Sleeplessness. 

Boredom. 

She watched her ceiling fan spray patterns of light across the white ceiling of her bedroom in the dorm. Luna had gone home to be with her family for the holidays. Victoria had been flown out for a photo shoot. 

Fan gifts lined her nightstand. She’d already opened the few she’d gotten. Read a few fan letters. 

She sighed, missing her family, but didn’t want to make them worry by calling them for a third time today. It seemed to hit worse on holidays and birthdays. 

It was past midnight, so technically, Christmas had already been done with for a full hour. She hadn’t really gotten what she wanted, but she hadn’t wished for anything anyway. 

She rolled out of bed, feet thumping on the carpeted floor as she went to see if any of the girls had made it back home. She knew Sulli had said something about a party and Krystal had probably taken the short trip to spend the day with her family and probably wouldn’t drive all the way back to sleep at the dorm. 

That’s why she was surprised when she peeped into Krystal and Sulli’s room and saw a figure on the bed. 

She cleared . 

“Sulli? Krystal?” 

The soft sound of the figure rolling over. 

“Come here.” 

Krystal’s voice. 

Amber crept in. She reached for the light switch, but Krystal called out for her to leave it off. 

“What are you doing here?” 

Krystal peeled back her covers and patted her mattress, inviting Amber in. 

Without hesitation, Amber slid into the warmth, Korean winters still a pain for her. Her California blood just wasn’t used to such drastic cold weather, even with the heat blasting in the dorm. 

“What are you doing here?” Amber asked. “And why didn’t you let me know you’d come back?” 

“Dad got called away on an important case halfway through dinner, so we kind of rushed through opening our presents and mom decided to fly off with him and Jess went to spend the rest of the night with her boyfriend’s family. I didn’t want to stay there alone and I knew you were here by yourself. I know how scared you get.” 

“I don’t,” Amber pouted, pulling the cover up to her chin. 

Krystal laughed. “I bet you weren’t asleep cause you kept jumping at every noise.” 

“Well turns out some of those noises were apparently you getting back in.” 

“Yet you were too scared to investigate even hearing the front door open.” 

Amber chuckled. “You’ve got me there.” 

“Did you call your family today?” 

“Yeah. Twice.” 

Krystal pinched her lips in sympathy and reached out to touch Amber’s cheek. “Must to be so far away from them.” 

“It’s been five years. You’d think it’d be easier by now. Not harder.” 

Krystal’s hand lingered at her face before she moved it away to grab something for Amber she had on her night stand. 

“Here.” 

“What’s this?” Amber asked, sitting up to take the small box. 

Krystal sat up too. “Present.” 

Amber rolled her eyes. “I didn’t get you anything.” 

“That’s okay. Open it.” 

Amber smiled at her in the dark, then carefully took the wrapping paper off the small box. She was surprised to find a velvet jewelry box inside. She popped it open to find a jeweled memory stick lying on the cushioned interior. 

She frowned. “What’s this? ?” 

Krystal laughed, pushing Amber’s shoulder. “No. Just some random silly videos I asked your family to make for you. I know how lonely you get sometimes. I thought it might cheer you up.” 

“No wonder my sister sent me a text asking me to get you to delete her number. Weirdo,” she scolded softly. 

Krystal grinned, feeling accomplished. The little gleam of unshed tears in Amber’s eyes said it all. 

“Well, don’t watch them all at once.” 

“I won’t,” Amber guaranteed. She closed the box and put it aside. “Thank you,” she breathed, pulling Krystal into a hug. “This is a great gift. I wish I’d gotten you something now.” 

“It’s okay. You got me a really awesome gift on my birthday while I completely forgot yours, so we’re even.” 

“Yeah.” 

She rubbed her hand over Krystal’s back, enjoying the warmth of another human being. The closeness. She felt Krystal doing the same to her, prolonging the hug. 

“That feels good,” Krystal murmured, leaning into her touch. “I never realize how tense I am until I get the chance to relax.” 

“Hmm.” Why did the temperature in the room seem to be going up? “I should probably head back to my room. It’s always easier to sleep when the house isn’t empty.” 

She made to pull away, but Krystal held on. “You can sleep in here. I seem to be a little scared of the dark myself sometimes.” 

The request wasn’t that odd. She and Krystal had shared a bed before, but something seemed different tonight. 

They both released each other and slid under the covers, but stayed close, their body heat pinging off each other beneath the blankets making them sweat slightly. The heat seamed to be everywhere. 

“Have you ever-” 

“What?” Amber responded, her lips. She felt strangely thirsty. 

“I’ve seen the way you look at me sometimes, Amber. I also came back because maybe since the dorm was empty, we’d finally have a chance to talk.” 

Amber gulped, turning her face toward Krystal’s on the pillow. 

“I was also hoping that with this gesture,” she looked toward the little box she’d just given Amber, “you might understand that however you’re feeling…I’m feeling the same way.” 

Shock. 

Surprise.

Heart leaping in her chest and making it hard to focus. 

“What?” 

Krystal laughed. “I like you.” 

“I like you too,” Amber replied, still in disbelief that this was happening. 

Krystal grinned and rubbed her cheek again, soft, sweet, and tender. Amber reached up and grabbed her hand, holding it lightly. 

“I really am a chicken, huh? I totally should’ve said it first.” 

Krystal chuckled. “Yeah. That would’ve made a way better Christmas present than nothing.”