Donghae's P.O.V.

He had been expecting a lot but not this. Meanwhile he heard the twin boys running down the stairs, dragging Minnie and Jaeden along, who were protesting against the rough treatment they received after waking up a few minutes ago.

“Appa is here Jaeden! Don't be so slow!” Jinwook exclaimed and with that the four of them arrived next to Donghae just to stand there in awe as well.

“Oh my goodness” Lissy muttered as she took a glance out of the kitchen to see why the children got silent all of a sudden. But all she could do was starring at the front door with a hand in front of .

Through the open door the brunet got faced by a huge Christmas tree that covered the person standing behind it. Hae was the first to recover a little from the surprise, when he saw how the tree was moved aside and a blonde stock of hair got revealed. Lifting his eyebrows in surprise once again, the boy couldn't help but hope.

“Hyukjae?” he asked, unsure whether it was the same guy he had met the last day.

“Excuse me a delivery for Mister Lee Donghae?” an unknown voice said and said brunet had a hard time to hide his disappointment, when he saw a man in his thirties looking towards him with a questioning expression.

“Yes that's me” he answered and the guy who was taller than him nearly shoved the huge tree into the hall. After he went back to his car car to get some more boxes out of it and put them next to the tree. Then he took out a pen and a paper and handed it to he brunet.

“Could you please sign this Sir?” the man asked again and Donghae applied to the others request and handed the board with the paper on it back as soon as he put his name in a messy manner on it.

The postman turned around and walked back to the car, greeting his good-byes on the way.

Being curious, the brunet couldn't help but to wonder who the person was that had sent this amazing gift. So he ran after the blonde man and luckily got a hold of one of the doors to prevent the other from driving away.

“Wait a second please. Excuse me, but do you know who is responsible for that?” Hae asked and pointed to the house, referring to the gifts. The man shrugged but answered nonetheless.

“The guy who gave the things to me said there was a card on one of the boxes. Now excuse me, I have some other deliveries to take care of. You know Christmas is always busy.”

“Yes sure. Thank you very much.”

“No problem, Sir. I'm happy that there are still people, who have a good heart to send gifts like these. Have a Merry Christmas Mister Lee”and then the man drove away, leaving Donghae at the gates of the orphanage.

When he went back into the house, all of the children stood in front of the tree and didn't really seem to know what to say or do. They were just overwhelmed with joy. The brunet walked up to the boxes and found a red card with a reindeer on it on top of a blue box. He opened it slowly and couldn't help , but to fall even more. The handwriting in Korean was a little messy but still beautiful in some way.

“ I got the Christmas tree Jinwook told me about. I hope he and the other kids will like it too.
I'm sorry I couldn't give it to you personally, but I had some appointments for today.
Anyway have a nice time taking care of the tree.

Hyukjae

PS: I bought some decorations too, and because I didn't know what you like, it got a bit much.

I hope you won't mind about that.”

After he had finished reading, Donghae put the card aside and smiled happily. Actually he should feel guilty to accept something as expensive as that, when he looked at all the packages and boxes with all kinds of pretty decorations in them, but he just couldn't help it. He was touched about the others thoughtful gifts and it really looked as if the blonde had put a lot of affords into choosing the right things. Which he definitely did.

Suddenly he someone tugging on his pullover and looked down to see Jaemin with his serious expression looking up to him. Not really sure about the whole situation.

“Is that for us Hyung?” he asked and pointed towards the tree.

“I guess so JaeJae. That's what the card's words said.” Donghae answered.

“I bet it is from Hyukkie Hyung!!” Jinwook shouted happily and hugged the tree as good as he could with his short arms and without actually hurting himself, before he turned to the brunet, not letting go of the branches he had managed to hold in his hands.

“Can we bring it into the living room, appa? I want to decorate it now. Pretty please!” the boy said and flashed his bet puppy eyes to the young adult.

Seeing all the excitement, Hae couldn't help but to give in. It was still early in the morning and so it wouldn't hurt to postpone their breakfast until the tree found its rightful place next to the chimney.

He asked Johnny and Lucky to help him carry it, while the younger kids took one of the boxes and put them down on the floor. After the tree was standing safely, they all put decorations on.

In the end, Minhee was holding the big, golden star in her hand that belonged on the top of the tree, but she looked a bit lost while she stared up to it. Smiling, in view of her helplessness, Donghae walked behind the little girl and lifted her on his shoulders, so she could reach the top. When she looked at him with unsure eyes, he gave her an encouraging smile.

“Go ahead and put it on princess” he said and she smiles back at him, stretching her arms to carefully put the star in place.

After that the brunet lifted her off his shoulders again and she gave him a tight hug, while he carried her in his arms.

“Thank you oppa.”

“You are most welcome, my dear little Minhee. You did a great job” Donghae praised and closed his eyes to fully enjoy that little moment of happiness with her.

He didn't know why, but to him it was the most natural thing to give the children the feeling to be the most important in the world for the time he was with them. They were his motivation and strength.

Whenever he saw them smile, he knew why he was working so hard every single day. And finally the magical feeling of Christmas filled the house.

Thanks to Hyukjae and his mindful act of kindness.

And the result was beautiful.

The Christmas tree was shining in soft red and blue colors from the vitreous balls, which were decorated with white snowflakes or reindeers. In between there were golden tinsels wrapped around the branches and also chains of warm lights were lightening up the whole scenery. And on top there was that beautiful star, that made it simply perfect and complete.

