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Jinhee arrived at Bang Yongguk’s house at exactly 6:00. Because she doesn’t want to be late. “Is this really the house?” She mumbled to herself as she looked at the address given to her.

When she had confirmed that she went to the right house, she took a deep breath before she finally pressed the doorbell.

*I wonder if they will like my dress or not. What if I looked like nuts and my dad was just trying to cheer me up?* She thought as she puffed up her cheeks.

“Yah! Youngjae! Open the door! Can’t you hear the doorbell?!” I heard someone exclaimed. Was that Daehyun?

“I’m doing something here! Why do you always push all the chores to me?!” The voice snapped back. I’m assuming that it’s Youngjae.

*What’s happening in there? Are they fighting?* She thought as she tried to lean closer to the door to hear the conversation. But she heard the door knob clicked and she instantly leaned back.

It was Jongup.

He greeted her with an awkward smile like he always did. “Welcome to our party. Come in.” He said as he opened the door wider, letting Jinhee to go inside.

Jinhee took a step and went inside. She rolled her eyes around the place. It’s surprisingly neat for a guy’s place.

“Oh, you’re early!” Yongguk told her as he went to the kitchen with a tray of meat. “By the way, you look good today.”  He added.

Jinhee blushed. No. Not because she likes him. It was because of the compliment thrown at her.

“That’s right! You look like a princess today.” Jongup added as he gave me a thumbs up. “Junhong will be really happy to see you.”

I smiled. “Thanks.”

There was an awkward silence that enveloped between me and Jongup. He just stood there with a smile and it’s really freaking me out. “Can we go to the kitchen?”

He nodded. “Sure.”

…

At the kitchen, I saw the three guys cooking. Youngjae was preparing the pasta. Daehyun was making the batter. And Yongguk was making sandwhiches.

“Oh! Hi Jinhee!” Youngjae greeted as soon as he saw me. “Sorry the party will be a little delayed. Because one idiot here was late.” He mumbled as he glared at Daehyun.

“Shut up and just work.” Daehyun mumbled.

“If you’re wondering where Lime and Himchan was, Himchan is fetching Lime as of the moment.” Yongguk said as he placed vegetables on the sandwhich.

“Oh. Okay.” I nodded in understanding.

“Do you guys need help?” I asked them as I looked at them.

They all looked at me with a smile. “You sure?”

I nodded.

“Jongup get her an apron.” Yongguk said with a smile. Jongup immediately went to the drawer and grabbed a white apron. And he handed it to me with a smile. “Goodluck.” He said.

“How about you? Don’t you want to cook?”

He shook his head. “The hyungs told me not to go an inch closer than this distance to the kitchen.”

I chuckled at him. “Okay.”

…

7:00.

Lime and Himchan already arrived thirty minutes ago. Plus, the Jieun girl also came. We had the chance to talk and she seemed like a great person. Now I know why Yongguk liked her.

But Zelo’s still not here. What’s taking him so long? He’s not even texting me. I thought as I pouted. I wonder what happened at their dinner. Is he okay?

“You okay?” I heard Yongguk asked.

I smiled as I nodded. “Yes.”

“Come with me.” He said as he went upstairs. I just did as he said and followed him upstairs. He opened a door and motioned me to go inside the veranda.

I stepped in and saw a dark, starry night. “It’s so beautiful up here.” I mumbled as I admired the stars.

“I knew you’d say that. Zelo called me earlier. He said he’s on his way here. And he instructed me to take care of you while he’s not yet here.” He said as he also went inside and stood beside me.

I looked at him. That’s when I realized that all of my romantic feelings for him had really vanished. Bang Yongguk is just a friend now. It’s like magic. Before when he’s around, I used to blush, to stutter and I’m so nervous. But now, everything’s okay.

“Why?” Yongguk asked me maybe he noticed that I was staring at him. “Do you still have feelings for me?” He teased.

I shook my head. “No! I.. uh.. I just find it funny. You always made my heart flutter before, but now…”

He gave me his gummy smile. “I know. I was just kidding.”

“You knew?” I asked him.

He nodded. “I see the way you look at him and I know because you used to look at me the same way before.”

