A Christmas Present
Once upon a time...December 25. Backstage at the 2019 SBS Gayo Daejon. Everyone was shaken by Wendy's accident during rehearsal, but still, the show had to go on. It wasn't quite time for the show to start, so everyone was milling around backstage, reconnecting with friends who they never got to see often enough, despite living in the same city and working in the same industry.
Momo reached into her bag and pulled out a small present. She sidled up to Jihyo, who was talking to several other singers. She quietly got her leader's attention.
"What's up, Momo?" Jihyo asked. "You looked nervous about something."
Momo held out the present to Jihyo. "Can you give this to Jinjin and ask him to give it to Weki Meki Suyeon?"
Jihyo looked at the present as if it might bite her. "But I don't know Jinjin - or anyone in Astro. How am I supposed to get it to him."
Momo shrugged and looked downcast. "I don't know. But I figured you'd know a way."
Chungha, one of the leaders Jihyo had been talking to, looked around the room. She saw Jinjin talking to several members of GOT7. "I know GOT7's Yugyeom, and he knows Jinjin," she said. "I can get it to Yugyeom and ask him to pass it on for you, if you like."
Jihyo looked inquiringly at Momo. Momo thought for a moment, then handed the package to Chungha. "Thank you!" she said with a bow.
"I'll be right back," Chungha said.
Momo watch Chungha cross the room to talk to Yugyeom, but didn't see her give him the package, she was so subtle about it. As Chungha walked back, Momo saw Yugyeom walk over and talk to Jinjin. They talked seriously for a moment, their heads close together, then Jinjin nodded. He turned around to fiddle with something in his backpack, then when he turned back around, he was smilding and talking as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
Chungha came back and rejoined the group. Looking at Momo, she said. "Mission accomplished! I'm guessing that was a Christmas present for someone who's not at Gayo Daejon this year?"
"Something like that," Momo said with a nod.
There was a knock at the door to Weki Meki's dorm. Lucy answered the door and saw Jinjin standing there. He was obviously nervous, because the guys weren't supposed to be at the girls' dorm. He handed her a small package and said "Please give this to Ji Suyeon. Thank you!" and then disappeared down the hall. Lucy looked down at the present, then turned around and walked into their dorm.
"Who was that?" Lua asked?
"It was Jinjin with a present for Suyeon," Lucy said, her confusion evident in her voice.
Just then Suyeon walked in. "A present for me?"
Lucy handed her the package and said "Jinjin just dropped it off and then disappeared."
Suyeon looked at the package. It was a small box, wrapped in red wrapping paper with a large tag on it that said "Ji Suyeon." There was no indication of who the present might be from.
"Well, don't just stand there!" Lua said. "Open it!"
"Do you think I should?" Suyeon asked.
Lua rolled her eyes. "It's a present. It's addressed to you. Jinjin said to give it to you. If you don't open it, I will." She reached for the present, but Suyeon stepped back and held it out of her reach.
"OK, I'll open it," Suyeon said. She found one of the places where the package was taped and started peeling off the paper. Lua and Lucy watched intently, obviously frustrated with Suyeon's pace of opening the present.
Inside the paper was another present, wrapped in green paper, with a note taped to it.
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