Donghae was pretty annoyed with himself. When he thought of gathering enough courage to go to Hyuk's house and thank the other for letting the childrens wish come true, he just realized that he didn't remember the address anymore. It had been dark and so he rather focused on the road in front of him so he wouldn't lose balance on the iced sidewalks. And there wasn't a phone number or an address on the boxes or on the card either. He really felt a little frustrated right now, but at the same time it wasn't the right moment to feel depressed about something he couldn't change anyway. So he decided to cherish what he had and be thankful for it.

Today way all about the children, because later on he would have to work again. Well not today but the next day. Donghae was lucky his boss had given him some days off during Christmas and with that he had agreed to work on the 22^nd and 23^rd December and in the mornings the days after Christmas until new years eve.

The small shop the brunet worked at had all kinds of unique little things, but most of all you got self-made sweets and different books, because it used to be an only book store. But they wouldn't make money with only books. People were able to get books everywhere, so Donghae and Ryeowook have had the idea to make it more interesting for others to come by. Ryeowook was a really good cook and knew how to create wonders on your tongue with chocolate. And most people liked small thing that were unique in some way, that's why they also offered some workshops to make little figures with children or special made presents, like a self colored mug for a friend or Valentine's chocolate your lover. It all helped them to gain new costumers and to save the shop. The owner, who was an old man already, was really thankful to his employees and even saw them as his own family.

Besides Donghae and Ryeowook there was another guy named Juddah working at the shop.

He looked a little weird with his messy hair and huge glasses, but he was amazingly talented in creating things with his hands. In that way the three boys took care of the costumers and Mr. Adams had time to do all the management. And now before Christmas they all had some busy times, but today was a special day so the shop was closed.

Shrugging these thoughts off, Donghae put his hands on the shoulders of Tanner and Jamie, who were standing next to him and smiled at everyone.

“Now … after we have finished, what do you think of some breakfast? I am starting to get hungry you know.”

Receiving a lot of cheers from the youngers and appreciating nods or smiles from the elders, they all walked back into the kitchen. There, the brunet finished the meal he had been preparing and after thirty minutes they were all enjoying a breakfast in union. With Jinwook to his left and Jaemin to his right, it was like eating with his own two boys. Only that they weren't his in that kind of meaning yet, but he worked hard to become a man who would be able to be their dad someday.

“Wookie, don't forget to eat your fruits” he said in a serious voice and the little one flashed him his best puppy eyes again.

“But appa, I don't like them, they are sour” Jinwook replied with a disgusted expression.

“Me neither Hyung” Jaemin murmured in agreement with his brother.

“Being sour means that they are healthy for you. You guys need a lot of vitamins to become as strong as me or Sungmin Hyung someday. Now be good and eat up. We need to go in a while and before that we need to rehearsal again. Or did you forget what day is today?” Donghae asked.

“Of course not. It's the yearly Christmas concert today!!” Billy exclaimed in excitement. The boy loved to sing and play his harmonica to harmonic notes, which filled the hearts with joy and happiness.

“You got that right Blue eye. And we still need to get all of you ready. So please finish your meal and after put your plates into the sink and get ready for practice” the brunet replied friendly.

Everybody did as it was said and Donghae took a deep breath, before he got up to clean the dishes. He had known that today wouldn't be his best, but he was already dead tired and the day had just begun, but when practice was over and they stood on stage, he knew he would be fully awake again. When he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder, he turned around to see Lissy standing behind him.

“Leave the chores to me Donghae and rest a little. I can see you are tired from last night.”

“But...” Suddenly the door bells rang again and the brunet sighed in defeat. Even though he wasn't in charge of the cleaning anymore there was always something else coming up. And on top of that he had forgotten his suit at home this morning, which meant he would have to get it somehow and possibly change in the men's restroom in the church.

When he opened the door once again he got suffocated in a tight hug, while he was facing the person standing behind his attacker with an apologetic smile on his face that created a cute couple of dimples on the mans cheeks. A man the younger hadn't seen in ages. Unfortunately he didn't have a chance to get to this person, being captured in a, what felt like it, monkey embrace.

But somehow he managed to shove his diva of a cousin aside to get through to the other one.

“Teukie Hyung! It has been forever! How are you doing?” Donghae asked excited and hugged his cousin with a lot of affection.

“Ah Hae, still the same I see. It's good to be back again. Heechul has told me a lot already. Can't believe I missed so much within two months of being abroad.”

In fact his cousin Jungsu, whom everyone used to call Leeteuk, had been abroad because he was participating to an exchange program that allowed teachers to get different experiences from universities from all over the world. So he had been in Korea again.

The project was going on for two years by now and Teuk left every half a year to stay at a Korean university for two months and then came back. But still, that guy seemed to be competing with Hae's older brother when it came to never miss a single moment in his dongsaeng's life.

Sometimes the elder seemed to be more of a mother than a cousin, but it was fine with the brunet.

“You didn't miss that much though.”

“Are you kidding me? The twins running away is nothing much ?!”

“Oh well yeah, that's right, but you see...” a loud sound of someone clearing his throat, caught the two males attention.

“I am very sorry to interrupt your lovey dovey moment, but I am carrying your suit for more than an hour by now, because you didn't get too much sleep, which was probably caused by a blonde monkey and auntie called me to bring it you. Now my arm is hurting, I am getting totally ignored, but yes oyu are most welcome MY most favorite baby cousin” Heechul said with a sulking expression and pronounced every single of his last words.

The two brothers had always fought for the attention of the brunet and even now they were still getting jealous. Especially the diva.

Smiling to himself, Leeteuk leaned forward and whispered to Donghae:

“You better go and give him some affection or else the poor Hangeng will have a hard time today.”

