| December Daybreak |

Daylight welcomed his warm morning as well as the individual laying beside him. He did not know she was staring and admiring his face for the past few minutes until he caught her when his eyes slowly opened. On their shared bed, they lay facing each other with only a few inches apart. She quickly avoided the admiring look his beautiful orbs gave her with those sleepy eyes and afterwards giggled, returning the look.

“Good morning sunshine.”, he said with a smile on his face as he tucked loose strands of her hair behind her ear.

“Morning.” She smiled back. Morning was always beautiful when she get to see his face first thing she opens her eyes.

She poked his almost unnoticeable dimple that shows off from time to time. “Chanyeol, let’s go to that big Christmas tree later and since it is the 25^th of December, maybe you should…” she trailed, shy of where she was going to. “you should uhm…maybe, kiss me under the mistletoe?” She grinned, eyes blinking adorably.

He was still drowsy but he tried to fight back his closing eyelids. “But Ara…can’t I just kiss you here?” He leaned forward to kiss her but to his dismay, she covered his lips.

“No! I want it to be done under the mistletoe like what they always say.”

“But it’s too bothersome. I’m too tired to go there.”

“Come on, get up now.” She pulled his hand trying her best to lift his heavy body. However, the stubborn boy would always pull his body back to bed every time she would lift his body up.

“Can’t I just kiss you there during evening? It’s too early. The sun hasn’t even risen yet.” He scratched his head in frustration; his forehead forming wrinkles as he furrowed his eyebrows.

“You are gonna kiss me when evening comes. I just want to watch the sunrise with you. Other people usually watch sunsets together. I want to be something different. So get up and let’s watch the sunrise!”

“Ughh..” Chanyeol sluggishly moved his body to the side, closing his eyes as he hugged the pillow.

“Come on Chanyeol, please.” She looked at him with pleading eyes.

“No. I said I’m tired.” He faced the other side of the bed and his eyes, preparing himself for another deep slumber.

“Just this once. Come on get up now.”

No response. She sighed at his reluctant self. It was really disappointing. She lied back on the bed and closed her eyes.

○ ○ ○

An ecstatic smile wouldn’t leave Ara’s face as she strolled along the wintry streets of Seoul. Her feeling was too much over the moon when Chanyeol finally agreed to watch the sunrise with her. It took her long to convince him to come.

She walked with her fingers interlaced with his, smiling idiotically as she breathed. “I thought you wouldn’t really come with me.”

He showed a disinterested expression. “I was forced to.”

“Come on. Enough with the glum behavior, you should be happy you’re spending Christmas with me.”

“I am but I’m just tired.” He let go of her hand and placed both inside his pockets to keep them warm. As soon as his hand left hers, she felt alone and cold. Her hand was cold without his warm hold. Why was he acting like a brat all of a sudden? Is it too much to ask him to come with her? After all, she is his girlfriend.

She swallowed uneasily, which caused her neck to form a lump for a split second. She clenched her hand nervously as her eyes shifted left and right. They walked side by side. The lad still giving her a cold shoulder, even colder than the weather itself.

“Chanyeol…” she trailed, her voice sounding weak. “…never mind.”

“Let’s just go watch that sunrise you want then head back home. We could return to that big Christmas tree once evening comes.”

“Y-yeah, we could do that.”, she said with her voice hinting slight sadness. She looked down and continued walking with her hand feeling cold.

She rubbed both of her palms and huffed on them to make them a bit warmer.

Chanyeol noticed her actions and he knew she was cold. He couldn’t take seeing her in that state so he swiftly removed his hands from his pockets, grabbing hold of her hands and blew on them.

“Still feeling cold?” He asked, his eyes looking straight at hers. She shook her head and felt a smile creeping on her face with that sweet action of his.

“Please don’t ever let go of my hand again.”, she shyly spoke, staring at the ground.

He rolled his eyes, shaking his head before smiling at her. He couldn’t resist her, she was too adorable. How could he let her freeze in the cold when he could give his hand to warm her?

“I won’t. Don’t worry.”

She smiled and swung her hand which was holding his. “Oh look! The sunrise!” she exclaimed. Her eyes were sparkling at the sight of the beautiful sun.

Chanyeol was too occupied by the view that he did not notice Ara left him. Soon, he felt a cold hard object hit his back. He turned to its source and saw Ara giggling and holding onto another snowball before throwing it to him.

“Yah! You’re too old to be playing that.”

“No, I’m not.” She stuck her tongue out and threw another one which gladly hit his head. She laughed, amused by her snowball-throwing skills.

