CHRISTMAS FILLER!
Alien Bunnies... Totally Normal!
NO RELATION TO CURRENT STORYLINE!
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"What on Mato are you doing?" Daehyun asks sleepily as he walks into the kitchen, bed head and all.
"I'm getting ready for Christmas." I answer, stringing up some blue lights over the kitchen window and backdoor. I step down from my ladder and toss Daehyun a decorated wreath. "Can you put that on the front door, please?"
"What the- what's Christmas? What's this? What are you doing?"
"I'll explain everything...later. Just put it up, will ya?"
The other Matoki come down, and explain I do. Everyone is excited and willing to participate. Yongguk and I go out and purchase a tree while I have the others put up decorations. Driving down the road with Yongguk in my passenger seat, I start to have feelings of regret, leaving the five other boys with my father's precious holiday decorations.
"Don't worry, they'll be fine." Yongguk says with a chuckle. I grip the steering wheel tighter.
"It's not them I'm worried about."
After an hour drive, I park the car in a half-full parking lot and get out, happy to feel the wind on my face and smell fresh pine. I look at Yongguk with an excited smile and he gives me a thumbs up. We walk hand in hand to the green house, where a little ten year old girl greets us.
"Hello, ajumma and ajusshi! Is there any kind of tree you are looking for in particular?" The little girl asks.
"Not really. Just a nice sized, really green tree. Ooh! That smells good, too!"
"Perfect!" The girl beams. "I have the perfect one for you and your husband." She turns around and skips down an aisle.
"W-we aren't-"
"Great! Can't wait to see it!" Yongguk says, slipping an arm around my waist and winking at me before he leads me down the path the girl took.
"Will this do?"
"It's perfect." I exclaim. The girl smiles and wraps her tiny arms around the tree. She grunts and groans as she attempts to pick up the plant twice her size. Yongguk snickers and picks it up for her, effortlessly slinging it over his shoulder.
"Thanks," she says, leading us back.
"So, what are you doing here working on the tree farm?" I ask, glancing back to make sure Yongguk can manage, he nods his head and I relax a bit.
"The orphanage runs the farm." She looks up at me. "It's so we can raise money."
"What's your name?"
"Ga-Yun."
"Wow," Yongguk says as he puts down the tree. "What a pretty name!" Ga-Yun blushes and stutters as she tells us where to go from here. As I follow Yongguk to their cashier, someone pulls at my sleeve.
"Ajumma, do you and ajusshi... Do you and ajusshi have any room for another for Christmas?" She asks. My heart shatters into millions of pieces when I see the sadness in her eyes. "I don't need presents. I just want a home."
"Oh, sweetie," I hug her. "I'm still in school. Oppa and I... We aren't married. I'm only eighteen." I pull away from the hug and look into her dark, sad eyes.
"It's fine," she lies. "Guess I'll have to try some other time." She runs off, stops and runs back. "What's yours and ajusshi's name?"
"I'm He-Jin and that's Yongguk."
"Okay, thanks!" She smiles and tells me goodbye, wishing me a merry Christmas. I make a slow and solemn walk over to Yongguk, who's busy putting the tree on the car.
"Hey, why do you look so sad?" He asks, neglecting the tree and coming over to me.
"Ga-Yun...she asked if she could come home with us. I had to tell her no." I sit down in the car and sigh.
"There's nothing you could have done," says Yongguk, patting and rubbing me back for reassurance.
"But you should have seen the sadness in her eyes! I've seen it before," I look at the pebbled ground and watch my breath leave my lips. "In my own reflection."
The drive home is quiet and sad. Once home, my misery washes away when I learn nothing-and no one- is broken. We put up the tree (three feet taller than me, so eight and a half feet) and we immediately go to put on decorations. We plan a little party and call the rest of the gang to invite them.
I make a few more phone calls and the rest of my misery disappears.
CHRISTMAS EVE NIGHT!!!
"Look at all the presents!" Zelo exclaims.
"I smell delicious food!" Daehyun says with his mouth obviously watering.
"Is everything perfect?" I hear Himchan yell.