Laughing at that, the younger went to his hug the raven-haired and gave him a peck on his cheek like he used to do, when he was still a child. And to save the said Chinese man from his cousin, because Heechul tended to release his frustration on him in a not so friendly way at times.

“You are my favorite Hyung as well” Hae said with a sweet voice.

“I know fishy. And you! Don't you dare think I didn't hear you Hyung!!” the diva said and pointed a finger at Leeteuk.

It was pretty funny actually. Even though Jungsu was only nine days older than Heechul, the other still addressed him formally. When both men had been about thirteen years old, their parents had remarried. Luckily all three children got along very well. Each of the boys had one older sister and were really protective of them plus they were both the youngest. So it was only logical for them to get along and up until now their bond was thicker than blood could ever be. It was really nice to see them like this even after so many years.

Caught up in his day dreams once again, Donghae didn't realize how Chul went upstairs to greet Tanner. He didn't admit it but that girl surely got a hold of him. The raven-haired always liked people who adored him, but Tanner was a special case. She was really interested in the others work and learned a lot to be able to understand Heechul and his world of fashion and style. And that had gotten rare, so whenever the diva came by for a visit he took some extra time for the girl and only her.

They mostly designed some new clothes or talked about different combinations of colors for final “projects”, like they used to call it. And once in a while the man even made her some new clothes on special days, to make her feel like the princess she was in his opinion.

Many people always thought Heechul wasn't made to be a father, but the truth was that only a few were able to look beyond his mask. He was a loving person, who enjoyed his family life and being around children. To Donghae, the diva was all some child could wish for once the ice of awkwardness got broken.

The same went for Leeteuk, who was now talking to Lissy and Charly , while he helped to dry the dishes. He was a serious and well mannered man, but he never lost his sense of humor or how to have fun, even though he seemed to be good-for-nothing most of the time.

As a teacher he was great and the same counted for him as a family person. He was just too busy living his life as a teacher, to give things a second look and so he often missed out on some great opportunities. And women had always been crazy about Hae's cousin. His dimples and calming energy made most of them like him on an instant. Leeteuk used to date some of them, but since he had started to go to Korea from time to time, his interest in girls had stopped abruptly. Donghae guessed the elder had found someone he was serious about, but couldn't get a word out of the man. But he wasn't the person to insist on it either. Especially because Jungsu didn't always look too happy when people started talking about love and relationships.

And still... his qualities of being a father were definitely there, he just needed someone to show him that he could actually be more than a teacher.

Having a look at the time Donghae was pretty shocked to see that it was already late and they hadn't practiced nor changed into their outfits yet. Sungmin was missing too. Deciding that it was easier to just sing some songs to warm up their voices, he and the children disappeared to the attic for two hours, before he decided they were prepared enough. By now it was already 2pm and they needed to get dressed. He ran down to his room and put on his suit, only the necktie wouldn't fit. When he was about to give up, Minhee walked in and closed the door behind herself.

She looked adorable in her cream-colored dress and fitting scarf around her neck.

“Do you need help oppa?” she asked and tried to hide a grin.

“You know me too well now don't you?” the brunet answered and got down on his knees, so the girl could do the tie for him. For reasons he didn't understand she knew a lot of things at her young age.

“I try to. But I just heard you cursing about that tricky necktie that didn't want to help you getting ready” she said honestly and showed her grin, which she had been hiding.

“Is that so? Well then I guess you will have to stay with me forever so you can help your helpless case of an oppa to get along in life” Donghae replied with a dramatic expression, causing Minhee to laugh.

“Haha okay oppa. I will teach you one day and until then I will help you.” Donghae really hoped that day would never come.

“Thanks my little princess. Did I tell you that you look awesome today? Huh what am I supposed to do? If that continues I will have to save you from the Griffin boys again. You should stop giving an old man so many headaches young lady” the brunet joked around and Minhee just giggled and elegantly walked out of the room.

“They grow up so fast” Hae mumbled to himself, before he got up to check on the twins.

They were standing in their room, wearing their best shirts and a vest on top of it. While Jaemin was wearing blue his brother fit his twin with a soft red. They both looked gorgeous and really handsome. No one would have guessed they were only about to turn four. When the boys saw Donghae walking in, a huge smile spread on their faces and they went to greet him. Like he had done before, the brunet got down to return their gestures. He took them by the shoulders and looked at them with pride.

“Aigoo my two boys are so handsome. Are you two ready to go?”

“Of course appa. Look, Chullie Hyung took care of our hair. He said we are cool like this” Jinwook cheered and turned around to show Hae a small ponytail.

The twins had quite long hair, which made them adorable. So the diva gave them a more handsome look with putting some of it into a ponytail and the strands that nearly covered their eyes, got stylishly moved to the right or left and fixed with some hairspray. Heechul really knew what suited people, might it have been clothes or hairstyles.

Johnny and Lucky were wearing matching Tuxedos, while Jaeden had the same outfit as the twins. Only that his shirt was green. The three of them always stuck together and so it was no surprise for them to match in this case either.

Lauren as one of the three girls didn't wear a dress, but black jeans and a pink shirt Sungmin gave her as a present for being a good student and doing well with her studies in general. And somehow it suited her perfectly.

Billy wasn't that much into formal clothing. He simply chose his favorite knitted pullover to wear and a brown colored pair of trousers and it really looked cute on him.

Benjamin on the other hand, had put his long, blonde hair into a ponytail, which made him look matured. The blue jeans combined with a white turtleneck pullover and a black suit jacket really gave him a stunning appearance. Even though the shy boy used to hide his fortunate looks most of the time. But he really loved the Christmas concert and because it was a special event, he put his fears aside and showed the world a totally different Benjamin Jameson, which made Leeteuk happy.

