"Arghh..." 

Yoona woke up with a throbbing head. She sauntered into the kitchen, pouring herself a glass of water, gulping down thirstily. 

"Came home real late?" She looked up and saw her father sitting on the couch, reading newspaper. 

"Pulled an all-nighter in fact. Those guys partied like wild animals," Yoona found her voice still hoarse as she made her way to sit beside him, smiling brightly as she snuggled against his chest. "Merry Christmas appa~" 

"Cheeky girl, how old are you? Still acting like a kid," Mr. Im complained but it was pure adoration in his tone as he ruffled her hair. "Merry Christmas~"

"Looks like my appa still has market value?" Yoona jested as she saw a bouquet of flowers on the table, "but it's weird though, sending guys flowers. If it's chocolates, I thought it'd be better. Appa, is it because you look too feminine?" 

Mr. Im gave a merciless hard knock on his daughter's forehead, "are you trying to fool around with appa now?" 

"Ouch! Hehe, I was just curious! Just happy that appa has admirers too!" Yoona rubbed her forehead before breaking into a playful grin, wrapping her arms around her father's shoulders. "Who's this appa? Is it the ajumma next doorrrrr?" 

"You'll be the death of me, Im Yoona. You and Yoonjung are poles apart! Yoonjung looks cold and fierce on the outside but is a total innocent and shy girl inside while you, you look like a harmless little deer upfront but is actually a mischievous and boisterous kid." Mr. Im shook his head.

"I'm hurt appa~ I was jokingggg~" Yoona pouted cutely. "Araso araso, then it's for unnie? Thought Seungwon oppa doesn't give flowers?"

"Agassi, stop guessing. It's for you!" Mr. Im rolled his eyes. "You got yourself a boyfriend and did not even tell me?"

"I don't have a boyfriend!"

Yoona's eyes widened in shock. She picked up the bouquet immediately, opening the card. The message was once again short and simple.

Merry Christmas my lovely lady.

See you soon. 
 

"Knows your home address and calls you 'my lovely lady'? Yah, Im Yoona, you still want to lie through your nose?" Mr. Im peeked over her shoulder, looking at the content of the card.

"I-I really don't have a boyfriend!" Yoona closed the card immediately, running back to her room.

"Your flowers!" Mr. Im shouted after her.

"Just put into some vase or give to the ajumma next door!" 

Yoona closed her door, putting the card against her chest as she heaved a sigh of relief. She read the content again, last night memories flooding back to her. Right, last night. When she opened the gift that contained a bracelete, the message had mentioned about these flowers too. She tried her might to see who's the culprit but apparently none of them felt suspicious? Who was the one who claimed that BIGBANG's only actor is Choi Seunghyun again? Also, who said SNSD couldn't act? 

It ended up with her giving up the guess after a couple more shots down her stomach. Everyone eventually partied hard and got wasted, totally forgetting about the whole Secret Santa thing. She didn't even remember clearly how she got home, let alone finding out who was the flowers sender. It stopped for a day and well, it's back on Christmas. From the previous night, she was fairly confident that this mysterious person was from within the SoshiBang clique. With this new card, she was even more positive that this person must be from this clique. Just then, a message came in.

Kwon Jiyong: Yah, are you up? Should I go pick you up? 

Knowing her residential address and... see you soon? 

Wow. You're up already? That's one rare sight. I thought you, Seungri and Hyoyeon unnie went back even later than most of us. I was planning to cancel the meetup today.

Kwon Jiyong: We have a date. I don't always turn up late unless I'm forced to. Man, after these few weeks, you still can't have some trust? 

Still under observation and no, you don't have to come pick me. It's dangerous and I'll drive myself. Meet you directly at the place in... thirty minutes? 

Kwon Jiyong: Sweet. See you soon.

Date? See you soon? 

Yoona shook her head, trying to shake off the faint blush on her face as she put the card on her table, heading to wash up.

"Appa, quit looking. No one is coming to pick me up and I repeat, I have no boyfriend," Yoona chuckled as she saw Mr. Im pretending to be nonchalant but kept on stealing glances towards their front porch. "I'm driving out and will be back before our Christmas dinner!" 

"I thought you're supposed to make gingerbread cookies?"

"Yes yes. I'll go get the ingredients and you'll get to eat it this time, I promise!" 

"You said that last Christmas too."

"It would happen this year, I promise!" Yoona replied embarrassingly and pecked her father's cheeks. "I'll be back soon!"

✾✽✾✽✾✽

"For a record, you're late." 

Yoona jumped a little as a voice rang behind her. She turned around quickly and upon recognizing who he was, she relaxed.

"Wae? Why do you look so uptight?" Jiyong asked suspiciously.

"N-Nothing..." 

From her house to the meeting place, Yoona had a weird feeling that she was being followed. However, whenever she looked around, she spotted no one. She was getting a little worried and sensitive, which explained the startle when Jiyong tapped her back.

"I've checked that there's no paparazzis before approaching you," Jiyong added, misunderstanding her worry. "If that's what you're worried about." 

"Oh, okay," Yoona perked up. "Oh, and I'm not late. I arrived on the dot! I was busy looking for you." 

"Ayeee, don't lie. I'd been here since ten minutes ago and stayed inside the car to wait for you. You didn't arrive until 5 minutes ago~" 

"This is only a one-off occasion," Yoona snorted. "Your record is unbeatable."

"Is this how you're going to treat the person that's going to help you?" 

"Right," Yoona had a 360-degree change in expression as she beamed, "thank youuuuuu!" 

Jiyong could only smile behind his mask, shaking his head in defeat, "let's go. Why are you buying paint all of a sudden anyway?"

"Doing some DIY stuff at home. Want to paint a plain wall that I have," Yoona answered. "Why are you looking at me like that? DIY is not only done by G-Dragon~" 

"I'm just surprised. Thought someone mentioned that she's not an artistic person?" Jiyong raised his brows.

"You said to go with my feelings and just do it~" Yoona shrugged. "I'm just doing it~" 

"Oh, like stealing Taeyeon's glitter and throwing a few more pieces of gold flakes and diamonds?" Jiyong teased. "I kind of like it though, but you could at least make an effort in getting me another pair of Air Force. Seriously? Paranoise?" 

"You sent me a lot to experiment on! I'm just giving you one of my failed products," Yoona could feel the heat pooling towards her cheeks as she walked away quickly. "Also, it's said to be anonymous! You can't be calling out your gifters like that!"

"Come onnnn, tell me where you got those gold flakes! I want to get them too~" 

"Go awayyyyy!" 

The two ended up in the art shop, where Jiyong explained the various brushes and types of paint to Yoona. This pair had been texting (behind their clique's back) quite frequently and after deciding to paint her wall, Yoona asked for Jiyong's help which the latter agreed readily. He was rather free nowadays and on top of the fact that he likes hanging out with her, he didn't hesitate to help her out. Matching their schedules and trying to avoid suspicion, this two decided to meet up on Christmas. 

"Wow, thanks~ If I were to come here myself, I'd probably be lost and ended up hiring someone else to do up my wall," Yoona looked at the materials she bought and exclaimed. 

"Just be sure to let me have a look when it's done." 

"Am I like your disciple now?" Yoona joked.

"Nahs, I ain't taking any disciples. I'm a free spirit~" Jiyong laughed. "Heading back now?"

"Yes, got family dinner," Yoona answered. "Got to head to the mart to get some ingredients first."

"I can go with you. I would need to help my mum to get some stuff for the dinner tonight too." 

"Oh? Let's go then." 

Noona, I'll get the brisket and the hot pepper past