A/N:  I wrote this as a Christmas gift for a friend.

Pale winter light streamed into the bedroom, awakening you.  Groaning, you rolled over and stretched out your arms to find--

Nothing.  

The bed was cold.

Grumbling, you curled back in on yourself, taking your husband’s pillow and pulling it lengthwise against your chest before burying your face into the fluffiness, inhaling the fresh scents of basil, mandarin and limes, spiked with his own clean smell.  Gradually, other scents started to waft past your nose--scents of warm mocha bread, fresh red bean buns, spicy curry croquettes, smoked sausage bread, ham and cheese pastries, and egg tarts.  Curling up even further, you pulled the covers over your head to block out the tempting smells.

“Ohhh…”  A soft voice came from the door.

You ignored it.

“Somebody’s awake…”

“No, I’m not,” you pouted.  

The bed depressed as your husband sat on the edge.  “Oh?  No?  Not awake?  Well, then, I guess that you don’t want any breakfast.”

“No,” you said pettishly.

After a moment, quiet chewing sounds reached your ear, and you peered out from the covers to see Minseok happily munching on a fluffy, golden, mocha roll, the dark brown swirls curving temptingly over the shining surface.  Rising, you sidled up next to him, leaning against his side, and opening your mouth.  With a chuckle, he pulled off a generous piece and popped it into your mouth, patting your cheek.  “My contrary baby,” he teased, taking the last bite and brushing off his hands before unceremoniously slipping them under you and lifting you out of bed--blanket and all.    “Come on,” he said, walking you toward the kitchen, “time for breakfast.  Unless you want my brothers to eat it all.”

Thinking about the three hoovers Kim Jongdae, Kim Jongin, and Kim Junmyeon, you kicked your legs a little to urge him on.  “Hurry!  I want a croquette and sausage bread.  And an egg tart.”  

Setting you down on the counter, and adjusting the blanket around your head and shoulders, he pulled what you asked from the Paris Baguette bag.  “Don’t worry, I bought plenty.  I’m not about to let my pretty little wife go hungry.”  Handing them to you, he moved in between your legs, leaning close to give you a chaste kiss.  “Do you want some coffee?”

Wrinkling your nose, you gave him a sideways look.  “You keep trying…”

“It’s delicious.”

“Hot chocolate, please,” you said primly.  

With a knowing smirk, Minseok handed you a to-go cup.  

Taking a small sip, you smiled, before relaxing back against the cabinets.  “Mint choco--my favourite.”

Nodding, he began to take the rest of the food out of the bags and arrange it on the dining room table.  “I know, I know.  If I know nothing else, I know my wife.”

Smiling at him over your cup, you took another sip.  “So, how are we going to do today?”

“The boys and I are going to go hang the lights at Oemma and Appa’s house, do a little Christmas shopping, and then pick a tree and bring it back.  After that, I figured that we could all watch some holiday movies while we decorate here.”

“Sounds like a plan.  Pizza for dinner?”

“That’s not very festive,” he pouted.

“I know, yeobo, but let me go just this once, hm?  Work has been so busy...I’m tired…” Pouting up at him, you batted your eyelashes, already knowing that you had won before you even finished your sentence.  

He leaned in for another kiss, but paused as the sound of your door code being input rang through the apartment.  Giving you an arch look, he grinned.  “Save that for later.”

Grinning back, you sank your teeth into the croquette, groaning at the spicy flavour.  

“Save some for us!” Junmyeon called, crowding into the kitchen with Jongdae and Nini, who started to root through the Paris Baguette bag.  

“Yah,” Minseok yelled, “The food’s on the table!”

“Yes, but I know that you always keep back the choux cream bread for yourself,” Nini grinned, pulling out a bun, and biting into it, before grabbing a couple of smoked sausage buns, and going to flop on the couch.  “Thanks, Hyung!”

“Egg tarts!” Jongdae crowed, piling several on a saucer with a ham and cheese pastry.  “My wife hasn’t let anything made with eggs into the house since she got pregnant.”

“How is she?” you asked, silently pointing to the mocha bun in Junmyeon’s hand, and giving him big eyes until he sighed and handed it to you before grabbing another.  

“Great.  She’s spending the weekend with her family, planning the baby shower.”

“That sounds nice,” you sighed, leaning back, and patting your full belly.  “Ah, I feel like I can live again!”