The man was always concerned about the talented but quiet boy, he used to get along with pretty well.

And even Billy had opened up to the elder in a miraculous way.

The last one to get out of her room was Brittany and she looked amazing.

Heechul had made her a red dress with golden patterns on it and a white rose on the left shoulder that turned into a snowflake at some point. Her blonde hair had some curls at the ends and framed her pretty face beautifully. Right behind her was standing said man, who had caused her transformation.

“Isn't my little dongsaeng a real princess Hae? The colors suit her perfectly just as I have imagined” Heechul said with pride. He really loved the girl hat was able to see into his heart.

But Heechul being Heechul, didn't give a single chance to Donghae for any kind of reply, because he was already busy talking to Tanner again.

The brunet only shook his head with a smile on his lips and turned to the Lee siblings to take them downstairs. By the time they all had reached the hall, the Smith sisters were waiting next to Leeteuk and Sungmin, who had just arrived. Matching to Lauren he wore a pink shirt with a grey vest, white necktie and white jeans.

They all looked changed and nothing like normal people anymore. Christmas surely was a special time of the year.

Because the time was already rushing, they didn't have the chance to greet each other properly. In fact only a few bows and hellos were exchanged before their group walked to the church. It was already getting dark outside, but they were all happy.

Like every year, the people of the town gathered together on the 21^st of December at the local church to share some Christmas spirit and music with each other. Especially the children of the orphanage loved it, because they were allowed to give their own little concert. The band was playing and everyone was singing the songs they had practiced all years long. Like always, they had chosen different songs than before and this year was the first time Jaemin and Jinwook would join the singers of their group. They had been too young last time, but now their voices had developed a pleasing sound and the boys really had talent.

In front of the church was standing a young man with a gentle smile on his face and welcomed everyone. He was tall, had black hair and a handsome face. And on top of that he was one of the best students at Hae's and Sungmin's university and a member of the student council.

Said person was no one else than the mostly adored Choi Siwon. The girls loved him for his looks and money, but that wasn't the reason why Donghae found it comfortable to be around the other. In fact it was the personality the brunet saw as the true value of the “rich boy” like many used to call him. Siwon was a friendly and kind man, who helped others a lot and never asked for many things in return. He was great with children and adults and totally adorable when it came to cheer someone up. He was awesome in sports and captain of the football team and very religious.

So for now it was no wonder to see him in front of the church, greeting the people he could most likely call by their names, because he always visited the church on Sundays and got to talk to a lot of them on a daily basis during holidays.

But that was one of the things most of the students at the university didn't know, because they didn't care. For them he was Choi Siwon, a rich guy who was going to inherit his fathers company someday and be a successful business man. His true desires in life didn't count, at least most of the time. The young man was lucky to have an understanding father who supported his son in all the decisions he made. With that Siwon grew up to be just as friendly and open-minded as Mr. Choi himself.

When the tall boy saw all of them walking towards the entrance he gave them a warm and honest smile as a greeting. He really loved the Smith twins and the children from the orphanage.

“Good afternoon everyone. Thank you for coming to the special church service as every year. Your concert is always the most anticipated one. I hope you have chosen some great songs again.”

“Good afternoon Siwon. We're happy to be here too. The kids have been excited all day long” Donghae answered friendly. Even though both males never really talked to each other at school, which was mostly called by the fact that Siwon was part of the popular group, while the brunet was at the end of the food chain. At least more or less. So at school their two worlds didn't fit, but out of it they got along pretty well. They weren't as close to be called friends but good acquaintances. And Hae really appreciated that the other cared for the children at the orphanage and especially the Martin brothers got along with him.

That's how the three of them ended up with going on trips together, taking part in the church service from time to time or playing music. The calm but certain behavior of Siwon gave them a feeling of comfort and on top of it gave them a good example. It made the brunet happy to see how the boys found their way in life, after they had been some trouble makers. Lucky being the eldest was the worst of them. He had felt out of place and created attention in a wrong or negative way. Most likely at school. But even at the orphanage he didn't apply to the rules sometimes.

When they had met Siwon their behavior changed enormously and suddenly their new gentleman attitude and kind actings made them loved by the girls, but also the teachers were surprised to see how the “bad boys” had turned into well- behaved young men.

As more people waited behind them to get into the church, Donghae and the other adults urged the children to move on and take their seats in the front rows so they could see everything. Another thing Siwon had taken care of. He knew the kids loved the music and to be part of the whole scenery and with that he always made sure they would be able to be right in the heart of the performance.

Before they disappeared in the church, Siwon turned around once again.

“Johnny! Lucky! Have prepared another surprise song like last year ?” he asked excited, losing his calm and neutral expression for a few seconds.

Happy to receive some unshared attention, the boys smiled.

“Yes, Sir” they answered in union and followed the others.

Inside the building the instruments for the children were already arranged and people started gathering together. First of all the usual service was held, people sent their prayers and took a few minutes to let the hall fill with silence to only hear the church bells ringing.

After that a new wave of life seemed to flow through the crowd, because they knew that now the concert of the orphanage children and their friends was following. Donghae took the microphone Siwon was offering him as the children went to their places. Blake at the drums, Johnny taking his guitar, Benjamin sat down behind the piano and Billy took the old harmonica he loved so much from one of his pockets.

Minhee, Jaemin, Jinwook, Tanner, Jaeden and Lauren stood beside Donghae and Sungmin, getting ready for their performance. This year they weren't only singing but the youngest also worked on a dance with the two adults. When everyone had settled down, Hae started a little speech, that was more or less a greeting, as always.

