Yixing stares at Li Jiaheng, all wide-eyed and hairs standing on ends. A beautiful face, as if it had just been strewn right out of an oil painting, with locks dyed into a pale shade of gold rooting out of his head, a pair of brown eyes, and as Yixing’s eyes travel down the course of the other boy’s body, Yixing sees the red-green-white cake box being carried by two flimsy hands.

Yixing hastily moves to close the door but Jiaheng is much faster, inserting his foot between the door and the frame.

Yixing clears his throat, and says impatiently, “Would you mind?”

But much to Yixing’s vexation. He curses himself under his breath. He has not intended to sound hoarse and hostile, but Jiaheng’s sudden appearance—it’s been seven days since the last time they saw each other anyway—right at their doorstep with a box of cake—takes him by surprise. Unfortunately, his wits have started to abandon him and he doesn’t know what to do.

Jiaheng gives Yixing a light-hearted and cool gaze; though, deep inside he was already screaming Bring it on! side by side with Don’t you dare! repeatedly, as if it were a mantra that would save him from some kind of disaster. And to that, Jiaheng rolls his eyes inwardly—oh, how he badly wants to roll his eyes—and says to himself, This is a disaster all right.

“Would you mind?” Jiaheng throws the question right back to Yixing.

“You’re not being cool, you know,” Yixing remarks, his hand still on the door.

“That’s an understatement.”

“It is not. Now, remove your feet off our doorway if you don’t want me to sue you for trespassing.”

Because Jiaheng is being stubborn, Yixing pushes his foot with his own—only with way too much effort because the other boy is definitely not giving in.

“Go!” Yixing hisses at him.

“After making the trouble of buying you a Christmas cake and seeing you again? No! After making the trouble of going here to your house? Is it that bad that I want to spend this one Christmas with you, Zhang Yixing?” Jiaheng retaliates.

Yixing’s heart skips a beat. For a moment, he isn’t sure if he has heard Jiaheng right or if it’s just his imagination playing tricks with him.

“Come on, Yixing, you wouldn’t dare. My parents are already on your porch.”

With those words said, Yixing opens the door wide enough for Jiaheng to sneak under his arm. Yixing steps out onto their doorstep and see for himself the reality that is unfolding before him.

Two grown-ups, each wearing a fur winter coat, are making their way to their door.

The woman has chestnut hair cascading down to her waist like waterfalls. Yixing gasps at her splendid beauty. Even with the wintry background around her, she looks even paler than snow, her dark eyes pronounced, her painted lips quirked up into a gentle smile, and her face was all angles. Yixing couldn’t have guessed if she’s ten years older or younger than his own mother.

Without a doubt, Yixing realizes, Jiaheng eerily resembles his mother. They are both beautiful, almost otherworldly.

Yixing’s eyes travel to the man walking side by side with her. He must be old enough for his hair to start thinning out. He is a tall, slender man with the same dark eyes. His forehead knots into crinkles, as if it’s always been that way. Moreover, he looks extremely tired. Remembering Jiaheng’s stories a week ago, he concludes that the man must be Jiaheng’s father. He has come back home all the way from Canada just to celebrate Christmas with them in China.

Yixing’s only question is: What are they doing here in our house?

“Merry Christmas, Yixing!” the woman hugs Yixing, much to the boy’s surprise.

Yixing looks at Jiaheng, and Jiaheng raises an eyebrow. Blinking thrice, Yixing hugs Jiaheng’s mother back and says, “Merry Christmas too!”

“My, you have such a lovely home!” Jiaheng’s mother exclaims.

Yixing just scratches the back of his head. “It’s a small home, though.”

“A home nevertheless,” Jiaheng’s father says with a smile.

Yixing turns to look at Jiaheng again. The other boy just gives him his knowing smile, then mouths at him, You’re gonna love them.

But Yixing doesn’t understand the words anyway and knits his brows together, asking, What?

Jiaheng rolls his eyes and stalks toward the dining table.

“Please be seated. I’ll tell my parents you’re here,” Yixing tells the two elders, as he guides them to the sofa by the fireplace.

“We’ll be waiting here,” Jiaheng’s father says politely.

When Yixing is sure they’re seated comfortably, he follows Jiaheng to the dining area and hisses at him, “What do you think you’re doing? This is our home! Not yours!”

Jiaheng eyes him nonchalantly. “Don’t you get visitors on Christmas?”

“That’s the problem! Our relatives will be arriving soon!”

“Well, you can’t chase us out of here now that we’re already here. That would be rude.”

“You came uninvited!”

“I wanted to surprise you.”

“So here we go again with all the I’s. Jiaheng, it’s always been about you!”

“Whoa, Yixing, calm down. You’re like a nagging nanny. It ruins your beautiful face.”

