Flashback 23rd – Christmas Shopping

After a few hours in the huge malls and some other small stores, Donghae was still full of energy while he was dragging a tired Eunhyuk with him. The poor blonde was carrying a lot of bags and wasn't really looking happy.

But a promise was a promise after all.

So now they were walking along the Christmas market, obviously to the satisfaction of the brunet. Hae loved all of this.

And then at the end of one of the streets something caught his attention, when he was already turning around to leave it was time for the presents after all to get to their future owners. Overly excited he took Hyuk's hand and dragged him with him.

“Look we have to go there isn't this awesome?!”

He thought he heard the dancer mutter something that sounded like: ”Oh please have mercy” but he wasn't sure so he again ignored it.

Donghae's center of attention now was a big tree with the perfect size for Hyuk's living room. And since he knew that Mrs. Lee hadn't bought one yet, it became even more exciting to get it.

But before he could ask the man who sold them, how much it was, he got held back by his boyfriend.

“Donghae what are you doing? You already have one of these if I am not mistaken, so please let's go home. I really tried my best today but there is also a limit for me too.”

“I wasn't thinking of buying it for me but for you, pabo.” the brunet replied without turning to face the other and so he missed the confused look which was send to him.

“For me?”

“Yeah, you don't have one yet and yes I know it from your mom. And since we will go to your place why don't we get one and decorate it together.”

“Hae I don't really think this is certainly necessary...”

The younger sighed. When Eunhyuk was using this special kind of tone to speak there was only one thing helping at some point. Turning around he flashed the dancer his irresistible puppy eyes he knew would melt the other.

“Can't we still get one?”

“No…”

Not convinced at all with the plain answer the brunet tried harder until Hyuk's resolve was finally slipping.

“Please?”

“...”

“But Hyukkie without a Christmas tree it isn't like Christmas at all.”

“... Aish fine go get that tree if it makes you happy, but after we will get home, arrasso?”

Giving the blonde a tight hug and a peck on his cold cheek, Donghae went to the man and came back after a few minutes, carrying his new attainment proudly.

To the elders satisfaction the other really didn't start any attempt to drag him in any other shop. Already imagining the comfy armchair in his warm house he didn't really listen to what Donghae said and simply answered with “no”, because he was worried it could be something his Christmas addicted boyfriend wanted to buy again. To his surprise the other stopped walking abruptly and then disappeared in the shop next to them, leaving a confused blonde behind. Luckily it didn't take long and still it ended with Eunhyuk carrying more bags and Donghae walking around like a dog searching for something on the ground.

“Why are you walking so fast? Do you know how complicated it is to do so with all these bags?!”

“I am sorry Hyuk I know I promised to not go and buy more but when you said you don't have any decorations for the tree at home there wasn't any choice but to get some. I found Christmas balls, lights and little packages only the tinsel is missing. Oh wait there is some.”

And with that the brunet was gone again. Slowly the hopes of the blonde were fading for him to get home any time soon.

Finally after another hour, the two boys arrived at Eunhyuk's house. They were alone, because the dancers parents had left for grocery shopping short before they arrived like a small note on the table said. With a loud sigh of relieve Hyuk fell back into his beloved armchair, while Donghae was already busy with arranging all the presents and the tree and short after a weird sound a some cursing were heard.

“Hyuk could you help me for a second please”, came the request some seconds later. Turning around the blonde had to suppress his laughter even though the sight in front of him was just too adorable.

The brunet had tried to fix the tree on the mounting and now was actually lying under a mess of green branches and not really able to move without hurting himself.

Getting down on his knees right next to the others head, Hyuk wore a smug smile while he was looking down to his boyfriend.

“Yah stop it! I need help can't you see it?”, the younger asked annoyed.

“Well you know what Donghae? I told you not even to begin with it but you were the one who insisted on it so don't blame me for your stubbornness.”

With that the dancer got up and walked away to get gloves to not get hurt by the needles of the tree, but the brunet seemed to misunderstood his actings.

“Where are you going? Please don't leave me down here... Hyukkie...”,he whined but the elder was already gone only to return some minutes later with the gloves on, lifting the tree up from his boyfriend and put it into the mounting to fix it there.

Then he got up and saw the other sitting on the floor, slightly pouting.

Smiling he went to Hae and took him into his embrace.

“Stupid fishy, of course I wouldn't leave you so stop pouting already we have a Christmas tree to get ready after all now don't we?”

He felt a small nod at his shoulder and how the hug got returned.

“I am sorry.”

“What for?”

“For yelling at you earlier...”

Eunhyuk just laughed and helped both of them up.

“Let's get everything ready and not think about the other things anymore okay?” he offered and Hae gladly accepted.