“Well hello everyone. As you can see we are back and this time we have prepared some new songs again and, hopefully, some surprises. We....”

Suddenly the door opened and two arguing, young men entered the church, only to be welcomed by a shocked silence.

“I told you we were going to be late! Now look what you have the done!” the blonde scolded his friend.

“And I told you that I had an actual purpose to not come here! Why can't you let me play my video games instead?! I don't want to see that f... oh great there he is. Thanks Hyuk!” Kyuhyun replied with bitterness in his voice, the other haven't heard in a long time, before he glared at Sungmin he had just seen and then back at Hyukjae. After that he went to sit next to his parents, who started scolding him as well.

The blonde still remained at the end of the hall, bowing to apologize himself, not having paid attention to the stage yet. But when he did, Donghae saw how surprised the other was to see the brunet and the children standing there. And he wasn't the only one in that state of mind. Hae was indeed taken aback by the others sudden appearance, but because everyone was waiting he snapped back into his professional mode.

“Yes as I wanted to say... this year we have two new members of our choir on stage. Please give a warm welcome to Jaemin and Jinwook.” The people cheered loudly, when they saw how nervous the twins were, to give them some courage and soon enough Lucky played the first beats, signaling the beginning of the concert.

First of all they sang some traditional songs such as “Oh Christmas tree” and Ryeowook and Yesung had agreed to sing “Have yourself a merry little Christmas” as a duet, and with their perfectly matching voices they totally hit it off.

After that it was the kids time to sing the songs they had practiced all year long. Tanner and Lauren sang “Wonderful Dream” by Melanie Thornton and put so many emotions into the song, that Heechul soon was crying, because he was so proud of his little girl. Sungmin was smiling too when he saw how well the girls were performing. Only the poor Hangeng wasn't as happy, because Heechul was holding onto his arm for dear life and the man seemed to be in real pain by now with the nails of the other pressing through his shirt. As the crowd applauded, the diva was the most enthusiastic one and hit the poor Hangeng again, when the man didn't seem to share the same amount of excitement. It sure wasn't easy to be the best friend of the Kim Heechul, which caused Donghae and Sungmin to silently laugh and even Leeteuk seemed to be amused by the behavior of his brother.

The next to appear on stage were the twins with Donghae by their side. They had agreed to sing a song together first, before they had their own special moment. The song the boys had wanted to sing was one of those every child loved, after they had seen the movie. So he took the boys by the hand and led them to stand in front of the others, giving each of them a microphone. Then he made a motion with his hand for the band to get ready and started singing in a friendly and inviting way after the first notes filled the hall with music.

“You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, you know Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen, but do you recall … the most famous reindeer of all?” After Donghae had finished his part he winked at Jaemin, who got ready and started singing with his angelic voice.

“Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer had a very shiny nose and if you ever saw it you would even say it glows.” The boy proudly smiled at Hae, before he turned to his brother, who didn't seem to feel confident enough facing all of the people in front of him and forgot to sing.

Luckily, the band reacted fast and played and instrumental part, but before Donghae could do anything to help Jinwook, Jaeden grabbed the micro from Sungmin's hand and ran towards his friend, took his hand and began to sing the boys part once the band set in again.

“All of the other reindeer used to laugh and call him names” - that broke the ice and Wook joined the elder, confident with him by his side, “they never let poor Rudolph join in any reindeer games.”

Jaemin smiled at his brother and stood beside him too, putting a hand on the others shoulder as he continued to sing.

“Then one foggy Christmas eve, Santa came to say...” this was Donghae's sign to join as the Santa, kneeling down behind the boys and smiling at them from the side.

“Rudolph with your nose so bright, won't you guide my sleight tonight?” he winked at Jinwook and gave him a gentle tap on his nose, showing he was proud of him.

“Then all the reindeer loved him” Jaemin was the first to start the refrain, followed by Jaeden, “as they shouted out with glee”, “Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer” Wookie finished off before all of them sang:

“You'll go down in history.”

When it was time for the big finish, Donghae joined in again and all four poured their hearts into it as the last lines came out of their mouths.

“Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, you'll go down in history!”

As soon as the instrumental part ended, people cheered while the brunet pulled the boys into a tight hug.

“You did great! I am so proud of you guys! So damn proud. I love you.”

“We love you too” all of them replied and moved aside to let Minhee come through. It was the siblings time to perform alone. And they did it beautifully. Their clear, high voices matched the song “When Christmas comes to town” just right.

Then the stage got opened for Johnny and Lucky and their big moment. They had chosen a song that usually didn't fit their taste of music, but it was something new and special. Lucky got up from his place behind the drums and walked up to the microphone. He was already a professional in dealing with the nervousness in front of a crowd, so he just smiled friendly and cleared his throat before he said something.

“Good evening everyone. My brother Johnny and I have prepared a new song as every year. But this time we decided to make something different than usual, so please look forward to it. And also a big thanks to Benjamin who agreed to play the piano for us.” The boy bowed slightly and walked back to the drums, arranging the microphone Donghae had prepared for him by now.

“Siwon Hyung, this song is dedicated to you. Thank you for everything” Johnny added, before he gave Blake a sign that he was ready.

And it sure was a surprise as they started playing a Rock'n'Roll Christmas song called “What a Merry Christmas this could be” by the Refreshments. The boys knew Siwon liked Jazz music, but also enjoyed other genres. They surely seemed to have fun, because the brothers smiled and even made some gestures, underlining the lyrics at some points and even Jamie, who was playing the piano for them, gave it his all. Donghae and Sungmin were pretty impressed, because all three of them had made a secret of their song and now they hit it off like this. It was simply amazing and Siwon seemed to be really touched that they only sang it for him. The rhythm was catching and soon enough the people clapped to it and obviously enjoyed the concert.

