Meew decided to take a short stroll around the area and found a heart-shaped skating rink filled with lovers, skating while hands entwined with the cold biting at their cheeks, turning them a rosy red, but not wiping off the enjoyment they were having on their face.

She could feel anger bubble up in her stomach, it seemed as if Christmas was mocking her for having no one to keep her hand warm, to keep the enjoyment and happiness in her life, to keep the cold away...

Meew waddled her way, clumsily, through the inches of snow and away from the rink that had stirred so much foreign emotions inside her. Not too far off, a young man of the same age was feeling the same and was walking the opposite way, towards her. Although he was feeling the same way as Meew, he managed to stay cheerful since December was his favourite month.

He loved the cold.

He loved the snow.

And most of all, he loved Christmas; even if he felt depressed by the thought of spending it alone, he always tried to look on the bright side of the situation.

Meew decided to return to the bakery, afraid she had been gone long enough to make her friends worry.  At that moment, the wind blew and she felt her body shiver and her teeth chatter, reminding her of the cold that surrounded her for the time she was out.

She had to go back, fast.

She hurriedly waddled back in the direction of the bakery, but because she was known for her clumsy ways... Meew slipped on a patch of ice. She readied her body for the impact, muscles tense and ego ready to be hurt- but when the time came to when she was supposed to have hit the floor, she realized an arm was holding her steady by the waist, centimeters from the cold, hard cement below.

Meew composed herself and looked up to meet the eyes of her saviour. Her saviour- a young man with short, red hair, fringe falling perfectly to the right side of his face, framing it perfectly- was looking straight at her with pools of dark brown. His face showed brightly under the Christmas lights around them with an eye-smile, the atomic bomb of women’s heart, accompanying everything else that was perfect about him.

To finish off the image of a God that blew Meew away, was the shyness behind the smile he wore on his adorable face. Meew blushed and muttered a quick apology and thanks, hurrying out of his arms with a rosy red tint to her cheeks, one not made from the cold.

Her hands tucked into her pockets nervously as she let her eyes slowly wander up to the man in front of her.

The amused young saviour grinned and introduced himself to her. What was wrong with making new friends on Christmas Eve? “No problem! You should be more careful next time, though, no need to get hurt. I’m Taemin by the way, and you’re..?”

“Meew,” she squeaked, feeling more embarrassed from the sound that involuntarily came out in front of this handsome man- or Taemin... Same difference.

Taemin chuckled.

To Meew, it sounded like her favourite song. She mentally slapped herself. Cookies. I need to get back and finish those darn cookies. I wonder if Moh and Minny are worried by now.. They’re probably already with their boyfriends. It is almost 5.

Taemin pouted and waved his hands in front of her face, “Earth to Meew, are you there? Do I look boring to talk to? You’re spacing out on me.”

Meew snapped out of her thoughts and apologized for the second time. Taemin chuckled and flicked her forehead lightly, “Stop apologizing every five seconds or it’ll become a bad habit.” He wagged his index finger in front of her face.

“Sorry!” She meekly replied, and realized too late she apologized again. She immediately covered with her hands and mentally scolded herself. Out of all the people I could look idiotic in front of right now, it just had to be in front of him. I swear Christmas truly hates me...

Taemin raised an eyebrow, amused by the girl in front of him.

Cute.

Silence swallowed the two of them, both standing awkwardly in front of each other with their hands snuggly tucked in their pockets as couples walked past them, arm-in-arm, or hand-in-hand.

The thing was, it wasn't the normal awkward silence, it was a comfortable, awkward silence. They were just cold, but didn't mind the presence of the other, but quite the opposite: they enjoyed it.

“It’s cold,” Meew blurted out suddenly, trying to break the settling silence between them. The truth was, she wanted to spend more time with him, but didn't have the confidence to admit it to herself. Even though she wanted to spend more time with Taemin, she didn't want to spend it out in the cold.

Taemin smiled slightly and nodded at Meew's statement, feeling the same way.

“There’s a coffee shop nearby, let’s go get something warm, eh?” Taemin suggested, crossing his fingers, behind his back, hoping a 'yes’ would be her answer.

“Sure,” Meew replied cracking a smile. A real smile.

Taemin genuinely returned the smile, guiding their way to the coffee shop down the street. Both occasionally stole glances from each other, Christmas suddenly settling a feeling of warmth for the both of them.

Once the couple made it in front of the shop, Meew’s phone rang.

