A/n: For my Santee.. I wrote JongHo once and it’s a 100 word challenge so I am not sure if I can give justice to this couple. And to get me in the mood, I was actually listening to depressing angst/break up songs while writing this.
 
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Click
 
The sound of shutters was faint amidst the crowded streets of Seoul. The pavement was covered in snow and ice while hundreds of boot clad feet shuffle endlessly as the day progressed.
 
It was winter, a beautiful white Christmas is ahead of everyone; the lovers were all perked up at the sight of the romantic snowflakes falling down on their heads.
 
He took them all in, the sights, sounds and smell of Christmas; though he can only keep the sights through his photographs.
 
---
 
It was a blur of blacks and browns as he saw the people passed before him in endless streams. It was the final hurrah of the holiday rush but that seemed unimportant to him; heck even the mere thought of Christmas isn’t sinking on him (not that it will in the next couple of hours).
 
He sighed loudly as another hour passed and he sat there like a statue. He looked up to the sky with tearful eyes and watched the glittery white flakes gently made their way down, catching a few ones on his gloved hand.
 
He wished on them as the ice melted with the warmth of his hand and a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
 
Click
 
He heard the faint sound, a sound he’s familiar with. His eyes searched the crowd for the source of sound, and perhaps a familiar face but none came into view. He sighed as he shook his head, he must be imagining things.
 
“I’m sorry did I startle you?” A voice brought him back to his senses. His mouth gaped at the tall young man in front of him, dressed in all black. Great, black.
 
“Are you taking my picture?” He asked and the man in front of him nodded.
 
“You seemed to be startled after the shutters went off.” The taller said and he nodded.
 
“Reminded me of a childhood friend.” He replied and the taller took a seat beside him.
 
“A photographer too?” The guy asked and he nodded. Why am I talking to a stranger? And why is he reminding me of the past I’m trying to forget?
 
“I’m Minho.” The taller said, extending a hand which Jonghyun reluctantly shook. “Jonghyun.” He replied.
 
The guy named Minho handed him the camera and showed him the picture he took. Jonghyun looked at it and was surprised at the quality; his face looked glowing, beautifully framed by the falling snow and his eyes showed pain but in an artistic way.
 
“You looked perfect that way. Your frame tells a story of deep hurt and longing.” Minho said and Jonghyun glared at him.
 
“I can delete it.” Minho said quickly and Jonghyun shook his head. “Do whatever you want with it.” Jonghyun said, handed back the camera and took his leave.
 
---
 
Jonghyun sighed as he turned the knob to his shared apartment; his roommate must be with his boyfriend spending Christmas in warm embraces. He sighed even more as he looked at the empty apartment and then to the door of his roommate.
 
Well it was a clichéd love story for him and he happened to be the third wheel and not the love interest in this case. He took off his coat and went to his room, passing by a picture of himself that his roommate took a few years back.
 
“You’re so stupid Myungsoo.” He said to himself as he took the picture off the wall.
 
He was all alone on Christmas Eve and that wasn’t his idea of a merry Christmas, but he doesn’t have a choice does he? He ran his hands on his face and hair as he lie on his bed and tried to drown the pain in his heart; and with so much effort, he was able to close his tired eyes and went to sleep even if it’s just a little over 5pm.
 
 
 
---
 
He looked at his watch when his eyes opened a bit later and groaned. He let his body walk its way towards the kitchen, where two familiar faces were now kissing without a care; his roommate Myungsoo and his lovely (and not to mention greasy) boyfriend Woohyun.
 
“Hey hyung!” Myungsoo pushed the boyfriend a little as he saw the elder enter the kitchen.
 
“Sorry for disturbing, just continue.” Jonghyun said as he got a milk carton inside the fridge and went out of the kitchen as fast as he could.
 
“We’ll be eating out hyung, wanna come?” Myungsoo invited him, oh how insensitive that little brat but Jonghyun remembered that he knew nothing about the feelings he had so he just smiled (the perfect practiced smile) and shook his head. 

