[A/N]

December is here, my semester is done, the holidays are on.. you know what that means?

yes, regular updates to this story starts from today! 

if you're still yet to go on a vacation, hang in there a little more and finish strong~!!

hopefully this update will cheer everyone up >:3

do remember to leave me some love

<33333

Chapter 07~

Mrs.Lee cleared at the two men who seemed to be caught up their own little world, staring deeply into each other's eyes as the remaining four of them averted their gazes awkwardly, not knowing what to do. "Sungmin?"

Sungmin jerked away his eyes at his mother's questioning gaze and he let out a breath of air that he didn't even realize he'd held.

"Tobogganing in half an hour, go dress up with some warm clothes, all of you." She commanded with a smile. "Don't forget to wear your mittens and scarves! It'll get really cold up on the hill and I don't want any one of you catching a cold before Christmas."

"Run along now~"

"Do you have some clothes I can borrow, Sungmin?" Kyuhyun asked as soon as they found themselves alone in the bedroom. 

"I've never owned a pair of mittens before." He chuckled, "But then I've never been out in the snow, playing too."

"You didn't leave." Sungmin whispered quietly.

"What?"

"Why didn't you leave?" Sungmin shook his head and spoke slowly, "It doesn't make sense to me. You had the perfect opportunity to escape, Kyuhyun. Why didn't you take it?"

Kyuhyun looked into Sungmin's brown eyes filled with confusion and unconcealed relief. He shrugged his shoulders lightly and spoke," I didn't have any other place to be."

"Cut the crap, Kyuhyun what's your deal?" Sungmin narrowed his eyes sharply. "I know you, okay. There's no reason why you would stick around."

"Maybe I wanted to stay." Kyuhyun muttered quietly. "Maybe I thought you were right, a couple of days wouldn't be as bad as I thought it would be."

"W-w-what?"

"Can I be honest with you, Sungmin?"

Seeing Sungmin nod uncertainly, Kyuhyun continued on to say, "When your father asked me if I wanted to come along to the town with Jaejoong, the first thing I could think about was, ah maybe I can get my hands on a phone."

Sungmin breathed in sharply.

"I thought this was a flawless method to get me out of here but then the unthinkable happened..... I fell in love with Jaejoong."

"What the ?!" Sungmin shouted, his eyebrows almost reaching his hairline as he stared flabbergasted at the man.

Kyuhyun burst out laughing at Sungmin's shocked expression, "I'm kidding, I'm kidding~" He pleaded as Sungmin proceeded to pummel his chest with strong punches.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Kyuhyun?!" Sungmin demanded storming towards the closet to get out warm, thick clothes for the two of them.

"You looked so serious, I couldn't help myself." Kyuhyun laughed aloud, massaging his chest to soothe the stinging from Sungmin's punches. "I'm sorry."

"You should be." Sungmin growled through his teeth, wildly throwing a navy blue jacket towards Kyuhyun. Before Kyuhyun even had a chance to peel the garment off his face, a pair of mittens flew in his direction, hitting him squarely on his forehead.

Placing the warm clothes onto the kingsized bed, Kyuhyun walked towards the shorter male and took a hold of his arm apologetically,"Hey hey, calm down Sungmin."

"You're a big jerk, you know that?" Sungmin glared bitterly as he shrugged off Kyuhyun's hold and dug into the closet to take out warm clothes for himself. 

"I wasn't kidding though." Kyuhyun admitted in a small voice. "Spending time with your family, your mother's marvelous cooking and how warm and kind your father is made me realize just how much I miss my own family."

"This, this thing you have here is Christmas, you know? Spending time with your family, celebrating, having fun. This is what Christmas is all about- family and the holiday spirit." Kyuhyun smiled, with his eyes looking distant. "You have no idea how truly lucky you are, Sungmin. I only wish- "

Sungmin rolled his eyes and scoffed,"Yeah yeah stop the sappy act, Cho. We both know this is just a ruse so that you could have my guard down and then you'll go running away at the first chance you get." 