After that it was time for the dance performance. All of the children knew the steps by heart and Donghae and Sungmin finished it with an awesome solo. They were totally drowned in their world, messed up in the passion of the dance and moving bodies. Only once did the brunet look into the crowd and met the undefined gaze of Hyukjae, who seemed to watch his every move with dazed eyes.

But Donghae had too much fun performing together with his best friend to even waste a thought about the other. It was their first time showing their secret passion to the audience and he didn't want to screw it up. Right now he was in his world and there was no space for disturbing thoughts at all, because there was still one thing to come. The final song all of them sang together, meaning him, Sungmin, Ryeowook, Yesung, Heechul, Leeteuk, Siwon, the children and even Hangeng.

They all stood there on stage, holding hands and then Yesung started to sing the first lines of their final song.

“We waited all through the year
for the day to appear
when we could be together in harmony”

Ryeowook was the second one to continue.

“You know the time will come
peace on earth for everyone
and we can live forever in a world where we are free
let it shine for you and me “

And then they all joined in to the refrain.

“There's something about Christmas time
something about Christmas time
that makes you wish it was Christmas everyday
To see the joy in the children's eyes
the way that the old folks smile
says that Christmas will never go away. “

The next verse belonged to Sungmin, because for him it was one of the most important messages in life. To be seen as an equal no matter who or what you are.

“We're all as one tonight
makes no difference if you're black or white
'cause we can sing together in harmony.”

And as much as this part has been the blonde's, the next belonged to Siwon and the young man put all of his emotions into it, because he believed in the best of the people and wanted them to live in peace.

“I know it's not too late
the world would be a better place
if we can keep the spirit more than one day in the year
send a message loud and clear.”

The refrain was sung by the children this time and their voices matched perfectly together as always. Yesung was the one to continue after.

“ It's the time of year when everyone's together,”

“we'll celebrate here on Christmas day”,

Sungmin sang next and made a gesture that was including everyone in the church before Donghae set in.

“when the ones you love are there
you can feel the magic in the air, “

While the brunet was singing, he smiled at his friends and the children, before they all looked to Ryeowook, who finished off the high notes of this part. And he did it with such a power in his voice most people wouldn't have expected when they saw the petite man for the first time. But he did have this power, which he proofed when he held the microphone a little tighter and sang:

“you know it's everywhere!”

“There's something about Christmastime” the elders continued and the children were like an echo, when they repeated the same line before everyone sang the refrain twice.

After that it was silent for a few moments, where all them , still holding hands, smiled in delight.

They had made it.

Their performance had been a success once again. They knew it was, when the first to get up from their seats were the Smith sisters and their brother Charles, cheering for them and soon enough every person in the church did the same.

Taking a few steps forward they bowed to the standing audience and Donghae lifted Jinwook and Jaemin up, while Sungmin did the same with Jaeden, giving the youngest stars of the evening the possibility to enjoy the reward for their hard work, which was a hall full of happy people who adored and applauded for them. The boys clapped their hands in joy and gave Hae a kiss on his cheeks, what caused the people to cheer even more. They all knew the brunet and how he filled the children's lives with happiness and they loved him for that. When everyone had finally calmed down a little, the brunet walked to one of the micros once again.

“Thank you all for being here today and giving us so much support. I can say we really had fun to perform here once again and hopefully we will get the opportunity to do the same next year. But the thanks doesn't only belong to you, or great audience. Most of all I want to thank my friends for their help whenever I need it and all the time they gave to me and the children” Donghae turned around to face his cousins, Sungmin, Ryeowook, Yesung and Hangeng.

“Thank you guys for always being yourselves and always being there no matter what. You are the best friends I could ever wish for and I hope, that someday, I will be able to return the favors you do me all the time, without asking anything in return.”

Said men smiled at Donghae and Heechul was on the verge of crying once again. He played the strong and reliable adult all the time, but when it came to his dongsaeng he always melted like chocolate under the sun right away. And Ryeowook seemed to be really touched by his friends words too for he held Yesung's hand even tighter.

“The next ones I need to thank are two amazing women, who always stood beside me from the moment I got to know them and gave me comfort and advice in times I felt lost and lonely. I mean that happens, but you always helped me back on my feet. So thank you Lissy for being the mother I am missing sometimes, and thank you Charly for being the best buddy someone could ever wish for. Even though I have to admit that your ways of kicking my can hurt at times.” The last sentence caused everyone to laugh a little.

“But still” he continued,” I wouldn't want to miss it one day in my life, because you gave me a second family and the chance to meet so many, wonderful people. So thank you once again.”

Donghae walked to the twin sisters and pulled them into a hug, giving each of them a kiss on their cheeks. Then he turned around and knelt down to be on the same level of sight as most of the children.

And this time he took his time to address every single one of them. He knew he was mixing direct addressing and indirect one, but in this way he made sure everyone understood which words were meant for everyone and which only belonged to the person he was talking about, because he knew the kids were all yearning for some unshared attention from an adult. From him.

Especially in situations like this, when they got reassurance in front of so many people, which made the words of their dear friend even more meaningful, because they knew the words they were about to hear came right from the brunets heart.

“But most of all I want to thank you guys” he began to address the children with a smile on his face.

“You know there is so much I would love to tell you all, but I know I wouldn't be able to put everything into words anyway. I still decided to give it a try this year, because it has been special to all of us.”

Donghae saw how many of the kids were a little confused, because even though their friend mostly ended the concert with a small speech, they never experienced this amount of emotions and different usage of words from the brunet. In fact he had always thanked them and told a short story of how chaotic and at the same time funny the rehearsals had been. So this was a first to everyone and even the audience seemed to be surprised, because people started whispering in anticipation.

