CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

Four years.

Coming home late. Don't wait for me.

- Kris

Sigh. I sat by myself, all alone, inside the spacious condo unit. Soft holiday music playing from the television as I watched the credits to a movie I've been watching all evening, waiting for him to come home.

Okay.

- Hana

It's been months now. It's been months that he's been coming home late and leaving early; we rarely catch on each other anymore. I mean, I understand he's a busy man but it's a little ridiculous how he still works too late when it's the holidays. It's the time of the year when people go home and be with their loved ones after all.

But this is Kris, it's either: he works too hard or he forgot. But who the heck forgets Christmas? Tsk.

I haul myself off of the couch and went to the dinning area, sitting myself down and stared at the still untouched food. Maybe I shouldn't have cooked so much. Had I known that this would be happening, maybe I didn't even bother; truthfully, I actually thought we'd be spending the evening together. My hopes skyrocketed and here I am, crashing onto the ground with nothing to break my fall.

I'd be lying if I said it doesn't hurt because truthfully, it does.

Ring. Ring. There goes the phone; I got up from my seat to pick it up “Hello?” “Merry Christmas, Hana” came the chorus of voices. A small smile made its way on my lips as I heard the boys' voices, party music was in the background, so they must be having a party.

“Merry Christmas” I greeted back. “Eh? Why the down voice?” Xiumin asked. I swallow hard and force out a chuckle “Oh, no! It's nothing!” “Hey, don't lie ~” Lay said in a warning yet teasing tone. I was quiet after that.

And all of a sudden, I just cried.

“Where's Kris, Hana?” Suho asked. I bit back my lip and forced myself not to sniffle, I don't want them to think that anything is wrong. They shouldn't be bothered. “Hana?” Luhan called out. I pull the phone away from a second and take a deep breath “He's on his way home, right now” I chimed the lie.

You wish, Hana. “I have something cooking in the kitchen, I have to go” goes another lie. “Awww ~” They chorused “Merry Christmas, guys” I force out in the brightest tone that I could emit and they return the greeting before I hang up.

It's not the first time that Kris has missed something important. It's not... and I should be used to it, I should be very understanding as to why he does but sometimes... I don't know. I don't want to sound selfish but I sometimes want to feel important.

Kris has undoubtedly made me feel very important, no lie but nowadays... I don't know.

The clock hits 2:00 AM

I close the tap and dry off my hands, just then I heard a click followed by beeps and the door opening then closing. With that, I also felt my chest tightening and it hurt to breathe all of a sudden. Shuffling sounds filled my ears, a heavy sigh, a small groan and something falling on the floor –a bag, I assume-

For a brief moment, I close my eyes and take a deep breath before I exit the kitchen. I stood by the entry way, heart going heavy as I watched him slumped down on the couch, head being held by his hands as he crouched forward.

Gulp. “Kris?”

He shot his head to the side, looking at me in surprise “Hana... you're still awake?” he got up from the couch and walked over to where I was. Pressing a quick kiss on my forehead and my eyes just watered up.

So much for the effort. His face turned from tired to worried “What's wrong?” he asks, cupping my cheeks. I refused to look at him because I only feared that I'd cry some more. “Hana, why are you crying?”

Tell him. Go on... don't keep hurting yourself. My subconscious tells me but there was something tying my tongue. Even if it hurts... you have to let him know.

How many?

How many times has he missed important events? How many times has he stayed out late? How many times has he raised his voice at me telling me to understand him whenever I sulked? How many times has he missed out on dates and kept me waiting for hours only for him to tell me that either he's not coming or he's just on his way and I have to wait hours more?

Sniffle. “Let's talk” I finally look at him.

He frowns “Hana --”

“Please?”

And they end up sitting in the living room, beside each other on the long leather couch.

He ran a hand through his hair, letting out a frustrated sigh before clasping his hands together once more, looking at the floor “Are you sure about that?” he asks and she nods.

Kris lifts his head to look at her; she tightly gripped the hem of her shirt, firmly pursing her lips as tears gathered on the edge of her eyes. He went weak; the next thing he knew, he was on his knees infront of her, leaning his head forward on her knees “Don't leave me like this, Hana...”

Tears fell.

“Kris... get up”

“No.”

“Get up”

“Not until you take back everything you said!”

