My Christmas present: double update :)

“Komawo,” Changmin said softly. Joohyun didn’t say anything and continued to skin the apples. Suddenly there was a soft cry as a knife was placed on the board. Changmin turned his head and saw Joohyun holding on to her thumb.

“Yah, koenchana?” Changmin got closer to look at her cut. Joohyun just kept silent. He rushed out of the kitchen and asked for the first aid kit.

Krystal got up slightly but BoA pushed her back down. “It’s in the top shelf at the right hand cabinet,” BoA said, pointing to the kitchen. He rushed back to the kitchen and searched the right cabinet. The piano sound returned soft so that the spectators could spy on them.

Joohyun told Changmin that she could manage, but Changmin ignored her and placed the bandage for her. “Komawo, o-oppa,” she said softly. The music suddenly stopped. Changmin looked at her looking at him, and his hands dropped to his side. Music came back from the piano again.

Changmin went back to making hot chocolate and Joohyun back to her apples. “Leave the apples there. I’ll skin them after I’m done,” he said as he poured hot water into the mugs. Joohyun placed the half-skinned apple on the plate and took the strawberries. She gathered up her courage as she plucked the leaves from the stem.

“I was wrong,” she said. Changmin was placing the mugs on the tray, but she stopped at her words. “I was just wanting to stop the fight before the reporters saw anything. But I was wrong. I should have… I should have done something else.” She put down the strawberry and looked at Changmin. “I don’t know what I could have done, but I should have done something else instead of defending Yunho-oppa. Mianhae, oppa.”

Changmin put the last mug on the tray and turned to the living room in silence. The piano got louder and “Komawo”s were everywhere. Joohyun continued plucking off the leaves, but her eyes were getting blurred by her tears. She snuffed to contain her crying. But her tears kept falling and she exhaled through . She felt so lost about what to do. Her breathing became unstable from the pain that she felt.

But suddenly a pair of arms enclosed her shoulders from behind, making her stop what she was doing. “I’m sorry,” Changmin said. “It was my fault. I shouldn’t have caused such a scene in the public and I shouldn’t have accused you like that.”

Joohyun squeezed her eyes shut tightly while her hands tightened into fists. The tears fell from her eyes onto his arms. He released her and turned her around. He wiped the tears of her cheeks and continued, “There wasn’t anything else you could do, Joohyun-ah. You were right to stop me. I know you were doing it for me.”

Joohyun’s silent cries increased in volume before Changmin pulled her into his chest, hugging her tightly. Joohyun hugged his waist tightly as she cried. His embrace tightened as he relished her being in his arms again. “Bogoshipeosseo,” he said softly.

“Nado,” she said into his chest. The two of them were unaware that the music had stopped. The people outside did fist pumps and high-fived each other. Krystal quickly resumed her piano playing as they sang ‘Deck the Halls’. ‘FALALALALA LALALALA…” The couple broke their hug and Changmin helped Joohyun to clean her face. Th