Andy sat on the couch, his face marred by a frown that disturbed his youthful features as he sipped a glass of wine.

“Stupid Dongwan……mountains………. it’s Christmas Eve for ’s sake. He should be here with me.”

He refilled his glass and grabbed one of the cushions on the couch and clutched it to him, fighting back tears. The man he loves isn’t here for their first Christmas together. Dongwan claimed this trip was booked way in advance and he couldn’t cancel without paying a hefty penalty. He let him go, so angry it was better he left. Andy sighed, he never wanted to fight with his lover but this time, just this once he wished he hadn’t given in so easily.

His phone goes off and he picks it up and seeing a text from Dongwan, he thrown it back down on the couch. “Thinks he can try and say sorry. Ha! I hope he falls off a hill and breaks his gorgeous face.”

He sipped his wine again, shaking his head, feeling bad about what he said. He picked his phone up and opened the message.

“For you I have a surprise……go to the bedroom and look in my left brown shoe.” He laughs and smiles.

He goes to their bedroom and goes into Dongwan’s closet. Lined up carefully are all of his shoes. There are 4 pairs that are brown. Setting his wine on the floor he starts to pull the left shoe of each pair and slips his hand inside until his fingertips brush against a slip of paper. On it is written some words in his lovers scratchy handwriting.

“if you have found this, you are a step closer. Now go to kitchen and take some vitamin C. The weather is getting colder and you should take care of yourself.”

 Andy rolls his eyes and heads for the kitchen and digs through the box Dongwan keeps his vitamins in until he finds the vitamin C. Inside the bottle instead of pills he finds another note. He sips his wine as he reads it.

“Staying healthy is the key to life. Now go water the plants for your next clue.”

Scoffing, he walks to the potted plants on the counter, he fills a cup and waters each one. As he pours water into one, the dirt washes away and reveals a key hidden in it. he has no clue what it goes to. He grabs his phone and texts Dongwan.

“I’ve got the key pabo, now what?” He sits on the couch and waits for a reply.

“Go to the mailbox. I’ve sent my last hint. Now it is up to you.”

He goes to slip his shoes and coat on, grumbling at having to go out in the cold late at night.

He used the key to open their mailbox and he finds……. nothing. He felt around in the box, checking to make sure he didn’t miss even a slip of paper. Slightly pissed he closed the box, locked it and walked back in the house, where he found Dongwan, seated on the couch, a giant red bow stuck to the top of his head as he grinned sheepishly at Andy.

“Merry Christmas baby.”

Andy laughed, his anger forgotten. He shed his coat, kicked off his shoes and ran at the couch and flung himself into his lover's lap and kissed him.

“That was fun, I guess I forgive you, Kim Dongwan. But next time”, he whispered something into Dongwan’s ear that make him blush the same shade as the bow on his head. Andy kissed him again.

“Merry Christmas to you too, baby”