The big tree stood brightly decorated against the window of their shared communal living room. Shiny babbles, wreaths and porcelain ornaments draped every inch and edge of it. Seulgi didn’t know half of the objects on there as most of their friends brought the decorations themselves when they visited.

But their dorm was looking lively and festive for the special season. Seulgi certainly felt the spirit as she donned a midnight-blue reindeer sweater. Her brother had bought it for her four years ago from a charity shop, and she has worn it every Christmas since and still has time to outgrow it. Besides, it was warm and snuggly. 

After much pleading, Seulgi eventually persuaded Joohyun to wear a festive sweater, much to her delight. The two had gone shopping together and Seulgi picked out Joohyun’s sweater. Seulgi’s chest warmed at how adorable Joohyun looked in her scarlet snowman sweater, complete with her hair tied in a ponytail and her cheeks tainted pinkish due to the cold weather. Joohyun had never looked more beautiful. Seulgi craved to lean forwards and place a tiny kiss on Joohyun’s nose.

But she settled for admiring her roommate with a soft half-smile as Joohyun balanced on a stepladder, and reached up with outstretched arms as she tried to place the star on the top of the tree. Seulgi's gaze ran down as Joohyun's sweater rolled up, revealing a flash of her creamy, smooth skin. She instantly flicked her eyes up, a tiny amount of panic tumbling around in her gut, as Joohyun turned and pouted at her. 

Ah, so this must be what they called gay panic, she thought. How fitting. 

“You could help, you know, instead of just standing there looking all lost,” Joohyun suggested with a pointed glance. “Your arms reach better than me seeing as you’re taller.”

Seulgi smirked. “I’m enjoying the view,” she said as Joohyun scoffed playfully and attempted to reach again. 

It happened in a flash. Seulgi saw it before it occurred. There was a wobble then Joohyun missed her step, a short, panicked yell escaped ; Seulgi’s heart jumped into before she instinctively jumped forwards and reached up to catch Joohyun before she tumbled. 

Both girls stared at each other with wide, blown eyes. A few seconds passed until Seulgi glimpsed her hands were gripping Joohyun's low waist while the latter was clutching at her shoulders. Their breaths intermingled with how close they were. 

Seulgi cleared and looked away, placing Joohyun back on the stepladder. She removed her hands and smoothed her sweater nervously. 

“Watch yourself, Hyun. That stepladder is slippery,” she muttered, willing her heart rate to decrease. 

Joohyun stared at her, struck for a second. She blinked then smiled shyly. “Thanks, Seul-bear,” she replied softly. “My hero.” 

Seulgi shrugged, her chest tightening. “Yeah, er, anytime. Don’t mention it.”

After Seulgi had realised that Joohyun was the missing puzzle piece of her heart and soul, the line that the two roommates boarded was becoming more unstable every day. They stood on the cusp of becoming more. Seulgi knew they were too far gone to be called platonic friends but they hadn’t quite crossed the romantic label. Joohyun didn’t even know Seulgi thought of her in that way. 

Yet, they were. . . something. That’s all she knew. Playful teasing and flirting had become more difficult to distinguish, yet more common. 

They hadn’t even bridged the topic and nor had they kissed. But something had shifted, something unspoken that constantly lingered when they stared too long at each other or laughed.

“Seulgi, come on,” Joohyun called, coming down the stepladder. “We’ve still got to clean the dorm before your family gets here and I want everything to be perfect when they arrive.” 

Seulgi chuckled, shaking her head fondly, but following Joohyun’s instructions. “Hyun, I promise, they’re not going to care if a tiny crumb is left in the room or not. My family’s quite easy-going ─ there’s nothing to worry about.”

Joohyun picked up a fallen jacket from the floor, which might have belonged to Seulgi. “Yeah, but I still want everything in order, okay? This is your family, Seul, I want to make a good impression.”

“They’re going to love you, Hyun, as I do,” said Seulgi, and her lips burned after she said it while her heart stuttered. 

Joohyun froze and a beat passed between them as the two girls stared at each other. Seulgi cursed herself for opening her big mouth. Great, now she created a weird vibe in the room. She knew what she meant, but she was afraid of making it awkward for Joohyun. 

“Well. . .” Joohyun broke the tension first, biting her bottom lip. She looked away. “Still, there’s nothing wrong with a clean dorm,” she uttered cooly. “You don’t want them to know you’ve been living close to a pigsty, do you?”

Seulgi laughed brightly but it didn’t stop the slight sinking of her heart. It was evident that Joohyun took her words to mean platonically. How disappointing, she thought.

Christmas was Seulgi’s favourite season. Everything was so colourful and vivid with the world being happier than it usually is. 

She loved hearing the sounds of carols when she walked past the local church; or seeing the bright twinkling lights of the inner city as they donned their huge decorations; she also adored walking through the Christmas market with Joohyun’s arm locked into hers, smelling churros and mulled wine from nearby stalls all around them.

In these instances, Joohyun had to pull her away otherwise she’d waste her money on everything there was to offer. It didn't stop her from buying an expensive snow globe Joohyun was eyeing longingly. This was the season for giving, she reminded her roommate after the girl had protested weakly. 

The snow globe now stood proudly on their shelf with falling crystals encircling a jolly