"Yeah, that's exactly what I was trying to do." Kyuhyun muttered under his breath, "You caught me, Sungmin. You caught me." He laughed expressionlessly, "I'm gonna get dressed now."

With that Kyuhyun scooped up the clothes and walked into the bathroom to change, leaving Sungmin staring at his retreating back. Sungmin wondered for a second if he had come off too harsh on the man but then shrugged his shoulders, you never know what tricks the handsome businessman might have been pulling off.

The last thing he needed was a runaway boyfriend on his hands... that would totally seal the deal for him as the black sheep of the family. And believe me, noone would want that, especially not Sungmin.

"Daddy, you don't need to carry the toboggan!" Sungmin could hear Sunny's voice coming from the hallroom,  scolding their old man. He stepped out of the bedroom and chuckled to see Sunny pouting at her husband to handle the sledge while their father was wiping his brows off the sweat.

"A little bit of exercise is good, you know." Mr. Lee stood up and smiled at his daughter. 

"It is but you needn't do it when you have four men in the house Dad." Sungmin added in, skipping out of the way as Sunny let out a war cry and stretched out to punch her elder brother.

"Do I look like a man to you, Sungmin?" She glared at him while placing both of her arms over her waist. Ruffling his baby sister's short bob hair, Sungmin smiled, "Do you really want me to answer that?"

"W-what?! Oppa you meanie." Sunny shrieked as Sungmin ran out of the room with a laugh. He abruptly dashed into Kyuhyun's bent form at the snow covered wooden porch, sending the two of them tumbling down into the cold snow.

"Kyuhyun!" Sungmin squealed as the taller man grabbed a hold of his arm firmly while trying to find out a sense of balance for the both of them, successfully preventing them from face planting into the snow covered ground.

"What are you doing with your bent for the entire world to see?" Sungmin grumbled, detaching himself from Kyuhyun's hold. 

Throwing a look to Sungmin, Kyuhyun simply muttered," A 'thank you' would have sufficed."

"Yeah yeah whatever, stop being such a baby and move your fat , Kyuhyun!"

"Sungmin honey, be nice to your boyfriend." Mrs.Lee spoke as she came out of the house with a large thermos cradled into her hands and Sunny trailing right behind her.

"Min oppa, Jae can't handle three tobaggans all on his own. Be nice and help him." She whined while pawing on Sungmin's thick coat cutely.

"Okay okay, I'm going Jeez." Sungmin grumbled under his breath and marched back into the house leaving Kyuhyun in the company of his mother and baby sister. 

Kyuhyun's eyes widened a little as the two women stared at him expectantly, "I should, I s-should probably head back and help." 

Throwing a knowing look to her mother, Sunny looped her arm into Kyuhyun's and chirped,"No need for that, Kyuhyun! Those three can handle it themselves while we can have a chat up here." 

"How exactly do you stand my brother, Kyuhyun?"

Kyuhyun sweat dropped. 

Was this supposed to be a trick question? 

"No need to be shy or secretive, we won't tell Sungmin anything." Sunny urged him with a beam.

Definitely a trick question, Kyuhyun decided.

"He can be really tiresome and difficult sometimes, and gets very protective about the people he loves but he means well." Kyuhyun settled in for a 'on the fence' answer.

"Tch oppa you're no fun." Sunny stuck out her tongue at the taller male who simply shrugged. "Tell me how did you two meet again?"

Oh .

"I uhm saw h-him when-" 

"Stop it you two, leave my boyfriend alone." Sungmin's voice cut into Kyuhyun's stuttering, earning a huge sigh relief from the taller man. "Sunny, your model-like husband has no stamina at all, he's huffing and puffing as though he's about to get a ." 

"Why do you think I sent you to help him? Sungmin you need to stop grilling Jae everytime you meet him." His sister grumbled and marched back inside to see her husband. 

"It's not my fault if he offered to help!" Sungmin shouted behind her, dissolving into chuckles the second his sister disappeared into the house.

