. Her socks couldn’t warm her feet anymore and she desperately want her blanket back which Mina is using as her blanket right now.

Nayeon scooted over a little and grabbed the corner and covered her feet. Only her feet. It’s better than none at all. Feeling a bit comfortable she drifted off to sleep.

The next morning came, she found herself snuggled against Mina with her blanket draped over her torso and Mina’s arm over Nayeon’s back.

Nayeon yawned but did not dare to move not to awake the younger girl.

“Unnie,” Mina called.

“You’re awake?”

“Just a few moment ago,” Mina said while she eyes are still shut.

“Where’s Nayeon unnie and Mina unnie?” Their youngest asked while setting up plates for their breakfast.

“Let them sleep in till 11. Those two didn’t get proper sleep last night.”— Jihyo emerged from the living room — “besides, practice don’t start ‘til one.”

“Didn’t… get proper...sleep last...night?”

Jihyo threw a piece of bread towards Momo, “Yah, whatever you’re thinking throw it to the gutter.”

 “Sorry I’ve stolen your blanket. You should’ve woke me up and told me you were freezing last night.”

“You were sleeping soundly; I did not have the heart to disturb your sleep.”

Remained in their position, Mina tighten her hold on Nayeon. “Wake me up next time.”

Nayeon hummed her reply and hugged the younger girl and slowly the both of them fell asleep.

Nayeon didn’t wake Mina the nights after. She’d let her steal her blanket just so Mina would wrap around her and be her blanket instead. She loves rolling over to Mina’s side.

“Mina? You aren’t sleeping yet?” Mina seated on the couch, looked over her shoulder and found Jeongyeon wearing pajamas. “I’m just gonna finish this movie I’m watching. I’ll head to bed after this.”

“Don’t stay out late okay? Nayeon is not sleeping well these days and I don’t want another member be tired.”

Mina smiled, “Of course unnie.” Jeongyeon nodded back and left Mina alone. The dorm quiet and the sound of  the television static was left alone.

Nayeon, who couldn’t sleep at all and waiting for Mina, got up to get a drink (and maybe to check on Mina) to relax her nerves. Nayeon saw the blank television screen and Mina sleeping soundly on the couch albeit not comfortably.

She can’t carry Mina and not wanting to wake the younger girl up, she woke up Jeongyeon instead.

“Why aren’t you in bed yet?”

Nayeon shrug as she led Jeongyeon to the living room. “I can’t sleep.”

“You should really try to sleep Nayeon. Everyone sees how tired and sleepy you are during schedules,” — Jeongyeon stops and scooped Mina in her arms.

“You know, you could’ve just wake her up.”

“I don’t want to,” Nayeon opened the door for Jeongyeon and the taller girl gave her a glare.

“So you wake me up instead?”

Jeongyeon received a smack that night.

“Mina, what is it with you and our refrigerator?” Nayeon entered the kitchen and found Mina in front of their fridge.

“Come on, up. Let’s put you back to bed.” Nayeon crouched and was about to wake Mina up when a voice startled her.

“Unnie?”

“Dahyun? Why are you still up?”

“I’m studying for the exams. I’m just here to grab a drink,”—Dahyun glanced at Mina still opening and closing their fridge door— “The fridge again?”

Nayeon nodded her head, “4th time I’ve caught her,” Nayeon yawned. “Her sleepwalking got a bit crazy since we started promotions.”

“And you aren’t getting enough sleep too.”

“You aren’t any better,” Nayeon glanced up to Dahyun, “You sleep late at night. You don’t get enough sleep too.”

“I need to study for my exams. At least I sleep whenever I get the time.”

Dahyun glanced at the clock above the fridge.

“It’s almost 4. Do you need help carrying Mina unnie?”

Nayeon and Mina are competing for who-gets-to-stay-up-late-watching-tv-so-the-other-can-sleep-comfortably and so far Nayeon had been leading and Jihyo and Mina are frustrated— Mina is a bit more on the concerned side but still frustrated.

They have a schedule for tomorrow and both of them are still on the couch watching the late night drama.

“Yah, both of you,” — both turned their leader — “Let’s go to sleep. We have a photo shoot tomorrow and I want you bright and alive for it.”

“We’ll just finish this episode leader-nim” Nayeon appeased their leader and Mina nodded beside her.

Jihyo squinted her eyes at the both of them, “This episode and then bed, alright?” The two nodded their heads and resumed watching. Jihyo turned off the lights in the living room and left them alone.

Midway through the drama, Mina released a withheld yawn.

“If you’re sleepy, you can go ahead. I’ll finish the drama for you,” Nayeon looked at the girl beside her.

“I can still make it to the end.”

After several minutes, Nayeon felt a weight on her right shoulder. Mina had fallen asleep and rested her head on Nayeon’s shoulder. The older girl released the yawn she’s been holding and sighed. She couldn’t care about the drama anymore and closed her eyes.

Jihyo woke up to sound of the television. She glances at the other side and found that the two of her roommates are still not in bed and it’s almost 1am. Groggily, she stood up ready to nag at the two

“Yah, Nayeon ah,”— she stopped at her tracks and saw the both of the girls wrapped around the other, “You both are really stubborn.”

As Jihyo sighed, she walked towards them and woke Mina.

“Jihyo?” — Mina rubbed her eyes — “Why are you still up?”

Jihyo rolled her eyes, “I was about to drop the sickest nagging rap to both of you for staying up late but then I found you clingy to each other asleep.”

Mina stopped listening to Jihyo the moment the main vocal opened and Mina closed her eyes only to be woken up again, “Okay sleeping beauties, both of you on your beds. We have a photo shoot in about 3 hours and I don’t want to hear complains about stiff necks and back pain,” — Jihyo shook Mina up — “Come on up penguin, carry the bunny”

The next morning, Nayeon woke up again in Mina’s bed. She doesn't know why she keeps waking up with Mina’s arms around but she doesn’t complain. God Nayeon could sleep again in Mina’s arms.

“You’ve been rolling into this side a lot, Nayeon unnie.” Mina spoke from behind her; Nayeon’s back vibrating with each syllable. “Are you not comfortable with your bed unnie? Do you want to exchange?”

“No. I don’t know why I kept ending up on your bed.” Nayeon might know the reason though.

“Sorry again for stealing your blankets,” Mina apologized as she felt the softness of Nayeon’s blanket wrapped around their legs.

Nayeon hummed in response, well she purposely let Mina steal her blankets so that she could roll over to the ballerina’s side at the middle of her sleep and have some warmth. Maybe that’s the reason why she ends up on Mina’s side (and embrace).

“It feels good.” Mina sleepily spoke up.

“What feels good?”

“The blanket and,”—Mina yawned— “hmmm wake me up when Jihyo enters this room.”

Everyone is bustling in a small dressing room for their photo shoot. Three are on makeup, two are on standby, one being photographed and the other three are waiting for their interview. Mina is done with her photo shoot and all that’s left to do is the interview. She’s been waiting for Chaeyoung to finish and she had nothing to do but doze off.

Chaeyoung shook Mina’s shoulders to wake the older girl up, “Mina unnie, it’s your turn for the interview.”

“... and when Nayeon unnie rolls over from her bed to mine, it feels good…”

She probably shouldn’t say that because Nayeon will know but she couldn’t care less. She knows Nayeon enjoys waking up in her embrace.

A/N: Thank you so much to everone who subscribed and upvoted. I appreciate your comments and enjoyed reading them. Enjoy the holiday season everyone ^_^