“I’m going somewhere later. Merry Christmas.” Jonghyun said and went to his room to grab his coat and leave the apartment.
 
 
He walked with no direction or destination but ended up on the same bench he was sitting that morning. He pulled the coat tighter around his body and mentally cursed himself for coming up with a lame excuse to get out of Myungsoo and Woohyun.
 
Click
 
He heard it again and this time, he wasn’t surprised to see Minho approach him.
 
“Merry Christmas.” Minho greeted him, handing him a small envelope. Jonghyun took it and looked at the contents. His mouth gaped the second time that day.
 
“You said I can do whatever I want with it so I printed them for you to keep.” Minho said, taking a seat next to him and adjusting his camera as he took a few shots of the lights before them.
 
“Seriously?” Jonghyun asked and Minho nodded.
 
“It’s very rare that I am able to capture genuine emotions so I would want to thank you.” Minho said as he took another shot from his camera then showed it to Jonghyun. Jonghyun saw the lights slightly blurred in the background while a baby sleeps as his mother cradled him in her warm arms.
 
“It’s usually the kids who give the best emotions, but yours is breathtaking at the very least.” Minho said flipping through the pictures then stopping at the one he just took a few minutes ago. “See, it’s your eyes.” Minho pointed out and Jonghyun found himself smile a bit.
 
Click
 
Jonghyun blinked as he heard the sound. “How many cameras do you have?” He asked and Minho counted in his mind.
 
“I have three professional DSLR, 1 bridge cam and 4 digital cameras” Minho replied as he handed the digital camera to Jonghyun. Jonghyun looked at the photo taken and was surprised at how well it turned out, even a digital camera can produce that good quality photographs?
 
“Can I ask why you are this sad?” Minho said as Jonghyun returned the camera and Jonghyun sighed.
 
‘it’s an unrequited love. It’s clichéd, I know.” Jonghyun said and Minho nodded, adjusting his camera and taking more pictures that interested him.
 
“Isn’t life clichéd as well?” Minho asked and Jonghyun found himself nodding.
 
“Yeah, I think so too.” Jonghyun answered as he took Minho’s digital camera and took pictures of himself. Minho took the chance take a picture of this little act.
 
“You have a knack for Self Cam.” Minho said as he browsed through the pictures Jonghyun took and he smiled bitterly.
 
“My roommate taught me all the tricks I know.” Jonghyun explained and Minho nodded.
 
“I guess that the roommate of yours is the source of your unrequited love.” Minho said and Jonghyun gaped again. “How’d you know?” Jonghyun asked, surprised at this revelation.
 
“They say a picture says a thousand words, I just happen to interpret it that way.” Minho said with a smile and Jonghyun realizes for the first time how handsome Minho was.
 
He took the camera from Minho and quickly snapped some photos. Minho gladly smiled for him and looked at pictures.
 
“Not bad.” Minho complimented him.
 
“Hey, aside from making me your subject, there’s something bothering me.” Jonghyun started and Minho looked at him with all attention. ‘Why me? Why are you hanging around and talking to me like we’re friends or something?” Jonghyun said and Minho smiled wide.
 
“I looked at you and recalled what my hyung told me once.” Minho started. “I was quite lonely back then, when I was starting photography as a hobby. A stranger sat next to me and smiled his sweetest smile.” Minho took in a deep breath and took a shot of the falling crystals framing a smiling princess in pink doll dress.
 
“He told me that everyone was being lonely thinking how lonely they were and it would be a bit selfish if I was being lonely alone.” Minho finished and Jonghyun didn’t understand a single thing. Minho chuckled.
 
“Yeah, I was like that too but he told me that I’ll only be able to understand it when it finally happens to me.” Minho said and Jonghyun was still confused.
 
“it doesn’t make sense.” Jonghyun said and Minho gave him a warm smile.
 
“you’ll soon understand it.” Minho bowed and took his leave.
 
