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Nearly a year gone by like a gentle flow of water, the winter season has finally arrived.

In a week without her lover for their supposed first Christmas together, it was utterly a shame that their future wasn’t going as plan, but on the bright side, she has other plans to focus on, not entirely sure if she can make it on time.

Three individuals sat all together in the main living area eyes glued to the screen while they anticipate. 

One has a soulless look, a tired look and a full determination look, all attentively focus on two laptop screens place above the long glassy surface as two mouses firmly grip in each waiting hands and cups of very warm beverage ready and purchase originally from Starbucks by a certain Son after work hours. 

Whenever fatigue takes over, cups of coffee were set nearby them to keep them fully awake, charging themselves as they constantly take huge sips when a minute ticks by. It’s not really a healthy thing to do of course having to wait for hours before sunrise takes place. Not one has yet even complained about this reckless idea despite their dark circles already apparent in their eyes. Not one has yet even spoken nor engaged communication since this once in a lifetime event is an important matter and none conspires to ruin it.

Inside the luxury home of the engaged couple, their house is currently entirely lit like it’s during daytime which sort of helped the trio think the night is still advancing young when it’s actually nearing the crack of dawn. 

Somehow, it works though. 

A certain newly dyed coal-black haired woman hasn’t given up till now, chewing a piece of gum to lure away the sleepiness assaulting her. 

“Chaeng, focus!” she alarms her one close friend hanging its head low onto the surface. An immediate shrug brought her back to life, head still low inside her folded arms as she did not realise the drool about to escape her parted lips.

“Yeah, yeah, alright, I’m awake.” the short girl mumble, squinting eyes now going back to its original place.

Dahyun heaves a lengthy sigh. Eyeballs red looking like it will pop if it continues. It can also intimidate random strangers if her condition is like this. Back to back, she switches her gaze at the beaming devices before her, hands automatically balling into a fist on the mouse securely.

“Okay, a minute left. Get ready,” she announces determinedly.

The tallest parallel to the shortest cracks her neck and fingers three to four times looking perfectly fine. Dahyun is baffled whether this girl is worn out or not. It seems until to this day she still can’t differentiate Chou Tzuyu’s emotions except when those particular moments where Chaeyoung puts all her attention towards her then that’s when she knows the girl is ridiculously whipped; just like how she’s whipped over her Minatozaki Sana.

A word enter—light red bold letters—gave them the signal to start clicking at a speedy pace; beeping noises synchronise in each screen.

Their sleepiness was no longer in mind as repetitive clicks were only the noise banging in their eardrums.

“Go! Go! Go!” Dahyun encourages. Beads of sweats already dripping the tip of her nose-bridge.

Not even thirty seconds passed, the results came into view one at a time.

“Fail.” the shorter say with exhaustion, averting her gaze next to the other device. “Fail again.” her head groggily touching the surface.

Dahyun exhales disappointingly. “A fail too.” her light at the end of the tunnel fading gradually.

“Fail and,” Tzuyu breaking her words, her position still. Chaeyoung burst upright, inspecting the bright screen within an instant and soon a long shock breathe takes all the air away surrounding them. 

“Y-you’re in. Holy , Dahyun. You’re in!” Chaeyoung jumps excitedly in two feet recklessly tossing the device in the direction of the awful disbelief individual.

“We won? F-for real?” her hopeful yet doubtful eyes encounter the screen in a short time and the first thing stood out was the primary colours of endless balloons floating sideways inside a rectangular congratulatory certificate. 

The certificate was written in complete bold, colourful letters with a fancy symbol of the name of its restaurant, adding the capital characters of Congratulations, you’re in! dominating the centre. 

Some information was put aside, talking about an arrangement for a schedule, and that schedule was decided on tomorrow night once her lover comes back to Seoul. 

Dahyun cannot believe they made it. This new restaurant she has been urging to enter was never a joke, to begin with. Masses of demanding customers had also been wanting to reserve the restaurant’s finest spot and it was an overwhelming and frightening feeling to steal that top spot. She was afraid she couldn’t make it so she asked Tzuyu and Chaeyoung for help and by meaning helped out she meant to prepare really early just to own that rooftop for the whole evening because of the romantic sceneries and the quality service of the place which she desperately and hundred percent certainly wants.

It is a once in a lifetime event she seriously can’t it up or else her plan will be in ruins. She aspires for a special memory, a memory that will eternally imprint in their minds till death do them apart.

“Tzuyu you ing save my !” Dahyun cries, clinging tightly to the taller’s petite body. 

Those pressured feelings and never-ending thoughts of failing that were messing the wits out of her disappeared for good. 

Later on, the latter forces her to part ways. 

“Uh… no more than ten seconds.” the coal-black haired woman did not listen. “Um, hello?”

Her fiancée has to help her out which ended with Dahyun clinging onto Chaeyoung instead.

“Okay, pal. I know you’re happy but you don’t want to see Tzuyu kill you because of jealousy.” Chaeyoung warns the girl automatically, letting her go and choose to randomly hug the cushions as a replacement. 

The taller yawns, back-hugging her fiancée and drags her in their shared room. 

“Let’s sleep. And today, I’ll let you spoon me as a reward.”

[9:05 — Tokyo, Japan — Coffeehouse]

Without her happy pill near her side, it almost feels like she’s having the flu. She yearns for her presence, touches and kisses and it’s been a torturous week not being by her side. 

Dahyun, her one and only source of strength and happiness, is left in Seoul probably sleeping in their home. 

They were supposed to spend their first Christmas together when an unexpected call brought her back here in Japan—the last place she doesn’t want to go back to.

“How’s your mother feeling?” Mina asks, leaning her chin in her palm, anticipating the girl’s response.

Sana sighed after gulping the tea in one go. “She’s doing fine. But god… a car accident. My heart completely sank once you told me that. I have to rush here to get to her quick. Thanks for taking care of her though.”

“No worries. She was scared to see you in person so I have to tell you in secret,” she said, sipping a cup of mocha in hand.

That was the reason why Dahyun and her could not spend their first Christmas together. Amidst of their movie marathon, on the day of the 22nd of December her phone lit up, vibrating nonstop on their bedside table top. 

Worrisome expression left plastered on their faces as they saw the identity of the caller’s picture with her partner hugging each other. They know Mina is not the type to call Sana so out of the blue especially when it was midnight. Dahyun answers the phone instead and a calm and somewhat worried voice spoke in the phone’s speaker announcing the current situation of Sana’s dear mother running into an accident whilst she was inside the cab going for a grocery shopping. 

It wasn’t a critical accident, her right arm was wounded and her leg was injured due to the impact and the doctor had stated her mother’s injury will only last for weeks without a scratch and reminded them not to forget for a checkup. 

It was just Dahyun overreacting over this situation and she was genuinely concerned. Being a caring lover she is, she forced her to travel back to Japan so she could come and see her mom and give her some sort of strength; even though they knew she wouldn’t make it for Christmas as Dahyun decided to arrange her visit for a week till the 29th before lunch. 

The good part of this was her relationship with her mother had been resolved. She already asked for forgiveness and told her she accepted her relationship with Dahyun a long time ago. And her father, however, had ended their relationship two years back. It was her mother who decided to end it first and left to live to a close relative of hers. 

At that moment, Sana made a plan to bring her along to Seoul one day.

The older flashes a smile then fixes her sight to someone who sat m