Excusing herself from Taemin, she answered her phone quietly, “Hello?”

“YAH!!!” Both Minny and Moh screamed through the phone, their voices draped with worry and anger.

“Where are you?! I stated ‘a little while’ didn’t I? You took more than 30 minutes! And when we left, we couldn't find you anywhere!” Minny fumed, obvious worry dripping from her tone.

This time, Moh took over and said, “We thought you got or kidnapped or something!”

“I think I just lost my hearing,” Meew answered irritatingly. “Calm down! I’m fine and still in one piece.”

“What?! One piece?! It is freaking winter, why are you wearing a one piece during winter? Are you trying to freeze your ---- Ow. What was that for Moh?” Minny exclaimed, rubbing the place Moh hit her.

“She meant, her body is still in one piece, silly! Anyways, I’m glad that’s the case, now will you please go back to the shop and finish your glob. Minny and I already----“ Moh was stopped by Minny smacking her this time.

Minny gave Moh a look and hissed quietly, “We agreed not to talk about our boyfriends around her, remember?”

Moh cursed ponies and rainbows quietly and muttered, “Oh yeah. I forgot..”

“Guys..I’ll go to the shop in a little while and finish the cookies ok? How were they? And don’t worry about me! I’m seriously fine. If something happened I wouldn't have answered my phone,” Meew joked, trying to lighten up the atmosphere.

“The cookies were so good! I had to use half of your batter or Myungmyung wouldn’t have an---“ Minny started. “Har har. Very funny Meew! Do you know how worried we were?” Moh finished after shooing Minny away from the phone, which resulted to a sulking Minny.

“She asked about the cookies Moh! Not fair,” Minny whined childishly, flailing her arms around.

Meew laughed at her two friends, “I’m sorry okay? I promise to not worry you guys next time. I will be on my way now to finish those cookies, then once I finish and get home, I’ll call you again, okay, Mom and Dad? Happy?”

“Much,” Moh replied contentedly then added, “Don’t you dare forget what you said!”

With that, the phone call ended and Meew made her way to the bakery, forgetting her company before the call.

Taemin opened his mouth to say something and reached out after her. He then recollected himself and coughed, a deep, manly cough, to get the girl’s attention.

“If you didn’t want to spend time with me, you should have said so in the first place,” Taemin said quietly, trying to hide the hurt look, but failing, as the look continued to cake his beautiful face.

Meew turned around, almost too quickly, and apologized repeatedly. “Oh I’m so sorry! No no, I was caught up with my friends scolding me and those cookies I have to finish that I completely forgot what I was doing before the call. I’m so sorry.” Meew looked up to him, sympathetically, hoping he wouldn't get too offended and leave her alone... again.

Taemin looked back at her, suddenly feeling lost in the brown orbs of chocolate that pulled him in.

Get it together Tae!

“Cookies?” Taemin asked with interest, a smile suddenly tugging at his lips, “You know how to bake? What kind of cookies are you making?”

Meew blushed and shifted her weight from one foot to the other, “Erm, they were having this gingerbread man event down the street and my friends and I participated, but I haven’t really finished---“

“I love gingerbread cookies!” Taemin cut her off, his eyes gleaming with delight. “Were you thinking of giving it to someone?”

Meew furiously shook her head, a blush fighting it's way on her cheeks, “I was thinking of gifting myself cookies for Christmas since I didn't have anyone to give them to. Why do you ask?”

Don’t raise your hopes up, Meew. Play it safe.

“Nothing,” Taemin replied hastily, his feet habit suddenly starting. “I was just... wondering.”

“I mean, I don't want to chase after a girl who’s taken- that’s just wrong,” He blurted out before thinking, a blush creeping on his face making him resemble a ripe tomato.

Meew blinked once. Then twice. Trying to process what the gorgeous being in front of her just said. “Wait... what?” she asked cautiously, surprised by, what she hoped, was a sudden confession.

“I said.. uhm.. let’s go and get those cookies baking! Yeah.. that's what I said,” Taemin said nervously, emphasizing with hand quotations, then dragged the poor girl in the wrong direction.

“Erm, the other way,” Meew yelped, still taken aback by what she was sure was just a confession, but attempted to push it to the back of her mind, thinking her head was just playing tricks on her.

Taemin stopped in his tracks all of a sudden, resulting to Meew face planting into his back. She poised herself, dusting herself off and fixing her hair, and led the way to the bakery and finally to the glob of batter waiting to be baked. Both were completely oblivious to the fact that their hands were still connected, the feeling being natural to them both as warmth traveled up their body to the connected limbs.