“It doesn’t make sense at all.” Jonghyun said to himself, clutching the pictures given to him earlier.
 
 
---
 
He just can’t say no to Myungsoo, Jonghyun found that out the hard way as he was dragged to an art exhibit.
 
“It’s the debut exhibit of a good friend of mine so please come with me!!!” Myungsoo begged like a cute little kitten and Jonghyun wasn’t able to resist those dark eyes and pouting lips.
 
He stood with Myungsoo and Woohyun as they awaited the ribbon cutting of the newest Photography prodigy of Korea.
 
The lights dimmed and the MC introduced the young photographer and this made Jonghyun extremely shocked; In front of everyone, Minho stood and smiled before them.
 
“For my debut collection, I tried to capture reality through people’s eyes. I hope you can see the world from these people’s point of view. So everyone, I present to you, emotions” Minho said and he cut the ribbon.
 
Minho led the eager audience through the halls and explained to the big shot enthusiasts why and how he took the pictures; Jonghyun was actually impressed with how Minho took everything in his collection.
 
“Look at the quality of this, oh my.” Myungsoo was totally fanboying and Woohyun was there to join in just to please his boyfriend. Jonghyun appreciated the works with all his artistic sense could muster.
 
Minho then stopped in front of a large wall covered by a blue satin curtain by the end of the gallery. He cleared his throat and got everyone’s attention.
 
“This is the highlight of my collection, Strangers.” Minho just said and pulled the curtains to reveal two large photographs of two different persons with two different emotions. Jonghyun’s mouth hanged open as he realized that one of them was in fact him.
 
“I met them at two different points in my life; Onew represents the vibrant sun of spring. His smile had given me the source of hope to pursue this field. And Jonghyun is the calm winter whose transparency had showed me that despite the coldness, some warmth is hidden.” Minho paused as everyone nodded and agreed with him.
 
“Two contradicting pictures showing one common emotion.” It became a bit silent as everyone thought of the answer to Minho’s riddle.
 
Minho’s words were hanging until Jonghyun found himself speaking out loud.
 
“Compassion” Jonghyun’s voice echoed and Minho smiled wide and nodded.
 
“Yes compassion. An emotion inherent to everyone but we tend to neglect. It’s by sharing that moment with strangers that we find ourselves sharing this basic instinct.” Minho explained and everyone was clapping for him.
 
Myungsoo was wide eyed as he looked at the photograph then to Jonghyun who was making eye contact with Minho.
 
“hyung.. you…” Myungsoo wasn’t sure of what to say. “you..” Myungsoo continued, moving his head to look at Jonghyun then to Minho then back and forth, trying to make things rational for him to understand.
 
“Myungsoo, leave Jonghyun hyung alone.” Woohyun pulled the boyfriend away as the crowd dispersed to look at the rest of the exhibit.
 
Jonghyun was rooted to the ground and so was Minho, they were staring at each other like it was a contest. Minho was the first to move and he approached the smaller male.
 
“you…” Jonghyun was actually lost for words and Minho chuckled.
 
“you gave your permission.” Minho said and Jonghyun opened and closed his mouth, blinking fast and lost for words (and yes he looked like Nemo).
 
“Realized it?” Minho asked and Jonghyun nodded, grinning as he hugged the photographer.
 
“Thank you.” Jonghyun said as Minho returned the hug.
 
“Thank you so much.” Jonghyun repeated and now he can smile; despite being strangers, he felt that he was genuine and compassionate.
 
“Like I said, it’s a bit selfish to be lonely alone.” Minho replied and the two laughed.
 
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A/n: I hope you’ll like this.. I didn’t make a romantic ending I’m sorry, JongHo is still experimental for me. And I added in a few characters there in that I hope you don’t mind at all. By the way, the prompt is a bit confusing when you first read it but as I reread it again and again, I was slowly inspired to write something in this storyline. The original ending would have had fireworks but as I was writing this, it leaned towards to compassion… Happy Holidays.