Seungwan found it particularly hard to sit still. But here she was, helplessly 'relaxing' on the sofa.

The large hand of the white clock in their living room had just hit the 6, signalling to everyone that it was now 6:30 pm. Aromas from the kitchen wafted into the room as the food sat ready and waiting. The decorations had all been finished about half an hour ago and everything was ready for the last member to arrive home. The noise from the TV droned in the background because Yerim insisted that they should watch a movie to kill the time. 

Wendy tore her eyes away from watching the seconds hand tick away on the clock and forced her full attention onto the screen. Finding the explosions and quick pans of the movie's action sequence rather cliché, she then brought her eyes to the Christmas tree in the corner with the multi-colored lights. She trailed her gaze down to the presents underneath and started counting them for good measure (and for another form of distraction). They had each gotten each other one present each. Seungwan counted her four presents and nodded in approval when all was accounted for. Before she could look back onto the screen, her eyes narrowed in confusion at the absence of one present. Had someone forgotten to put their present underneath the tree? She turned to inquire about it but noticed the other three's locked-on gaze to the TV. Chuckling, she resorted to asking about it after the of the movie. 

Just as she had succeeded in not thinking about Joohyun for just a little while, the front door violently swung open and everyone's heads turned to the new arrival.

And there she was, in all her glory. Joohyun, dressed in an adorably oversized black parka with the hood pulled over her head, sounding a little out of breath. Her hair and eyes looked uncharacteristically wild, but Seungwan found her as dazzling as always. A feeling of relief washed over her; so strong that Seungwan almost exploded off the couch to engulf her in an enormous hug. Almost. 

Joohyun ungracefully plodded into the room with wide eyes and finally noticed the four girls. Her eyes flitted between the four of them and a lopsided smile graced her face. Just her half-smile got Seungwan's insides doing somersaults all over again. The worry in her stomach dissipated but that made room for a strong slap of a realization that she had to interact with Joohyun after fully admitting her feelings.

"Sorry about being so late," Joohyun immediately apologized while pulling her hood down. "I didn't realize I'd be out for that long," she added sheepishly. 

The spot beside her on the couch lightened as Sooyoung stood up. "No worries, unnie." Joy shrugged and motioned towards the kitchen.

"Thank goodness you're finally here though!" Yerim said in excitement as she bounded for the kitchen, "I can't even begin to describe how hungry I am!" Irene snorted as she zooms past her while Joy ushered along Seulgi, whose eyes were still transfixed on the screen, after switching the TV off. Seungwan ambles to the kitchen as naturally as possible, before noticing that Joohyun hadn't moved from her spot.

She raised an eyebrow expectantly at her as she caught sight of an unreadable expression on their leader's face. "Let's go, unnie," Seungwan encouraged, channeling her usual excitement. When Joohyun's footsteps still couldn't be heard following her, she worried if what she said came off as too much that it weirded her unnie out. She turned again and felt close off at the sight of Joohyun's soft smile. 

In a battle to prevent herself from heating up any further from the intensity of Joohyun's gaze and to keep this moment to only themselves for as long as possible, Seungwan couldn't bring herself to meet her eyes. She looked up to find small snowflakes decorating Joohyun's hair despite the parka hood. She couldn't stop a soft giggle at the thought of her unnie fumbling to put her hood on in an attempt to protect herself from the snowy weather. Closing the gap to brush the snow off, Seungwan gently combed through a rigid Joohyun's hair to remove those stubborn snowflakes. "Done," she grinned proudly as she retracted her hand.

Her embarrassment caused her to falter as she noticed Joohyun's eyes completely entranced by something on her face. The unwavering amount of intensity made her feel overly self-conscious. 

"Seungwan-ah."

The heat crawled up her neck and onto her cheeks as the pounding of her heart was suddenly too much. Joohyun's stare was suddenly too much. The way Joohyun said her name with so much warmth and as though there was something caught at the tip of her tongue was suddenly too much. 

"Yeah?" She hated just how breathless she felt, just how easily Joohyun could completely knock the air out of her lungs and leave her gasping.

Joohyun's lips parted as she opened , but she quickly shut them again. Seungwan unintentionally brought her gaze down from Joohyun's eyes to her slightly chapped lips. What would they taste like? What would they feel like against her own? It became difficult to swallow when Joohyun opened once more.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, so softly that Seungwan strained to hear in their empty living room. Her eyebrows furrowed and her lips downturned and it made Seungwan want to reach out and smooth the creases between her eyebrows. "For, well," she continued hurriedly and Seungwan pretended that she didn't hear how Joohyun's voice wavered. "For leaving you alone today, on Christmas day of all days, without any way to contact me." Joohyun ended with a sense of finality in her voice.

Her unnie's choice of words of referring to her specifically made it hard for her to ignore the grin about to break out, but Seungwan didn't dare believe that it meant what she wanted it to mean. Joohyun's eyes flickered to something else in the room as her hands came up to rub her neck. Seungwan also didn't dare believe that she saw a red tint on the other's cheeks.

"Don't worry about it, unnie."

She wanted to ask where she had been throughout the day and why on Earth Joohyun hadn't informed anyone of where she went, but Joohyun's sudden timorousness and apology made her stomach churn and her chest puff up. Enough so that she managed to admit, "I'm just happy you're with me now."

As soon as the confession left , her eyes widened and her head felt numbed. That came off too strong, Seungwan chastised and the panic surged within her chest. Joohyun was going to find it strange and weird and-

Joohyun giggled. The kind of giggle that breathed life into her otherwise timid eyes. A beautiful, light, completely-Joohyun kind of giggle, and Seungwan's panic was forgotten. Before she realized it, her own laugh ruptured out and they were both reduced to giggling messes. A sense of tenderness welled up in her chest and a warmth that hadn't been because of blushing too hard seeped into the dark and cold crevices of herself that she chose to lock away. Perhaps if after all the worry and the bad throughout her life, she could come back to the sense of home that Joohyun gave her, then everything would have been worth it. 

"Are you two unnies planning to join us for dinner or should we eat first?" Yeri's voice rang out, startling both of them before they turned to see her head peaking out from the doorway.

Joohyun shook her head endearingly as her laughter was reduced to giggles and she returned her focus back to Seungwan. "Go ahead, Seungwan, I'm just going to tidy up before heading to the kitchen." Nodding fervently, she gave her unnie a greasy smirk and thumbs up, earning a loud chuckle from Joohyun before she turned into the hallway to clean up.

--

Dinner was long forgotten as the five girls sat scattered around the living room, eagerly waiting for each other to settle down so the Christmas presents could be opened. Yeri stood next to the Christmas tree and reached down to gather the presents for distribution. Seungwan contently settled down on the sofa before remembering the missing present. 

"Wait," she called out and the four girls paused their chattering to look at her. "I counted the presents earlier and one was missing," she pointed out, "I think everyone should recount their gifts to make sure they're all there."

As soon as she finishes her sentence, Joohyun abruptly stands, causing Joy to yelp in surprise. Joohyun cackled as the younger makes a disdainful face, before turning her head to Seungwan with a small frown. "I left my present in my room, I'll go get it," Joohyun said almost robotically. Thinking not much of it, Seungwan nodded and began to shift through her own presents. Joohyun's shuffling feet suddenly came to a stop and, out of the corner of her eye, she saw the pair of feet approaching her.

Looking up at her, she sees Joohyun's furrowed eyebrows and strained smile. "Actually, Seungwan, the present