25th – Christmas Day

Standing in front of the now decorated Christmas tree- 2 days later- again, Donghae had to smile.

In the end it had been really funny and now he was at Eunhyuk's house to celebrate Christmas with his family too.

It was 10 am and they were waiting for the other guests to arrive and have lunch together.

The day yesterday had been amazing already, but he was also excited to spend time with his family too or better said the blonde’s family since his parents and cousin weren't at home.

But it didn't matter, because he felt with Hyuk's relatives at home too and received an even treatment to his feelings.

Mrs. Lee was always happy to see him and even Mr. Lee had no problem with him at all.

It was lovely how the couple saw him as a son too and that they had invited him to their house today.

How different things could be sometimes.

He only have had Minha when he was younger and when she was gone a hole remained in his chest, no one seemed to be able to close.

The feeling of missing someone dear to you, but at the same time not being able or allowed to show it in the sake of moving on was something the brunet had to deal with for a long time.

He hadn't been cold-hearted or ignorant; he just knew that nobody would understand so he kept everything for himself, building a wall around his emotions.

Now that he had Eunhyuk he changed, because now he had someone to share the feeling of loss and knew the dancer would understand him. They had suffered the same fate after all.

The one lost his sister, the other lost his love.

And two years and a lot of struggles later they had each other. They maybe weren't perfect but just what they needed to be happy.

It was out of question that there was always a small part with the awareness of not being complete; it never would be after someone was gone, but it was easier to learn how to treasure the good memories and let the person life in them again. The pain became bearable, bittersweet with the promise to find happiness in the acceptance of your feelings.

And that's what Donghae did; he moved on but never forgot to remember his sister in certain moments of joy. There was no use in being mad of the past, if you wanted to see the future.

We don't excuse ourselves with saying sorry and the one has a big heart who is forgiving the other.

Lost in thoughts, Hae stood there, staring at the tree in front of him.

“Do you want to hypnotize so it can tell you why it fell down on you the other day?” sounded the mocking question out of the kitchen.

Shaking his head, the brunet turned around to see Hyukjae standing in the door with some drinks in his hand.

Before the brunet was able to reply something the doorbell rang and Mrs. Lee came running down the stairs in excitement, while her husband just wore a bored expression, following her to the door.

The two boys remained in the background to leave some space for the new guests and to have some peaceful seconds left, because now...

The Kim's had arrived.

First the two older women hugged each other and their husbands just shock hands with the same expression, revealing the exact same thoughts.

Women...

Next were Rinha and Jaejoong. Donghae welcomed her in a tight hug, happy to see his friend again just as Eunhyuk did too.

And the last one to come in was of course the glorious Kim Heechul, who was dragging Hangeng along with him. Luckily did the Chinese man have a really kind personality to keep up with all the things the other did.

Within a few seconds the brunet was suffocated in the divas arms around him.

“Donghae. How are you doing? Did you miss your favorite Hyung?”

“I doubt he will be able to answer you when you nearly squish him to death”, the dancer deadpanned with a jealous expression.

“Yah monkey is that the way you talk to your elders?! Show some more respect now, will you?”

“Sorry HYUNG I just try to save my boyfriend before you kill him. I didn't know it is forbidden to do so. And anyways shouldn't you take care of Hangeng hyung instead?”

“You know you can admit that you are just jealous Eunhyukkie” Heechul said self- confident.

Rinha just shook her head when she watched the two boys bickering around and Hangeng just sat in one of the armchairs reading some magazine. He already knew how the elder was so he didn't really worry. As long as both of them knew who belonged to whom he would let the diva boy play around as much as he wanted.

Luckily the door rang again and Donghae managed to break free from the others arms to open the door, revealing a smiling Leeteuk who was carrying a lot of bags and a huge package.

“Hello everyone, sorry for being late but I had a problem with one of the presents so it took me some time to get here.”

“Don't worry Hyung, come in and have a seat.”

The brunet moved aside and let the other in. Now they all were complete.

After welcoming the last guest, the mother's disappeared in the kitchen again, followed by their husbands, who continued to read the newspapers at the kitchen table, along with Jaejoong.

The poor guy seemed to be a bit lost, but as long as Rinha wasn't concerned everything seemed to be fine. Maybe he was just the quiet kind of guy today or he wanted to give the friends a bit of space to talk.

Left behind in the living room the “kids” made themselves comfortable on the huge sofas. They could hear how the woman argued around of how to make the different dishes perfect and how to serve them, the men just mumbled some comments from time to time but didn't bother with their wives behavior. They had learned with the years that it was useless to say anything to them when it came to cooking and their longtime friendship. In fact, once they agreed in something Mrs. Kim and Mrs. Lee were like the perfect team, nobody could stop or beat them.

But soon enough their attention was back to all the packages on t