Kyungsoo carefully walks in the apartment carrying all his groceries, thinking that hopefully he’s wrong with Jongin being in his apartment. A silhouette sitting on his couch made him realize that it’s actually happening—Jongin has finally showed up.

 

“Oh, jagiya,” Jongin stood up and automatically helps Kyungsoo with his groceries. Before he heads towards the kitchen, he kisses Kyungsoo’s cheek. “You're home.”

 

Kyungsoo doesn’t reply and is left frozen with an unpleasant look on his face. He slowly turns around and closes the door. He sighs.

 

“For Christmas?” Jongin asks awkwardly as he tried to place all the groceries on the kitchen table.

 

Kyungsoo still doesn’t reply and tries to think of something quickly. Jongin would think something’s up if he doesn’t do anything.

 

“Act normal,” he tells himself.

 

Jongin looked at Kyungsoo with worried eyes. “Uh—”

 

“What are you doing here..?” Kyungsoo asked softly.

 

Jongin didn’t know what to reply. Kyungsoo hesitated to come nearer but his neat nature called him to start fixing his groceries in the kitchen. Jongin automatically moved to make way for Kyungsoo.

 

“Uhh… I-I'm visiting my… my boyfriend…” Jongin stuttered and looked nervous. “Am I not welcome here anymore?”

 

Kyungsoo sighed and pulled up to put on a fake smile. He also started talking in a tone that sounded as if he was okay, but also sarcastic in a way. “Oh, really? Who said you weren't welcome here?”

 

Jongin noticed that Kyungsoo was refraining from eye contact, even if he was sorting his groceries. He started to gnaw on his lower lip as a nervous habit. He sighs.

 

“K-Kyungsoo…”

 

“Yes? Jongin?” Kyungsoo really was avoiding eye contact with Jongin. Who knows what would happen if their eyes met.

 

“Are we okay?”

 

Kyungsoo accidentally drops the cans of fruit cocktails as he put them in the cupboard. “We? Yes? Is there a problem?”

 

“Kyungsoo…”

 

Kyungsoo’s hands trembled as he transferred the goods from the grocery bag to different parts of his kitchen.

 

“Problems?” Kyungsoo finally looked at Jongin straight in the eyes. Kyungsoo put on his fake smile. “I have no problems, Jongin.”

 

Kyungsoo’s smile disappeared as he turned his back and continued sorting. “Can't you see I'm busy?”

 

“I also thought that there weren’t any problems.” Jongin started fumbling with his fingers. “But not until you ignored all my texts and calls, Kyungsoo.”

 

Kyungsoo suddenly dropped all the vegetables he was holding, and he gave a very annoyed look. “!”

 

Jongin hesitated to approach Kyungsoo and help pick up all the vegetables that fell on the ground but he just felt scared.

 

“Let’s talk,” Jongin said as he took a step forward.

 

Kyungsoo didn’t reply.

 

“Kyungsoo!” Jongin shouted firmly. “Listen to me and let’s talk!”

 

The startled Kyungsoo dropped the vegetables on the counter and rested his hands on the counter as he looked down.

 

“I’ve been waiting. Every single day, Kyung, I waited for you. I tried to understand you bu—”

 

“Okay! Jongin, let’s talk.” Kyungsoo turned around and started to walk towards Jongin. Every step forward was one step backward for Jongin. “Let's talk about how you also didn't answer my texts and calls on our anniversary night. Let's talk about you not showing up. Let's talk about you not even telling me what happened.”

 

“By all means, let's talk!” Kyungsoo’s eyes started getting red. He was getting angry. “Let's talk and relive the pain, Jongin!”

 

Jongin tried to keep calm as all of Kyungsoo’s words hurt him so much. “Kyungsoo... I was sick that day. And I went to our meeting place but you weren’t there.”

 

“When?!” Kyungsoo shouted and gave a sarcastic smile. “The next day? The week after? Why didn’t you show up—”

 

“I’m sorry Kyungsoo,” Jongin shouted. He wanted to add something else but Kyungsoo cut him off before he could.