I roll my eyes and curl up further into my blanket on the couch. Out of the corner of my eye, I see someone walk up to me in a dark hood. I can't see their face, and the rest of their body is covered by a long, black cloak.
"I am the ghost of Christmas future. I foresee you being attacked by a super buff, super handsome guy!" The person says. I scoff and crawl over. I reach up and pull off the hood when the whole thing falls to the floor.
"What the-"
"RAAAAAAWWWWWRR!" Someome yells behind me. I turn around and scream when Yongguk pounces on me, sending us both crashing to the floor. I roll in his arms for a bit before finally being able to pin him down.
"Yongguk! How did you-"
"Am I interrupting something?" I hear HyoJae say and snickers erupt. I quickly get off of him, stand up and straighten my clothes and hair.
"Hey, Hyo." I greet her with a smile and a hug. "You excited?"
"Hell yes I am!"
She puts a number of bags under the tree and joins her boyfriend on the couch. Inhyung and his parents come over, brining more presents as well. The living room, so packed with presents, became too crowded, so we had everyone put the presents downstairs, leaving under the tree bare. Jaexing makes it and the party finally begins.
There food, drinks, cookies, and cake (well, used to be...) and we all converse and share the Christmas holiday together.
"Oppas just passed under the mistletoe!!" Jaexing screams, pointing at Daehyun and Himchan. Everyone but the matokis laugh and snicker. I out down my glass of juice and walk up to the two.
"It's a tradition that people kiss under the mistletoe," I explain, an evil grin growing on my face. "You two are no exceptions."
They look at each other, exchanging worried and terrified glances when Himchan grabs Daehyun's face and kisses him on the cheek. A flash goes off behind me, and I look at HyoJae, who secretly puts away her camera.
'Blackmail material,' she mouths, earning an eye roll and a sigh from me.
As the night drags on, our spirits become tired and the food diminishes. We exchange presents and bid farewell to neighbours and friends. HyoJae stays behind and helps me clean up the kitchen will the matokis clean up anywhere else there's a mess.
"You aren't too tired for tonight, right?" I ask my best friend in a whisper.
"Are you crazy?!" She yells in a whisper, glancing at the kitchen door. "I wouldn't miss this for the world."
"We'll head out when the guys are asleep."
"Where are you going?" Yongguk asks, standing behind me with his arms crossed and a doubtful eyebrow raised high in the air.
"I'm delivering a present," I answer.
"And why can't we come?"
"Well......"
"You'll scare the kids. That's why." HyoJae answers for me.
"Kids?" Yongguk looks at me. "What kids?"
"Kids?" Himchan asks, walking into the kitchen. He's followed by the others, and I sigh in defeat."
I'll explain if you all shut up and listen."
• • •
"Ready?" I ask, looking at my best friend and the two adults in the back seat. HyoJae nods and so do the matokis in her arms.
"He-Jin, we can't thank you enough!" The woman says, touching my shoulder.
The man and woman are old friends of my dad who I still keep in contact with. I knew they're looking for a child to adopt, so I promised to help them look for a good orphanage.
"No need, Mrs. Choi. It's great to know I'm giving two people the perfect present."
"And this way, we can drop off our old toys to the kids," HyoJae adds, looking back at the couple.
"You two are the most perfect girls!" Mr. Choi exclaims.
"We are far from perfect," Hyo and I answer in unison.
"I just know what it's like to be alone on Christmas," I tell them.
"And I know the feeling of waiting for something important, with the chance that it may never come," says HyoJae. "We'd prefer the kids to stay kids instead of worrying too much about the future."
"Well, you perfect enough in our eyes," Mr. Choi says with a smile.
I drive past the tree farm and pull up into the orphanage parking lot. I open the door and gasp.
"So cold!" I shiver, clutching my bare arms. HyoJae and I.... We decided to dress up as elves. The Matokis, who insisted on coming along, remain in their original form with a few added accessories.
Like a little elf hat and shoes.
So cute~!
Hyo leads the Choi couple up to the orphanage while I gather the bags of toys from the trunk. I make a slow and very cold walk to the door and the head administrator greet me with a smile.