He looked up only to see his mother and Kyuhyun giving him judging looks."What?!" He squeaked in alarm.

"You have a sister complex." Kyuhyun commented dryly as Mrs.Lee laughed aloud.

***

"Alright you four can go ahead with your sleighs while daddy and I will sit here for a while." Mrs. Lee spoke when everyone was out on the porch of the house. 

"Race you, Sungmin. The last one down the hill is a sore loser." Sunny shouted as she grabbed a hold of a sleigh and dragged it at top speed towards the peak of the slope.

"Not fair!" Sungmin roared as she mounted the toboggan quickly and pushed all her weight forwards, sweeping down the snow covered hills at top speed. He swung his legs into the second toboggan and himself forwards, allowing gravity to speed him up down the curve of the hill.

Mrs.Lee patted Kyuhyun and Jaejoong's arms who were wondering where the little tornado of speed disappeared to and she commented,"They'll be back here soon enough boys."

And soon after, the two siblings returned back to the top of the hill, squabbling away as they climbed up. "I started before you did, how could you win!" Sunny's indignant voice came through.

"I'm more skilled than you will ever be." Sungmin shrugged with a pleased grin over his lips as they both dragged the sleigh behind them. Sunny squinted her eyes and eyed her brother, "Maybe since you're fat, your sleigh was faster."

"What has that got to do with anything?!" Sungmin yelped, covering his tummy with an arm defensively.

"Yeah yeah, I saw you stuffing your face with mom's cookies after midnight yesterday Oppa!" Sunny spoke accusingly.

"That wasn't me!" Sungmin protested quickly, "it was a uhm- a mouse!" 

"You keep telling yourself that." Sunny stuck out her tongue and marched towards Jaejoong leaving a spluttering Sungmin behind. "Jae and I are gonna kick your this time Sungmin!"

"No you won't." Sungmin shouted behind her. "Come on Kyuhyun, we need to hurry up."

Kyuhyun looked startled as Sungmin took a firm hold of his wrist and proceeded to drag him towards the edge of the slope. "S-sungmin."

"Be quiet Kyu." Sungmin hissed, "we're gonna teach the brat who's the real master here."

"B-but I don't-"

"I'll sit in the front and you'll be behind me." Sungmin directed him quickly while settling onto the toboggan. "Wrap your arms around my waist and keep your ostrich legs well folded, got that?"

"Sungmin, I haven't actually- "

"Whoever looses has to carry both the toboggans up the hill for the next round!" Sungmin yelled loudly. "Sunny you are going down."

"Dream on Oppa!" Sunny shouted equally fired up. 

"One!"

"Sungmin wait, I haven't- "

"Two!"

"Be quiet sweetie. Just hold onto me tight, okay?"

"Three!"

An unnatural shriek left Kyuhyun's lips as the two of them bolted right down the steep slope. Kyuhyun digged his fingers into Sungmin's stomach and held on for dear life as the biting cold wind slapped him across his cheeks while they sped down the hill.

Kyuhyun closed his eyes tightly as they flew over the snow capped landscape, their scarves ruffling against their necks as they battled against the wind.

"We're almost there Kyu, hang on tight!" Sungmin shouted over the blasting freezing air. Kyuhyun was about to respond, when all of a sudden he found his mouth full of snow. 

" !" Sungmin wailed as he found himself spread underneath Kyuhyun's body over the snow, with their toboggan thrown in a different direction all together. 

"Kyuhyun, get up." Sungmin shook the dazed man's shoulders, "you're heavy, Kyu and I'm getting squished under you!"

He shoved Kyuhyun's body away with and took in a lungful of oxygen as his eyes rested on the pale blue skies. Sungmin jabbed Kyuhyun's shoulder and asked, "What happened?"

Kyuhyun looked stunned as he slowly turned his head in Sungmin's direction, he swallowed as his eyes took in the figure of Sungmin...his blonde hair spread all over the white snow and his cheeks dusted with pink from the exertion. "A-angel."

"What?"