“You know when I firs came here I had just turned seventeen and didn't know much about the life in America. I felt a little lost, but I got along and then one day I passed by an old, still lovingly taken care of, house and saw two little boys playing outside. They looked similar to each other an pretty close. Then they had an argument and the elder boy kicked the ball so hard that it came flying over the fence and hit me right on the head. Both boys looked at me in shock, but I just smiled at them, took the ball from the street and walked through the gate without thinking much of what I was doing to be honest. But before I was able to say anything, two women came out of the house and started scolding them for being careless. It was the first time I met Lissy and Charly. But I didn't care much about the fact that I had been hit by a ball, what caught my attention was an eight-years-old boy, standing next to his brother, looking quite lost. And I felt close to them, because I knew the feeling. And the reason why I understood them so well was when I saw the sign next to the door saying: Orphanage Sunshine. That's how everything started and how I got to know our most famous Lucky and his little brother Johnny here.

And well what can I say? As time went by and I spent more time with them I discovered some pretty amazing things.

Lucky was, and still is, a gifted drummer, singer and dancer with a lion's heart. He can be pretty stubborn at times, because being the eldest of ten isn't as easy as it seems, but deep down inside his heart he is a really gentle and trustworthy young man, who has proven himself to be a real gentleman. Which is also connected with a big thanks to Siwon. And tonight he has proven once more what he got and I have to say I am really proud of you Blake.

Then we have our young heart breaker Johnny over here. Who is a great person just like his brother. At first he was a little insecure, but with the years I got to admire his passion. The way he plays his guitar makes me a little envious at times and even Sungmin, who is a gifted musician as well, can't keep up with him anymore. But putting the magic he creates with a single instrument aside, he is the kind of person you can always rely on no matter what and that's what I treasure most about you young man and I am proud to be allowed to call you my friend.”

The brothers looked at him thankfully, which allowed the brunet to walk over to Benjamin, who was sitting behind the piano again and put an arm around the boy.

“Then we have Benjamin here. He is always pretty shy and quiet, but the first time I saw him playing the piano I just though: Wow. This boy is simply amazing! - and nothing has changed since that moment. In contrary, I even adore him more and more with each passing day, because he has a strong soul, not many young people his age have. And I know that even though he might looks a little different from the outside, concerning his style and all, it is exactly what makes him special and extraordinary and I hope you will always keep that great part of you Jamie.” As an response the brunet received a tight hug from the younger.

“Then there is our beautiful Tanner. The first time I saw her. She was busy studying a new fashion magazine and her eyes were shining as she made some drawings at the same time. She really is gifted when it comes to fashion and when I see how she deals with my cousin Heechul, I am always amazed about her friendly but dedicated personality. And Tanner thanks for giving that stubborn guy of a cousin of mine the attention he is missing out from some people, so he won't come and complain about it all the time.”

The audience started laughing and said diva didn't seem to be too amused about his dongsaeng's words.

“Sorry Hyung. You know it is the truth, but you also know that I love you.” That caused a smile on the others face and Donghae continued his speech.

“But that's only a bonus, because her true values are a loving and strong heart. She is a good student and always ready to help and never complains when times get hard. And that's something I wouldn't want to miss about you Brittany so make sure you treasure it as much as I do, neh?”

The brunet winked at her before he turned to Billy.

“On the other hand we have our outstanding Billy. And not only his looks are like this but also his whole being. When he came to us he had lived a life no child should ever have to experience, but instead of shutting down he decided to cherish life and his new home became the music. He is a passionate harmonica player and a well-raised boy. I really enjoy his music and I am sure that someday he will grow up to be a man, who can fill the hearts of thousands of people, with love and joy as soon as he starts playing his music. And until then I really hope I will be able to stand by your side and to support you on each step on your way.”

Billy nodded and Donghae pulled the boy into a hug,because he knew his young friend was too unsure of what to do, but he really longed for that kind of reassurance.

Next on the brunets list was Lauren.

“The person I am going to talk about now is crazy about horses, loves pink, plays the piano and on top of that learns how to defend herself with martial arts. From the outside she looks like a little angel with her blonde hair and green eyes, but she is already a strong woman at her young age. Said girl is no one else than out lovely Laury. She is really well raised and sometimes I wonder if she isn't more of a boy, because when I see her practice with Sungmin, she's so focused on her actions and movements, even in her whole behavior... she won't back off once she knows it is worth fighting for something, but she can be really gentle as well. Even though she has been through a lot already, she always stays true to herself and others and that, young lady, has gotten rare in people, so please make sure to keep it forever. I am sure your mom would be as proud as I am if she could see you right now.”

A few tears escaped the girls eyes, but she smiled confidently, agreeing to the brunets words. Her mom had always loved her the way she was and she was happy Donghae and Sungmin did the same.

“The next one I want to talk about is a smart but shy boy and he is really talented when it comes to playing video games and singing. Jaeden, or Dino like I call him, grew up at the orphanage since he was a baby. I remember it clearly. The first time we found him, because I was right next to my friend Sungmin who picked him up from the stairs in front of the orphanage. But despite his not so lucky start into life, he grew up to be a fine boy, with a heart as big as America and a loving personality. And Dino, please never change that, also thank you very much for being such a good friend.”