 

“Tch,” Kyungsoo flinched his head away and shook it slowly. “Sorry.”

 

Kyungsoo started tearing up as he softly added, “That would always fix things right?”

 

“Will you listen first?” Jongin held Kyungsoo’s wrist. “I said I was terribly sick and the nurses locked me up in my hospital room. I wanted to leave and escape but they didn’t want me too so they confiscated all my gadgets, Kyung.”

 

Jongin sighed as he locked eyes with Kyungsoo. Jongin frowned and his eyes drooped. “I escaped because I really wanted to be with you on that day, Kyungsoo… I never wanted to miss our anniversary…”

 

Kyungsoo’s expression looked angry.

 

“You didn't,” he replied softly.

 

“You were too late!” He shouted. “Too late, Jongin!”

 

Kyungsoo cried and started to pound on Jongin’s chest out of frustration.

 

“That was too late!” Kyungsoo pounded on Jongin’s chest at each word. He finally just gave up and broke down in front of Jongin, crying harder. Jongin held Kyungsoo so he wouldn’t fall on the ground. Tears started to come out of Jongin’s eyes.

 

“Kyung…” Jongin hugged Kyungsoo tight and started to cry hard.

 

Kyungsoo buried his face on Jongin’s chest as he hugged him tighter. With a soft, faint voice, he said, “I'm sorry…”

 

Jongin nuzzled his face on Kyungsoo’s hair and rubbed his back. “Shh…”

 

Kyungsoo was defeated. He held onto Jongin as if he would never let go anymore. “I'm so sorry. I didn't mean—I was just…”

 

“It’s okay, jagiya,” Jongin held onto Kyungsoo the same way. “Wait… I’m still not… late… am I?”

 

Kyungsoo looked up at Jongin and laughed even if he was crying. He blinked his wet eyes and tried to smile for Jongin.

 

Jongin held Kyungsoo’s face with both of his hands. “I'm sorry that had to happen…” He went close and kissed those two precious eyes. He never wanted to see Kyungsoo cry.

 

“You're never too late, Jongin.”

 

Jongin smiled.

 

Kyungsoo’s smile disappeared as he tried to take on a serious tone. “Jongin.”

 

“Kyungsoo?” Jongin pouted.

 

“Let’s make up for the lost time.”

 

Jongin smiled and nodded.

 

“A-and Jongin…?”

 

“Yes, jagiya?”

 

Kyungsoo brushed his hand through Jongin’s hair and looked intimately in his eyes. “All I want this Christmas… is having you by my side.”

 

Jongin held Kyungsoo’s chin with his fingers. “I'm here. I'm all yours.”

 

He closed his eyes and kissed Kyungsoo softly on the lips. In a very soft tone, Jongin whispered, “I love you so much, Do Kyungsoo…”

 

Kyungsoo held Jongin’s cheek softly with his hand and whispered back, “I love you too, Kim Jongin…”

 

Kyungsoo then tilted his head up gain and kissed Jongin deeply as they enveloped into passion that that neither of them ever wanted to end.

 

Patience is a virtue. They say good things come to people who wait. If Kyungsoo had waited longer, he would’ve met Jongin that day.

 

Understanding is one of the mysteries in this world that is forever tied to wisdom. To understand ones situation is a gift. In this world full of liars and fools, it takes a great deal for one to understand another person. Jongin’s always an understanding person when it comes to Kyungsoo. He looked at things in different perspectives and tried as much to forgive.

 

Patience and understanding cannot survive without the other. Without Patience, you wouldn’t give the time and effort to even try to understand someone and his or her situation. Without Understanding, you wouldn’t even bother waiting or being patient with him or her.

 

At the end, they both exemplified how both patience and understanding can work together—forgiveness. After everything they’ve been through, they still understood each other and became patient with each other. All boiling down to just them, having each other on Christmas day. Those are the miracles of patience and understanding.