I just smiled. That’s right.

...

Downstairs,

Zelo stormed inside and scanned the room. Jinhee wasn’t there. He pouted. “Where’s Jinhee?” He asked Jongup.

“She got bored and went home. Because you’re way too late.” Daehyun answered for Jongup.

Zelo frowned. “That’s bad Hyung.”

Daehyun just shrugged and gave him a goofy smile.

“She’s upstairs. She’s talking with Yongguk hyung.” Jongup smiled.

Zelo smiled. “Thanks Jonguppie!” He said as he excitedly walked upstairs. He took out the mistletoe that he stole from the dining hall with a smile. He placed it above his head. "This high should be okay right?" He mumbled to himself.

He went to the veranda and he saw Jinhee staring at the stars. A smile appeared on his face as he stared at her. *She looks beautiful.*

He was about to walk towards her but he noticed that she was talking with his Hyung. So he just remained there and waited for them to finish talking.

*Wait. Isn’t this eavesdropping? That’s bad. I should just go back.* He thought as he was about to go but he suddenly heard something.

“I suddenly remembered when you were so in love with me. It was fun.” Yongguk chuckled.

Jinhee placed her hand over her sides. “That was before.” She pouted.

*Jinhee liked Hyung before?* Zelo pouted as he felt his heart sunk. *Why didn’t she tell me? No. Maybe it’s a misunderstanding. Maybe they are just joking.* He thought as he shook his head.

“That makes me remember how you rejected me just like that and you told me to just like Zelo instead. I felt so sad back there.” She said as she shook her head.

“You cried didn’t you?”

“Who wouldn’t? I was rejected and that person told me to just focus my attention to his most important dongsaeng.”

Zelo frowned in confusion as he felt pain. What are they talking about? Are those real? Jinhee liked hyung before and she just.. Nah. They must be kidding. Jinhee loves me. She really does. Zelo thought as he tried to smile, pushing away the thought that Jinhee was just forced to be with him.

“Reminiscing everything makes me remember how I thought of Zelo before. I really hated him. Because he was the reason why you rejected me. And then he declared me as his girlfriend and he always sticks to me like a gum. He was really annoying back then. I always thought of him as a pest.”

Zelo lost grip of the mistletoe he was holding. He couldn’t believe what he just heard. Jinhee hated him. The girl he had always loved hated him. And she thought of him as a pest. His shoulders deflated as he sighed. *We have to talk later.* He was about to walk away but,

“Did you tell him about the letter?” Yongguk asked her.

Zelo leaned back. The letter was something that he really held on to. What does his hyung know about it that he doesn't? 

Jinhee bit her lip as she shook her head.

“Scared?”

“I don’t want him to get hurt. I don’t want him to know that letter wasn’t really for him. I don’t want him to know that Lime just misplaced the letter in his locker. I don’t want him to know that the letter was for you. I don’t want him to know everything.”

That’s it. Zelo heard everything. No explanations were needed for him to understand the whole situation. And he only understood one thing. That they lied to him. Tears slowly formed in his eyes.

Just then, Jinhee turned around. “Let’s go down. It’s a bit chil---“ She froze at her own spot because she saw Zelo standing beside the door. And his face was distorted in pain. Did he hear them? Probably yes.

Jinhee cleared as she opened not knowing what to say. “Y-you came?” She asked Zelo. “Were you standing there for too long?” She added in a worried tone.

Zelo looked away and tried to hold back his tears. “I heard everything.”

“It’s what you think. Really. I was---“ Jinhee tried to explain as she was about to go to him.

“You lied.” Zelo stared at her with a pained face. He just couldn’t believe that Jinhee would do this.

Yongguk walked up to Zelo to calm him down. “It’s a misunderstanding. We are—“

“I hate you Hyung. I hate you so much.” A tear slid down his cheek and he quickly wiped it away.

Yongguk froze at his own spot. Hearing his most important dongsaeng say that he hates him was really painful for him to hear.

Zelo tried to stop his tears from flowing as he tried to clear his throat and then he faked a smile.“Merry Christmas.” He bitterly mumbled as he walked away.