Sorry not sorry, but I wrote this today because I figured I should.  Besides, there're actually some interesting/important things happening in this.

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CHRISTMAS SPECIAL!!!

Takes place: 2 years before current events

          "Finally!  That's another thing off my list," Kai said, tapping at his phone's screen.  He and the other six of his friends were lounging in the living room while they waited for Sehun to arrive.  Kai's old German shepherd came wobbling in and plopped itself on Sungjong's lap. "I can't believe it took us nine years to throw a Christmas party."  

         ​ Smells of roasting turkey wafted from the adjoined kitchen where Kai's parents were cooking dinner.  Of course, all the 'guests' had brought a dish or two by request of their parents, but you could never have enough food for Christmas.  

          Krystal snagged a chocolate chip cookie from the coffee table and munched on it as she said, "What's that, like your bucket list or whatever?"

          "Krystal, that's gross," Luna said, covering her eyes from the sight of half chewed cookie, and Krystal responded by shoving her open mouth closer to Luna, who squealed and pushed her away.

          Sungjong mindlessly Kai Kai (he berated Kai for naming his dog after himself, for the misconceptions it caused could be and were awkward, so he added another 'Kai' after the dog's name) as the human Kai responded.  "Hell yeah.  Sungjong helped me make it."

          "So technically it's mine too," Sungjong cut in.  

         ​ "How long is this list of yours?"  Krystal got up from the couch and wandered over to look over Kai's shoulder.  He scrolled down the notes page on his phone, and she groaned.  "Holy , Kai.  That's going to take you six lifetimes, forget this one."

          "Hey, it's totally doable.  Like, it's completely plausible I meet a cannibal on the same day I go skydiving."

          "Why the hell would you want to meet a cannibal."

          "I don't know, to say I met one?  I guess?"

         ​ At that time, the doorbell rung, and Kai Kai's nearly deaf ears perked up, but she didn't diverge from Sungjong's lap.  Instead, Kai jumped up like a dog and stumbled to open the door.  He swung it open to reveal Sehun bundled in several layers of winter jackets and a Santa hat, holding a casserole.  A white van backed out of the the driveway in the background.

          Sehun scooted into the living room, sighing as warm air hit his red cheeks.  "Take it," he said, pushing the casserole at Kai, and proceeded to strip of his coats until he was left in a sweater.  Kai dutifully delivered the food to the dining room table and hung up Sehun's clothes.  "I found the ugliest sweater I could.  Christmas enough for you?"   He held up his arms and spun around.

         ​ "I don't know.  Sungjong's is pretty ugly too," Kai mused, lining up Sehun's shoes by the door.  

         ​ "This isn't a Christmas sweater, Kai," Sungjong said.

          "I know."

         ​ He groaned, dropping the topic.  His family celebrated Christmas, but they never got too into it.  They exchanged presents and put up a tree, but that was about it, and he never had grandmothers to knit him sweaters.  He didn't want to press his parents too much.

          Lights were strung on the edges of the two bookshelves in the living room, casting the ceiling and pictures on the shelves into prisms of color.  A Christmas tree stood in the corner next to the TV, presents piled underneath.

         ​ Sungjong felt a little bit guilty about spending Christmas away from his family, but to be fair, they were all at parties too.  All the present opening was done in the morning.  Besides, he hadn't ever celebrated Christmas with his friends before.

          "You didn't put a mistletoe up anywhere, did you?" Sehun asked, peeking at the doorways and ceiling.  He lied down next to Sungjong, resting his head on Kai Kai.

          "I don't know.  You'll have to find out."  Kai grinned

          He crawled over to the TV and slipped Home Alone into the DVD player.  Victoria and Sulli returned from the kitchen with cups of hot chocolate for everyone, and the movie started.

         ​ Not much of a party, Sungjong thought, but he was content nonetheless.  It was no different than a regular hangout, but on Christmas.  He leaned back into the pillow propped on the coffee table and played with Kai Kai's ears as he watched Kevin's story on TV.  Kai and Krystal were still arguing about his bucket list, and Amber might have fallen asleep.  Sehun was talking to him, but Sungjong got the feeling he didn't need to listen, and Sehun was just talking because he needed someone to complain to.  From the snippets he caught between the movie, Sehun was upset by his step dad for being late (again) and because of a C on the English exam.

          Eventually, Kai Kai and Sehun's combined weight and warmth got to the point of just about melting him, so he carefully scooted the dog from his legs and plopped down on the couch next to Victoria and Sulli.

          "What are you thinking about?" he asked Victoria.  Even though they were all one big group, favorites were still played, and some people didn't talk to some as much as they did others.  Although he didn't like thinking it, he favored Sehun, Kai, and Krystal.  Sehun favored him and Kai, and the list goes on.  Krystal was the only one who felt extremely comfortable with everyone.

          She shrugged, setting her mug on the coffee table.  "I'm just happy we could spend Christmas together."

          "Aw, come on, that's cheesy," Sungjong protested.  "What are you thinking about?"

         ​ "Well."  She shifted into a more comfortable position.  "Sehun doesn't have anyone else to celebrate with.  I was wondering what he was doing all the past Christmases."

          He was about to call her out on her sentimentality, but stopped before anything came out.  Topics like these made him uncomfortable because sympathy was usually hard to conjure up.  He didn't like to think about Sehun being lonely.

          Freeing himself from the dreary topic, Sungjong decideed Victoria was right, and Christmas wasn’t meant to be spent alone.

          But...he wondered what Myungsoo was doing right now.  Dinner with his family? Out on a date (ouch)?  With his friends?

          It wasn’t like he wanted to be with Myungsoo or anything.

         ​ That’d be awkward.

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          “Myungsoo, are you sure you’re not coming?” his mother called as she slipped on her heels.  They weren’t drastic heels like the ones Yura had on, but enough to make a difference.  Why was she even asking?  She was already going to be fashionably late without having to hassle him into a nice looking suit and making him comb his hair.

         ​ Yura crossed her arms, letting his mother balance herself on her daughter as she dug her heel into the shoes.  There was something alike to pity in her eyes, but Myungsoo didn’t let himself look any further.  Her shoulder length hair was in waves, and she wore a fitting black dress under a leather jacket.  His father creaked open the door from the porch, probably wondering what was taking so long, and upon seeing Myungsoo leaning over the railings on the stairs, he sighed and closed the door again.

          That was enough to make Myungsoo turn away and lock himself back into his room.

          Damn it, he wished Moonsoo was here instead of whatever Christmas party he was at this year.  He flipped open his laptop, eyes wandering to the time.  It was only five, and he had the entire evening to kill.

          Frustration from disappointing his perfect family again bubbled up inside of him.  It wasn’t his fault he couldn’t be proper and classy and go to millionaire dinner parties.  And it wasn’t like he wanted to.  Besides, this pa