Yixing catches his breath. That was an unprecedented remark, okay?

“You’re not getting me with flattery. And don’t say beautiful. I’m not a girl.”

“Surely you look like one,” Jiaheng says with a wink.

Yixing’s mouth falls open as he feels himself flinch. A moment later, Yixing finds himself again. With all the energy he could muster, he breathes in and out slowly and deeply. Then, he carefully tells Jiaheng, “Tell your parents you’re just dropping off and that you’ll leave in a while.”

Jiaheng’s smile fades. Yixing knows he must have hurt him. A glimmer of hurt crossed his eyes. He saw it. But, there’s no going back. He said what he has just said and he won’t take those words back. After all, all this that is happening to him right now is not right—all wrong.

Jiaheng places both his hands on Yixing’s shoulders and looks at him directly in the eye. “I told them we’re spending the night here. They were really excited. They haven’t mingled with other Chinese families like this for years. Please, Yixing, maybe just think of this as a Christmas present? For me?”

Yixing holds Jiaheng’s hands and gently lifts them off his shoulders. “Jiaheng, this is only the third time we’ve met and—“

“Fourth,” Jiaheng corrects him.

“Yeah, fourth, whatever. We don’t know each other that much and this is too much intimacy. I don’t think my parents would be fine with it.”

And all of a sudden, Jiaheng breaks into a smirk, raking one of his slender hands through his golden hair, the other resting imposingly on his waist.

“What?” Yixing asks in confusion.

“So… here’s the idea. I told you I wanted to be friends with you, right?”

Yixing nods.

“I get what I want, Yixing.”

“I know. You’re idiotically stubborn.”

Jiaheng dismisses him with a wave of his hand. “It runs in the blood. Anyway, remember when we drove you home that night?”

“Of course.”

“Yixing, would you please stop interrupting me?”

“Sure.”

Yixing actually has noticed this. Jiaheng isn’t calling him by his nickname. Maybe the other boy’s really serious?

Jiaheng stares at him, almost challenging him. Challenging him into what, Yixing does not know.

“Go on,” Yixing says.

“Well, you could’ve theorized that it’s why I know where you live. Partly correct. But the day after, I went back to the bookstore, hoping you would be there, and to my despair, you weren’t. Your father told me you suddenly caught a cold. He told me how you’re always sick, especially during winter.”

Yixing grunts.

“After that I went home. I told my mom about what your father told me and she suggested that we visit you this Christmas to see if you’re already doing fine. I came back to the bookstore the next day and told your father about my mom’s suggestion. And your mom was there too, by the way. It was actually your mom who suggested that we stay for the night since none of your relatives would be able to arrive today because of the hailstorm. They’d be stranded along the way, and your parents didn’t want that. But because we’re just a kilometre away from your house, your parents thought it would be great to have us around. So they could get to know my parents and so that we could have bonding time.”

Jiaheng has spoken a bit faster than Yixing has expected him to. Everything he just said… God, how could Jiaheng manage to surprise him every freaking single time? Not just that. It was his mom who generated the freaking idea, and this freaking handsome boy just went along with that idea, and he, Zhang Yixing, never knew about it?

Yixing is way too speechless for this. This is something he has never prepared himself for. And his heart’s doing all the work to catch up with its already lightning-paced beating. Then, he hears voices and laughters coming from the living room.

“See?” Jiaheng stands beside Yixing and wraps an arm around his shoulder even though he knows fully well that Yixing is much taller than he is. He doesn’t care anyway.

“This… is…” Yixing gulps. “This is Merry Christmas… I guess?”

Jiaheng presses a hand on Yixing’s shoulder, then takes something in his bag and hands it to Yixing, who looks at the square item with wide eyes. Jiaheng chuckles. “You can really look cute, you know?”

Yixing elbows him and says, “I’ve never seen this coming.”

“That’s Lin Jielin’s latest album. You must be happy.”

“Overly. My heart is practically leaping for joy.”

“That’s why you shouldn’t have tried sending me away.”

Then, Jiaheng is caught off guard. Yixing has pulled him into a tight hug. The other boy is whispering words in his ear, and all he could do is smile the biggest smile he has ever smiled his entire life.

“I’m sorry, Jiaheng. And thank you. I am glad you’re here. I am glad I could spend this one Christmas with you.”

Jiaheng returns Yixing’s hug and runs circles on his back with the palms of his hands. “We’ll have more Christmases together, Zhang Yixing.”

Inwardly, Yixing says, I love you, Li Jiaheng.

***___***

[A/N: Hi, guys! I'm sorry it took me exactly 25 days before I was able to update again. I have been busy this December, and I really couldn't find time to write. I'm sorry. Oh, and I do hope you enjoy this Christmas chapter I've written for you. Merry Christmas everyone! Will be updating soon.]