She took a deep breath “It's for the best” “Why?” “Kris...” “I need you” he tells her in an almost pleading tone. And for every first time that she could name with him, this was one of them. The first time that he admitted that he needed her. She cups his face, lifting his head so he could look at her. She smiles at him.

“You did fine without me once, you'll do fine without me again”

He didn't know what else to say. All he knew was that he needed her, he didn't want her to go anywhere, he just needed her by his side. She took her hands away from his face and got up from where she sat; he shot up to his feet “Why can't you just understand me some more?” he spat out.

Hana took a deep breath “I always understood you, Kris... even when you weren't understandable” she turned around to face him; his brows were narrowed, a mix of anger, hurt and frustration visible in his eyes yet she smiled still “Now, understand me” and she leaves for the bedroom.

Kris felt his phone vibrate in his pocket but instead of bothering to open a text message, all his eyes laid upon was the date today.

“.”

It was one Christmas, neither of them would ever forget.

The following day was Christmas morn.

When I woke up, the first thing I laid my eyes on was her back facing me, an awful large space in between us both on the bed. It should be a joyous day but all it feels right now is just pure suffocating silence. I sat up.

“Hana...” I called out to her, knowing fully well that she was awake. They say, it takes two to tango. Call me a jerk or other like that but I admit that I've been on the wrong side of the track. Maybe I have been to focused at work... and I guess it is my time to understand her.

I just ing forgot it was Christmas Eve last night.

“I'm sorry, okay?” still no response.

I got up from the bed.

I felt the bed sink yet I kept my eyes closed. I don't want to wake up yet. It hurts. It still hurts.

Footsteps filled my ears and I felt someone looking at me directly; I assumed that he was sitting on the floor infront of me. I still didn't open my eyes though. “Hana...” he calls out “I'm the worst person on the planet” No... please not like that. I tried very hard not to let my lips quiver but one way or another they still did. I slowly opened my eyes and saw him leaned forward on the edge of the bed, head buried in his propped arms.

I stayed quiet “And I've been unfair... but please, just... just don't leave me”

Gulp.

“You're all I have”

I sat up in bed and reached out a hand to him, lightly running it through his blonde hair. He lifts up his head but doesn't look at me; now I don't know.

I just don't know what to do anymore.

“I was saving this for the New Year...” my face turns confused at his words. He looks at me for a brief moment, a small pitiful smile on his face.

The next thing I knew, he was once again on his knee. Key word: KNEE –note the singularity.

There was a small open box in his hands and how I wanted to slap myself at the moment;

She looked at him for a moment before shooting out of bed and ran to the bathroom; he remained there in confusion for a moment, he got up to his feet and puffed out a sigh. You tried Kris... he tells himself.

You tried... and you failed.

Two arms wrapped their way around his waist from behind. It was Hana.

“You idiot! I hate you!”

He turned around to face her as she then buried her head on his chest, sobbing. He didn't know if it was good or bad but all he knew was that he hugged her back. Kris swallowed hard.

“Hana...”

“I hate you... I hate you... I hate you... but no matter how hard I try, I always end up loving you”

Something falls from his eye and realized he had shed a tear. She looks up at him and chuckles when she saw his watering eyes “Are you still gonna leave me?” he asks.

She shook her head.

Yes. One Christmas that they'll never forget, indeed.

Ring. Ring. “Hello?” Chanyeol answers the phone “You're my best man” came Kris's voice. A chuckle escapes Chanyeol's lips and he rose up from the couch, looking around at Suho's apartment where the other guys were sprawled after a long party last night.

He walks over to Lay who was passed out underneath the Christmas tree “I'm flattered and thankful” “You should be” and Kris hangs up.

Chanyeol lets out a sigh before crouching down on his knees and pokes Lay “Yah” Groan. Lay rolls before sitting up, running a hand through his hair and rubs the sleep from his eyes “What?”

“Pay up; Kris proposed”

Lay sighed before fishing out his wallet and took out his black card “” he curses and Chanyeol swipes away the card from his hand, kissing it “Thank you ~”

“Yah, one helicopter ride!” Lay shouts as Chanyeol makes his way to the door. “Yeah, back and forth from Seoul to Jeju ~” he chuckles.

NOTE:

This story, in every way possible, does not determine the happenings for Ah, Love. It is solely, ONLY A ONE SHOT CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

MERRY CHRISTMAS