It was your first holiday in the academic year and you were glad that you didn't have to spend it once again in Mokpo. Your grandmother, living in Jeju-do, had invited everyone to spend the holidays with them. As it had been for many years.

On the night before Christmas Eve, everyone was either rushing around to finish last minute packing or calling up their work to inform them of their future absence. You, in contrast to everyone else, were chilling in your room since you had taken the initiative to pack a week beforehand.

So while everyone else ran around like headless chicken, you calmly scrolled through your phone and attempted to talk to Donghae, who once again had disappeared for a whole week.

You
Donghaeeeee

You
I miss youuuuu

You
Where are youuuuu

You
Haeeeeee

You
Dongggggg

You
I'm so boreeeeddddd

You
:'(

You
Ya how could you ignore me for a whole week T-T

At the sound of loud knocking on your bedroom door, you rose your eyebrows in confusion and stood up to see who was done packing. You laughed as Minwoo and Minwon shoved you in your room and started dancing like little kids.

"Anyway, imo, we're going to meet big harabeoji, so all that dongsaengs are sleeping! What time are you going to sleep?" Minwoo asked after he made himself comfortable on your bed and you rolled your eyes in amusement and shook your head.

"I'm waiting for a text, but I probably won't sleep. It's already so late and the flight is in six hours, I'm not gonna sleep," you answered after closing the door so that the actual kids didn't wake up from the noise.

"Great, appa said that he'd lend us the two latest movies to watch and told us to shut up," Minwon grinned and you laughed as you were dragged out of your room and to your father's empty study.

-

Lee Donghae
Heyy

Lee Donghae
Sorry about earlier

Lee Donghae
It's sooo busy around this time of year at work

Lee Donghae
I'm on my way back to Mokpo rn

You
DONGHAEEEE

Lee Donghae
Hello to you too you disrespectful brat

You
:'(

You
I'm on a plane rn

Lee Donghae
As in wish-swish-brr brr like the planes that fly?

You
...

You
Are you a child what is wrong with you XD

Lee Donghae
I'm a perfectly healthy 31 year old man actually

You
Uh huhhh

Lee Donghae
...

Lee Donghae
Who occasionally acts like a child

You
Hmmmm

Lee Donghae
Okay maybe I act more childish than my actual age

You
Good boy xD

Lee Donghae
I'm not an actual kid, don't call me that!

You
Like you shouldn't talk to me like that? 🤔

Lee Donghae
Psh but you're 21 it's fine

You
Ew

Lee Donghae
Anyway, where are you even going?

You
Jejuuuuu-doooo

Lee Donghae
Ooooh

Lee Donghae
Maybe I'll go there one day with my friends

Lee Donghae
When I'm not suffocated by workload

You
Yeah it's great to go with friends... though I don't have the exact right to tell you that since you are my only friend

Lee Donghae
I'll follow your advice my love xD

You
Btw I should have noticed before but... are you texting and driving?

Lee Donghae
I'm not crazy you know xD

Lee Donghae
I was actually going to take the train, you know the one you take at this time of day?

You
Yeah?

Lee Donghae
But my friend is also from Mokpo, so we're going home together

Lee Donghae
He's driving first and then I will after an hour

You
Then why don't you sleep???

Lee Donghae
I wanted to know if you'd be online T3T

You
XD

You
Child, go to sleep

Lee Donghae
Oi!

You
I mean DONGHAE-SSI

Lee Donghae
Good good

Lee Donghae
Anyway, have a safe flight, okiee?? 💕

You
Thank youuu :D

You
Have a safe trip Donghae 💙💙

Lee Donghae
You and that banmal-

You
DONGHAE-SSI!!!!

Lee Donghae
Better

You
Bye nowww

You
Plane about to set off

Lee Donghae
Hmm okay

Lee Donghae
Ttyl?

You
Yup yup 💕

Lee Donghae
Byeeee 💞

You
Byeee

You smiled to yourself and turned off your phone when the announcement was made about the plane setting off. As you were sat between Minwon and Minwoo, they had clearly read your conversation and looked at you weirdly, "who's Lee Donghae?"

"An acquaint... my friend," you corrected with a small smile lighting on your face. Yes, Donghae was your friend and nothing less.

-

"Aigoo! You're all here!" you smiled as your grandfather hugged your father happily and it was responded to with a low chuckle. Your grandfather was quite an eccentric man who talked to anyone and everyone without any judgment and for that, you felt warm when he hugged you tightly and talked to you about anything.

You even had to ask him to eat breakfast since he talked to you for two hours straight without a single break. All your cousins and aunts were either in the kitchen preparing food or talking about their own businesses and companies with your uncles. The kids were playing with each other while Minwoo and Minwon were trying to warm up to Lee Hana and Lee Hanee who were boredly sitting away from the younger kids.

"So, (Y/N)-ah, you're the only one who isn't married, huh?" your aunt hinted at you and suddenly the living room went silent, everyone turning to stare at you curiously. 'What about your own son and daughters...'

"Uh, haha, yeah," you answered with a nervous rub of your nape, not really wanting to cause any conflict between your family this early in the morning.

"Do you need suitors? My son has many lined up for him and they all have older brothers," she added and you considered killing yourself right there and then, because your mother readily agreed to her suggestion.

"Thank you for the offer, imo, but I'd like to finish my university and get a job first," you confessed and flinched at the collective gasps which followed your announcement, but nothing happened after that since your grandfather came back and didn't notice the tense atmosphere.

"Anyway, I'm so glad that you all could make it! I missed you so much!" the oldest clapped happily and you smiled when he walked over to you and sat down next to you on the sofa.

"I missed you too," you answered to him as he hugged you and patted your head before he let you go and started talking to his sons.

-

It was really late at night when you received another text from Donghae. Your grandfather insisted that you slept in his room while the others went to the shared rooms and he was asleep, while you were staring at the ceiling. You smiled at the vibrate beside your pillow and picked up your phone.

Lee Donghae
Heyy

Lee Donghae
How was your flight?

You
Hiiiiii

You
It was okay

You
And your car trip?

Lee Donghae
Perfect, I even slept for a good amount of time xD

Lee Donghae
Wyd rn?

You
Ima just lying down

Lee Donghae
Likewise

You
So, when did you arrive?

Lee Donghae
Around 9am ish it took a long time, but I'm so glad to be homeee

You
Coolio xD

Lee Donghae
Hm when did you arrive in Jeju-do?

You
About 10am for some reason, we got lateee

Lee Donghae
Oh?

You
Yup something with the pilot but whatever

Lee Donghae
Ooh okie

You
What did you do today?

Lee Donghae
Eomma had a party for me and hyung

Lee Donghae
What about you?