Kang Dongho - NU'EST

He was in a daze. It wasn’t only from the flurry of your family setting up on the beachfront for the barbeque lunch you were having. Dongho had been this way ever since you both touched down in your hometown yesterday.

It wasn’t as if he hadn’t travelled before. And Dongho did know the science behind it all, but it was still surreal to be feeling the summer sun beating down on his back on Christmas Day. There wasn’t a snowman in sight, and the idea of plaid pyjamas and a hot cocoa in this climate seemed laughable.

All his Christmas traditions made no sense in this world.

Then again, all your traditions seemed so unfathomable to him as well. Noticing your partner out of his depth, you reached for Dongho’s arm and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Watch out. Aunt Molly is coming through with the pavlova.”

“The pav-what?” he breathed, looking at the creamy dessert the woman carried into the beach house your family rented for the Christmas festivities.  

Giggling, you patted his hand. “You have much to learn about Christmas in summer, don’t you?”

“It feels like I’ve stepped into another universe,” Dongho admitted, and you nodded.

“Now you know why I was so quiet last Christmas with your family. I’m used to wearing my swimwear on Christmas day at some point in the day.”

“A white Christmas makes the most sense,” he murmured, and you shrugged.

“It’s all about where you’re raised, babe. You’ll get the hang of it.”

Dongho was dubious at first, but once he was given tasks by your father to help with the cooking of the meat, he settled in. And lunch was truly delicious. After resting for a bit, you headed out with your younger cousins onto the sandy dunes and played for an hour before being called back up for dessert.

He had to admit, whilst the pavlova looked questionable, he was one of the many who went back for seconds of the dessert.

The day wore on and the inky night now filled the skies, the pair of you walking hand in hand down the beach, listening to the waves roll in. It had been different for sure, and it still didn’t quite feel like Christmas.

However, Dongho was glad he got to experience the twenty-fifth in the way you had your whole life.

Smiling up at him as if you read his mind, you stopped walking. “It’s not all that bad, is it?”

“No, you’re right.”

“I bet you’re looking forward to a wintry Christmas next year though,” you guessed and he grinned in answer. Snuggling into his side, you hummed. “Me too.”

“I thought you missed all this?”

“I did, but I know we won’t be here next year. Wherever you are, that’s the type of Christmas I want to have.”