“Noona, what are you going to do while we’re gone?” Nini asked, swiping an egg tart off of Jongdae’s plate as soon as he sat down beside his younger brother.  

“Well, I have to create and add the data visuals to a paper before sending it to the TAs for the next step.”

“Sounds...boring,” Jongdae sympathized.

“It is, but,” you started, pulling Minseok to your side, and rubbing your hand up and down his arm, “I have to keep my trophy husband in the style to which he has become accustomed.”

Grinning, Minseok covered his mouth in mock coquetry.  “I always wanted to be a kept man.”

Rubbing his flat stomach, Junmyeon peered into the fridge.  “Do you guys have any doenjang jjigae?” 

“I told you,” Minseok muttered in your ear.  “Hoovers.”

***

MINSEOK POV

The late afternoon air in the snow covered forest smelled crisp and fresh.  Closing my eyes, I inhaled deeply, throwing out my arms, never missing a moment to be grateful to be alive.

“Hyung!” Nini whined.  “So embarrassing!” 

“You never truly appreciate breathing until you can’t do it anymore!” I said, hefting the axe that we rented at the entrance to the Cut Your Own Tree Park, and walking deeper into the “woods”...

“So, what are we looking for?” Junmyeon asked, pulling on his gloves.

“I want the tallest, fullest one that we can find!”  Looking around, I didn’t see too many candidates, but we had a couple of hours of light left.  

“I bought coffee, japchae hotteok, and bungeoppang!” Jongdae called as he trailed us from the entrance.  

“Great, “I’m freezing!” Nini said, accepting the food.  When Jongdae held out a cup, he just looked at it, then looked up at Jongdae, who rolled his eyes.

“It’s cocoa, you little baby!”

“Coffee isn't delicious!” Nini whined, accepting the cocoa, and sipping it with a pleased little smile.  

“My wife is the same way,” I said, accepting my own food from Jongdae, as I stop in front of a candidate.  “She refuses to even touch a cup of coffee darker than milk.”  Waving at the tree in question, I ask.  “What do you think?”

“I don’t know,” Junmyeon mused.  “It’s full, but it’s a bit short, isn’t it?  You guys have pretty high ceilings--you should take advantage of them.”

“You’re right.”  Moving on, I take a bite of steaming hotteok, savouring the warm, comforting, familiar flavour of savoury soy sauce, unctuous sesame, rich beef, and sweet onions and carrots.  Even though I’ve been “back” for years now, I still remember what it was like not to be able to feel anything, taste anything.  Food is delicious!  And my wife smells so good!  Feels even better.

“I think I found one,” Nini said from several yards away.  

Trudging in the knee-deep snow to where he stood, I eyed his choice.  Good height, but…”It’s a little spindly, isn’t it?”

Taking a step back, he closed first one eye, then the other, tilting his head this way, and that.  “Yeah, I guess you’re right,’ he nodded, before taking a huge bite of bungeoppang.  

“So, Nini,” I started as we let Jongdae take the lead.  “How are things at school?”

“School’s fine,” he shrugged.

Junmyeon caught my eye, and we smirked.  Slinging an arm over Nini’s shoulder, I patted his cheek.  “Nini...you know when hyung asks about school…”

His eyes widened.  “You’re not really asking about school!”

“There you go!” Junmyeon laughed.

Nini’s face turned bright red, and I couldn’t help but slap him on the back.  “Who is she?”

“Yah, Hyung, she’s just a friend,” he mumbled.

“Oh, really?”  Jongdae had snuck back around, and Nini jumped when Jongdae popped up from behind.  “Tell us about this ‘friend’.”

“She’s...an exchange student.”

“Ohhh!”  Nini started a little as I poked him in the side.  “Our little brother has become an international man of mystery!”

“Hyung!” he whined.

“Alright, alright,” Junmyeon said, holding up his hands, before pulling Nini away from where Jongdae and I were trying to tickle him through his thick parka.  “He’s not going to want to tell us anything if you keep teasing him,” he grumbled.

“But he squeaks,” Jongdae quipped.

“...You do squeak,” Junmyeon admitted, tilting his head toward our little brother.

Fighting from his hold, arms waving, Nini pulled away. “Ah, I don’t know, I don’t know--alright!  She’s from Mexico, and she wants to become a makeu