The boy ran towards the brunet and gave him a tight hug, before he ran to Sungmin and did the same to the blonde. Everyone could see how touched the elder was and he lifted Jaeden up into his arms, then turned his attention back to Donghae, who was waiting for them to enjoy their moment of deep friendship. Sungmin really had helped the boy a lot during the last years. But right now it wasn't about them, it was about Donghae and his speech and everyone in the church was either crying by now or curious what the young man had left to say, because there were still three children left, who looked at him with big eyes, not sure what was about to come for them. Once again, Donghae got down on his knee, directly facing the siblings and smiling at them.

“And then last but not least, there are my adorable, little Minhee and my gorgeous twin boys Jaemin and Jinwook. It has been more than a year by now since I have met them. Our story doesn't have the best beginning, because it is written with a lot of pain and loss and it took time to heal old and new wounds. But now, when I see these three young children in front of me and see how much joy they have given me, I have to admit it had been the sweetest sorrow I have ever been through. I know I would stand this pain a thousand times more, if only I could always hold them in my arms and tell them

everyday that they are safe with me and that I will protect them with all I have. They are so lovely and beautiful young people that I really wish I could go back in time and prevent this tragic accident from happening, because they deserve all the happiness in life. But I can't and that's why I want to give you all I can to protect you from any harm, but even that is something I can't promise. That's why I want to give you something else as a promise, I want to tell you, Minhee, JaeJae and Wookie, that I will always be here whenever you might need me to give you a home, a shoulder to cry on, a friend or whatever you want me to be.

So to make it short, what I wanted to tell all of you guys is... I love you all. I really do and I hope and wish that no matter what the future might bring us, we will be able to stay together as friends, family or whatever it might be as long as it is forever. So once again thank you.

And Merry Christmas to you all.”

By now everyone had gathered together in a group hug and celebrated this moment of joy in front of all the people in the church, who were cheering for them and congratulating them to their strong bonds of friendship.

Donghae's speech had moved them and at some point set an example of the true spirit of Christmas, which was all about love and giving, without expecting anything in return. It was the time of forgiving and living in peace and harmony. All the fights and the hate disappeared at that moment, when many realized that the whole world wasn't important, if only you found the love and happiness you needed right beside you. It didn't have to be perfect to others as long as it was just right for yourself and Christmas was the one time of the year, for everyone, to settle down in all the craziness that was surrounding them on earth and to just stop and be thankful for what you had and to pray for those who weren't as lucky these days. After they had all calmed down a little, it was Siwon's time to speak.

“Well as far as it concerns me, I couldn't agree more to Donghae's words and I wish for us all to learn how to be more humble and caring in the future. I think tonight we will all fall asleep with a smile on our faces, in thought of the beautiful time we spent together today. But before I want to wish you a Merry Christmas as well and a safe way home, please all join into our very last song like every year. Miss Elisabeth and Miss Charlotte Smith, would you please come up here?”

The twins smiled and walked next to the young man. The last song had always been Silent Night, with one special addition. The second verse was traditionally sang in German by the two elder women. Even though they had lived in the US for a long, long time, they never forgot about their origin or the favorite song of their real parents. Before they started singing, Siwon turned to Benjamin and sent him a warm smile.

“Jamie, would you do us the honor?”

The boy nodded happily and started playing the oh-so-well-known notes of the last song, that ended the yearly church service at the 21^st of December.

* * *

“...thank you. Have a Merry Christmas everyone” Siwon said after the last words had been spoken.

Slowly, people got up and either went to the exit or started talking to each other. Having a bright grin on his face, Siwon put an arm around Donghae, who had been talking to one of the guests a few seconds ago.

“Well I have to admit, the concert has been a real success again. It is a pity Kibum missed it. You did a great job, Donghae. As always. The compliment goes to all of you” the taller one pointed out with enthusiasm.

“Thanks Siwon. But shouldn't you …. you know …. don't come too near to me and Sungmin, while people are still watching?” the brunet stated and gently tried to remove the others arm from his shoulders, feeling uncomfortable with the thought of maybe causing troubles to Siwon's reputation, if someone didn't like to see them like this. But said man didn't back away nor did he let the brunet put his arm aside.

“Common Donghae, it is Christmas. Let's not think about school or anything else now. Until next year we are just ourselves and not in our typical roles. So relax and enjoy the moment okay?”

“Well if you say so I guess I don't have anything against it” Donghae replied after a few seconds.

“Haha, now that sounds more like the spirit of Christmas. Peace until we have to be what we have to be again?” the taller offered, holding out his pinky.

“Peace until we have to be what we have to be again” Donghae answered with a smile and linked both of their pinkies in a childish, yet honest manner of promise or agreement.

The two boys kept on talking and laughing about random things, having Sungmin joining them at some point. They were so captured in their conversation, that they didn't realize how someone was trying to get his way to them, but there were just too many people at once, trying to get somewhere.

“Well then I guess I will be leaving now. The children need to go to sleep. They had an exhausting day” Donghae announced with an apologetic look on his face and an half asleep Jinwook in his arms.

“I will help you” Sungmin offered at the same time, seeing how exhausted his friend looked and lifted Jaemin up who was nearly in the same state as his brother.

“Thanks Min that would be great.”

“What a pity. But anyway, maybe we will see each other during another church service these days” Siwon replied hopefully and gave both males a hug before they turned around and left.

Little did they know that at the same moment a certain blonde had finally made his way through to them, only to watch them leave with a disappointed expression on his face.

______________________________________________

Hello everyone!!

so here as promised the new chapter... 51 handwritten pages in my diary but it was worth it.
I enjoyed researching the song and writing this update.

I hope you like it too and tell me what you think.

and you can all anticipate the next chapter because as far as my ideas go now there will finally be the long expected meeting of two certain young gentlemen^^

until then stay healthy and spent some happy days^^

Yours Slade