The shop, still occupied by a few people who were busy making last minute cookies for their loved ones and for the occassion that would be starting in just a few hours. The scrumptious smell of cookies still lingered in the air, making a smile tug at the couple's lips, the warm feeling the sweet scent brought them settled in their core as Meew eyed her half glob of batter still settled in it's glass bowl. The half blob reminded her that Minny had taken the other half to finish off her cookies for Myungsoo, making a chuckle escape from her lips.

Oh the gluttony.

Taemin eyed her from the side, wondering what it was that the girl, that he had already grown fond to, found so funny. He fully turned to her to face her, asking with a grin on his face, “So what cookie shapes were you thinking of?”

“Hearts. I can only make a heart or a circle,” Meew sulked. Some artsy girl she was, only being able to make two shapes with any form of matter.

“To tell yourself how much you love yourself?” Taemin teased with some snickering hidden behind his words.

Meew playfully glared at him and growled inwardly, “That’s what I said when Moh and Minny suggested it!”

Taemin’s face brightened up as an idea suddenly formed in his head, “Or you can give me the heart cookies, and you can keep the circle cookies! That way people wouldn’t think you’re in love with yourself.” His beautiful laugh filled the almost empty shop after he finished his sentence, making a smile tug at Meew's lips.

Meew felt her heart beat faster at just the mere thought of giving him, Taemin, a heart-shaped.. anything. To her, giving the heart cookies to Taemin was equivalent to giving her whole heart out to him: the person she was attracted to, yet didn't know too well.

“Haha very funny," She mocked a laugh, "I would rather give it to the person I liked,” she fibbed while concentrating on shaping the cookies which, by the way, was not looking anything like.. well.. anything, because of the burst of butterflies she got unleashed in the pit of her stomach from the handsome boy standing beside of her. His eyes studied her intently, catching every movement she made as if she was the most interesting creature in the world- and, as cheesy as it may sound, she was the most interesting creature to him.

Taemin made a face at her and grumbled, “I’m very likeable you know.”

“Sure sure,” Meew giggled, oblivious to the fact that she had hurt Taemin’s feelings who took her last statement seriously. She finally finished shaping her heart and circle-shaped cookies, after with much wreestling with the sticky batter, and was now placing them in the oven to bake.

Meew stayed by the oven, quietly keeping a watchful eye on the cookies as they baked, hoping not to burn any so she could at least give edible cookies to Taemin.

Ten minutes and the cookies will be finished. And fifteen more minutes before Christmas is finally here. She thought while wriggling her eyebrows in thought.

Taemin, who was hurt by Meew's last audible statement, looked at Meew’s figure sitting beside the oven and quietly got up to leave. He did not want to bother Meew since it seemed like he was and moreover, due to the fact that she had her eyes on someone else.

Ding!

The oven went off, signaling Meew to scramble for a pair of potholders so she could take the cookies out before they burned into ash- which normally happened with her luck. She admired her work and immediately took the tray to show Taemin her work, smiling brightly. Once she turned to look at the table Taemin was sitting at, the smile on her face disappeared after noticing that the red-haired prince also disappeared.

Where is he? How could he just.. ditch me without saying anything.. Did I do something that angered him? Or did he really just not want to spend any more time with me..

Meew felt tears sting her eyes at the questions filled her mind, wondering why he had left her alone.. again. She only met him today and yet she was already feeling all of these feelings and emotions that she had never felt before. She hated to admit it, but she could tell that she had fallen in love with a man within less than 24hours.

She wanted to get to know him more, spend some time with him on Christmas Eve, and possibly even Christmas Day. Then what was that confession, he gave her, about? The one he gave her only a few minutes ago… She sighed in frustration and confusion.

Less than ten more minutes until Christmas.

She wiped the tears that trickled down her cheeks as she attempted to pack the cookies she had just made with Taemin into two separate bags, the heart-shaped cookies in a red bag, and the circle-shaped ones in a brown paper bag. She, then, put on her jacket hurriedly, and ran outside the shop as fast as she could, hoping that the hurtful events that had happened today would disappear behind her the farther she ran.

He wouldn’t have gone too far, she hoped. She didn’t care whether she would slip on the snow or if she looked like a dying penguin waddling/running through the snow, she just wanted to find him and confess to him, tell him that even though it’s crazy, he had managed to make her fall for him. Even if he rejects her, she would ask him to spend Christmas with her, even for just a day.