"Uhm- I mean my foot must have caught under a root or something." He finished lamely.

"I told you to keep your legs folded Kyu!" Sungmin whined unhappily, "we lost because of you."

"I'm sorry Sungmin. It was my first time tobogganing and I didn't- "

"What?! You've never done this before?" Sungmin shouted looking quite shocked at Kyuhyun's sheepish grin. "No wonder you at this!" He leapt back to his feet and stretched out an arm towards Kyuhyun. 

"Don't you worry, Kyuhyun. By the time I'm done with you, you shall become my apprentice!" Sungmin smiled warmly at the man and helped Kyuhyun to stand up again. 

"Losers!" Sunny's voice could be heard a couple of metres down from where the two were standing. 

"We would have won if it wasn't for that unruly branch in the snow, it deserves to be spanked." Sungmin grumbled as Sunny and Jaejoong walked towards them with matching grins over their faces. 

"Excuses, excuses~" Sunny sang cutely and held onto Jaejoong's wrist tightly before speaking over her shoulders cheekily, "Sungmin oppa, make sure to bring both the toboggans to the top of the hill. And yeah,break a leg!"

"Come on Kyuhyun, what are you staring at?" Sungmin asked the taller man with a huff. 

"You have snow all over your sweater." Kyuhyun remarked, holding onto Sungmin's wrist as the latter attempted to brush it off, "no let me." Sungmin looked at Kyuhyun curiously as his fingers brushed against the flakes of snow stuck to his jacket. 

Kyuhyun ruffled Sungmin's blonde hair gently, weaving his mitten-covered fingers through the strands, lingering for more than necessary as Sungmin stood quietly beside him. "Kyuhyun w-what are you doing?"

"Snow flakes on your hair, uhm- removed them all." Kyuhyun coughed awkwardly, placing his hands parallel to his body again.

"Well okay, hurry up! Mom said there'll be her special hot chocolate waiting for us." Sungmin rambled at top speed, deftly whisking all of the snow particles from Kyuhyun's sweater in return. He then walked back to get the toboggans, holding one of the strings tightly in his fingers, he gave the other to Kyuhyun and smiled.

"Let's go Kyuhyun!"

***

"Mrs.Lee this is the most delicious thing I've ever tasted in my life!" Kyuhyun moaned in pure happiness while holding onto the thick mug on for dear life, savoring the explosions of different flavors and the strong taste of pure melted chocolate on his tongue.

Mrs.Lee laughed and gazed happily over the bunch of people crowding on the floor together, near the fireplace while taking small sips of pure heaven.

"I'm gonna kidnap you and take you away." Kyuhyun declared as he took another gulp of the hot beverage and melted into a puddle of joy.

"Sungminnie ask your boyfriend to behave." Sunny hissed, poking Sungmin's left cheek with a frown.

"Kyu behave." Sungmin murmured lazily, not even paying attention to anything other than the mug of steaming hot cocoa in his hand. Sunny rolled her eyes and cuddled into Jaejoong's side not before throwing a suspicious look to where Kyuhyun was slumped against her brother.

"Children you can go and play for some more time outside while your dad and I cook lunch." Mrs.Lee smiled happily. "How does fried chicken, mashed potatoes, mushroom fried rice along with buttery garlic bread sound to you?"

Hearing loud hoots and shouts of appreciation, the woman smiled and stood up while gathering her skirt together.

Sungmin moved towards his right to look at Kyuhyun who was pressed into his side as they sat together enjoying their hot beverage. "Come on Kyuhyun, let's go out again." He whispered softly into Kyuhyun's ears who seemed to be on an entirely different planet all together.

"The winning team gets two mugs of hot cocoa!" Sungmin declared with mischievous twinkle in his eyes as they all got back to their feet. They all wore their mittens and wrapped their scarves around their necks before stepping on the snow covered porch again.

"Best Christmas ever." Kyuhyun whispered with a content moan as he trotted behind Sungmin obediently, completely missing the huge grin that came over Sungmin's lips.

-tbc-