“Ara, enough already. Let’s go home.”

“But I still want to play.”

“I’m too tired to play.”

“Why do you keep saying you’re tired?”

“Because I am.”

She frowned. He was showing off his attitude again. It was one of those which she hated the most. But she couldn’t possibly leave him because one thing for sure, she loves the guy and leaving him isn’t an option.

“You know what? Just go home by yourself. I’m staying here.” She stormed off.

He shook his head and chased after her. He couldn’t let her go like that. No matter how much of a fun spoiler he was, he still cared too much for her.

“Ara.”, he said but the girl started running. He did not know but tears were already threatening to fall from her eyes.

“Ara!” He called again and as if by cue, her eyes already welled up with tears.

“ARA! LOOK OUT!” And this time, his eyes widened when he saw a car heading straight at her. He was too far to reach her, and he could only watch her from there.

Crash.

He saw her body flew aside as the vehicle crashed to her. His eyes started dripping tears as he ran to her. “Ara!” He grabbed onto her body, hugging it and screamed for help. “Don’t leave me like this. I love you. Please don’t go. Ara! Wake up!” He shook her body and hugged her tight and his tears fell on her shirt. He noticed the tears from her eyes as well and cried even more.

○ ○ ○

December 25, 2013. Christmas Day. Yoo Ara’s death.

Chanyeol stood at her grave staring at it mindlessly. He exhausted so much of his tears that he couldn’t squeeze anything out anymore. Because of him, that happened. Because of him, she’s dead. He could only blame himself for everything that occurred. If he didn’t act that way, she wouldn’t run off and she’d probably be alive.

○ ○ ○

December 25, 2014

Under the big Christmas tree Ara would always wanted to go every Christmas day, Chanyeol sat at a bench and watched the mistletoe right in front of him. It was where he was supposed to kiss her.

If only she’d come back, he would gladly and unhesitatingly do it. A year had passed but the memory remained. He loves her so much and still does. No one could replace her; she was after all the only one who bears with his attitude even during high school days when they weren’t officially together.

He sighed, a tear dropping from his eye as he bowed his head.

“Excuse me, is this seat taken?” A female’s voice asked.

He shook his head and the girl sat beside him.

“Christmas day is very remarking. I always wanted to be kissed by my boyfriend under the mistletoe.”

Hearing the familiar line, he looked up to see a similar face he had seen before. His eyes widened in shock, he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. It was…it was her.

She wasn’t looking at him but the mistletoe right in front of them. “...I’m only waiting for ─”

“You came back!”

She was cut when she felt him hugged her. Immediately, she pushed him away. He was a stranger to her and hugging her for the first time they met would be rude. “Excuse me, but I believe it is rude to hug─” She stopped on her words when she saw him. His face was completely familiar to her. She squinted her eyes, trying to recall him.

“Ara! It’s me, Chanyeol!” His eyes were already watery.

“C-chanyeol?” She her chin. “Oh yes! Chanyeol! Old classmate from high school. Long time no see.”, she said with a  big grin on her face.

He furrowed his eyebrows. “Old classmate? I’m not just your classmate, I’m your boyfriend!”

“Boyfriend?” She laughed holding onto her chest. “What are you talking about? It’s the first time I’ve seen you ever since we graduated from high school.”

“What? We’ve been together for four years and we even live on the same apartment.”

“Woah, woah, woah. Enough already. Don’t you know I have a boyfriend?”

“Yes, that would be me.”

“No! His name is Luhan.”

○ ○ ○

After a total of twenty minutes, Chanyeol jolted from his bed with his face and body covered with sweat. On his right, he spotted a sleeping figure. He sighed in relief discovering it was all nothing but a dream. He swore it was too realistic. He couldn’t call it a dream; a more accurate term would be nightmare.

He wouldn’t really let his girl be taken by some other guy, especially not Luhan. He was the guy Chanyeol almost lost Ara to, back then in high school. Lucky he got to win her heart.

Immediately, he pecked her lips which awakened the female, surprised by his sudden move.

“C-chanyeol?”

“Ara, get up now.”, he said pulling her body up which he was successful at doing so thanks to her light weight. “We still need to watch that sunrise and I still have to kiss you.”

She smiled at his sudden change of behavior. “Really? I thought you were too tired.”

“I’m not when it comes to you.” He placed her arms around his neck and encircled her waist, giving her a kiss on the lips.

Ara pulled away, a bit hesitant. “I still haven’t brushed my teeth yet. You know…morning breath.”

Chanyeol smiled and pecked her lips. “I don’t really mind as long as it’s you.”