She reached the heart-shaped skating rink, and saw the familiar red-hair she learned to love past the arch of the skating rink entrance, his back facing her. She waddled her way to him quietly and cautiously, afraid that once he saw her, he would run, just like every other sensible man. She extended an arm out to him, gently touching his right shoulder.

“Taemin,” she whispered.

Taemin’s eyes widened and looked back to see Meew standing behind him, frost coming from with each breath, exhausted from the running she just did.

Five minutes…

Taemin stood up and dusted himself off from the snow that began to fall again, blessing the town with another layer of white. He looked at Meew with a confused expression and smiled gently.

She looked at him, puzzled by his smile and breathily asked, “What.. are you smiling at?”

“You said my name,” Taemin said, his smile becoming more genuine. He approached her, getting closer, craving to feel her warmth even if they were just a few inches apart.

Meew’s eyes widened as a blush made its way to her cheeks from how close he was getting to her, the closest a man had ever gotten to her. She covered her face with her hands, embarrassed and squeaked out, “So?”

By now, Taemin’s smile had reached his eyes, “Can you say it again for me..?”

Four minutes…

Meew took a few steps back, face still covered with her hands, “Tae-Taemin.”

A grin broke through Taemin’s face as he softly looked her directly in the eye and said her name, “Meew. How does that make you feel..?” He asked the question, not expecting an answer as Meew blushed again, a clutch getting a hold of her speaking ability, not letting her answer his question.

“Were you looking for me?” He asked guiltily, “I’m sorry I left all of a sudden without telling you. It felt as though I was bugging you and forcing you to do things you didn't want to.” He sheepishly continued, rubbing the back of his head at the same time.

Three minutes…

Meew frantically shook her head and made an ‘X’ with her arms, afraid words would fail her again as she hesitantly found her voice, “You were not bothering me at all. Never think that,” she continued, “I really enjoy your company, and I want to thank you for letting me spend some of your time on Christmas Eve with me.” She took both his hands and shaped them in a cup. In the empty gap between the palms of his hands, she gently rested the red bag and offered him a gentle smile.

My heart.

Two minutes…

Taemin looked at the bag curiously and opened it. His eyes widened, realizing that Meew had given her the heart-shaped cookies. He opened his mouth to say something and then clasped it closed quickly.

“Do you finally get it?” Meew shyly asked, suddenly finding the snow beneath her feet interesting as she began to dig her heel into the building powder.

Taemin suddenly took a few steps towards Meew. Meew closed her eyes tightly, readying herself for a rejection, something she had become accustomed to in life.

“Look up,” Taemin whispered in her left ear. The sudden words brought her head up from how close he was, her eyes skimming past Taemin's as she looked to see what dangled above them.

One minute…

A mistletoe hung above the two of them. Not hanging from Taemin's grasp, but connected to the iron of the entrance to the ice rink. She looked back at him and blushed at the near proximity of their faces, suddenly becoming self concious about her breath, making her hand clasp at her lips in embarrassment.

“We don’t want to be bad kids now and break the tradition, right?” Taemin winked. He was happy. No words could explain the happiness he was feeling at that moment as he gently guided Meew's hand away from her lips and grasped it encouragingly, guiding it to their sides.

Taemin leaned in slowly, his eyes fluttering closed as he molded their lips together, holding Meew closely to his body gently by her waist, closing the gap between them unexistant. Her eyes went wide for only a moment before letting them drift closed, being engulfed in the comfort Taemin's lips brought hers, yet the spark that seemed to go off the moment their lips locked together. The warmth of their bodies enveloping them in the middle of the cold winter night as the town's clock went off to strike the time:

Midnight.

A/N: This is my first time writing a story on AFF lolol Now I have a clear idea why that is so. Writing is not my thing. OTL I've been brainwashed by math and science so my imagination is like -∞. However, with the help of my great, amazing, genius of a writer friend, I was able to pull out something awesome! Thank you, Mozart! ^_^ I appreciate it so much ;u; I want to say that she is definitely one of the best writers here on AFF so definitely check her stories out! You won't regret it ;D

As for me, this will be my first and last story ever. xD Story writing isn't for me... OTL

Anyways, it's almost Christmas and so I decided to write a one-shot for a friend! ^_^ I hope you enjoyed it~ ♥

Did you enjoy it, Yinnat? I'm sorry for making you wait ;-;

And last but not the least... Merry Christmas in advance everyone!! :D