"You must be Bang He-Jin," the woman says, leading me inside.
"Yes," I answer with a shiver. I melt in happiness at the sight of the burning fire. I put down the bag of toys by the tree and scurry over to the fire. I hear the administrator talking to the couple before leading them into her office.
"So," Hyo starts, sitting next to me and putting the matoki on the floor. "Think it'll go smoothly?"
"I really hope so." I answer, crossing my fingers. I stand up and walk to the bags. I pull open the ties and start removing the toys.
"Who are you?" A little voice asks. I freeze and look over my shoulder. "Well, looky what we have here!" I laugh, standing up and putting my hands on my hips. "Little Ga-Yun!"
"How did you know my name?" She look at me and then HyoJae. "And who are you two?"
'Guess she doesn't recognize me,' I think to myself. 'I must look completely different in all this makeup.'
"We're elves, duh." Hyo answers with a laugh. "Since you're up, and probably difficult to convince to go back to bed, can you help us unpack the toys?" Ga-Yun nods and the two aid me in the unpacking.
By the time we finish with all the toys, the administrator and the Choi couple join us in the waiting room.
"Ga-Yun! What are you doing up so late?" The administrator asks with a laugh.
"I hear a noise, so I came here and found these two elves." She points to me and my BFF and the two of us smile cheekily and wave childishly.
"Hello there, Ga-Yun," says Mr. Choi, crouching down to her level.
"Hello!" She greets him.
I pull Hyo and the Matokis out of the waiting room and from the window, we watch as Mr. and Mrs. Choi talk merrily with Ga-Yun, laughing and smiling as they share stories and move from being strangers to being more familiar with each other. I glance at my watch and yawn.
"What time is it?" HyoJae asks, yawning as well.
"1:36 A.M."
"When can we take these things off?" I hear Jokomato whine.
"Why take them off? I think you look adorable." HyoJae tells him, punctuating with a wink. Joko buries his head into her arms to hide his blush, and I laugh.
"When we are all ready to go," I answer.
An hour later, the administrator comes out of the waiting room and brings us in.
"Merry Christmas, miss Ga-Yun," I tell her, gently poking her nose.
"Merry Christmas," she giggles.
"Actually, it's Choi Ga-Yun," Mrs. Choi tells us.
"Huh?" The little girl asks, looking at us all.
"The best Christmas present," I crouch down and hold her shoulders, "is time spent with family."
Tears pool in her eyes and she turns around to hug her new parents. I catch the administrator wiping a tear from her eyes before she shoos us away, telling us that she wishes to go back to sleep.
With me in the driver's seat, HyoJae and the Matokis in the passenger and the finally complete Choi family in the back seat, we drive down the road and back home. I drop of Mr. and Mrs. Choi at their house, who tell us goodbye and take their sleeping daughter away.
"Goodnight, He-Jin-ssi," I hear Ga-Yun mumble. I giggle and wave goodbye to the new family. I drop HyoJae home and then drive to my sanctuary, aching for the softness of my bed.
"SLEEP!!" The matokis scream, changing into their human forms and running desperate into their rooms. I lock the front door and make my way to my room. I'm surprised to find Yongguk standing beside my door.
"I do believe I should get my present early," he smirks, standing between me and the door.
"It's too early for presents," I say, pushing past him. As I turn the door knob, Yongguk pulls the door shut, turns me around and pins me against the door.
"I think it best given know." He pulls out some mistletoe from his pocket and grin when he hangs it between us.
"Merry Christmas, you big, stupid oaf," I smile, pressing my lips against his.
"Merry Christmas, you pea-brained weakling," he whispers against my lips.
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MERRY CHRISTMAS, MY AWESOME READERS!
Even if you don't celebrate it, I hope your holiday and the coming year are amazing!
YEAH! Please, don't do anything stupid and try to smile as much as possible!
ARIGATOGOZAIMASU!!
TTFN!!
NOT EDITED PROPERLY, SO PLEASE EXCUSE THE UNCOUNTABLE AMOUNT OF MISTAKES!
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