A Christmas Carol *redux*
**another old EXO fic I made into a BAP one.**
Pairing: ZiBang, HimUp
Rated: PG
Length: 5.3K
Christmas was two days away and already Bang Yongguk was ready for the damned holiday to be over. He didn’t like the singing, hated the decorations and despised all the jolly being thrown at him from everywhere.
He grumbled under his breath as he had to kick away another fallen streamer from the Christmas parade the night before. The road to his office was littered with fallen cups of eggnog, smashed bits of peppermints and so many Santa hats he could have sewed them all together and clothed the entire city for a year.
Even his office wasn’t spared. His nice brick-covered office with the thick wooden door and the permanently closed curtains that kept the outside where it was supposed to be. Even it was now decorated with a bright green wreath with holly berries and pinecones stuck into it.
Yongguk ripped it from the door with a scowl and threw it onto his secretary’s desk, not in the slightest bit worried about the spilled cup of pens and scattered papers it caused.
“Did you put this up?”
Jongup gulped and squeaked out a tiny yes as he regretted ever listening to his boyfriend. “Himchan thought it would make the place look more cheery.”
From the way his boss’s lips curled in disgust Jongup realized that maybe he should have been a little stronger when he tried to convince Himchan it was a bad idea. But he was so weak and his boyfriend had the biggest puppy dog eyes when he wanted to and there was no way he c-
“-and you know I don’t like holiday decorations. You’ve worked here for how many years now? Three? Have you ever seen me put up anything festive? Ever been invited to an office party where we wear stupid hats and eat cookies shaped like snowmen?” Jongup shook his head and lowered his eyes to his desk, wishing he had called in sick today. Of course the last time he called in sick, Yongguk just showed up at his door and informed him they could work from his bedroom until he recovered. He didn’t realize Yongguk was still lecturing until he heard the words ‘Christmas’ and ‘working overtime’. “This whole Christmas obsession the city has is ridiculous and I don’t want my business to be associated with it.”
“But I promised Himchan we’d be spending Christmas together!” Jongup’s throat clenched up at the thought of disappointing Himchan once again. He couldn’t even begin to count the amount of times he had to work late and came home to a table still set for supper and a frail body slumped over it fast asleep. There might not even be another Christmas in the cards for them anymore and Jongup had been wanting to make the most of the holiday for him. At Yongguk’s withering stare and raised eyebrow he managed a shaky nod. “Of course, sir. Whatever you want.”
Yongguk nodded, glad that his employee was finally starting to see things his way. He would hate to have to fire his secretary only two days before Christmas. Not because he cared, but finding a new worker in the middle of a holiday season would be hell.
“We’re going to be working late tonight. Send me all the files you did yesterday and start on the next pile.”
Jongup eyed the phone on his desk sadly and wondered how he was going to be able to tell Himchan once again that he wouldn’t be home for supper.
---
The clock struck nine with Yongguk still hard at work at his desk, crunching numbers and squinting at the blurry papers in front of him. Jongup had impeccable writing (it was one of the main reasons he had hired him), but his eyes were so dry and his head was starting to ache from working all day with only one break.
“Sir?” Jongup knocked hesitantly at his door. “I was wondering if I could head home now. Himchan is supposed to have his medicine at eight and if I’m not there he sometimes forgets to take it and-“
Yongguk waved him off and rubbed his weary eyes. “Go. Be back in the morning. I have the Wang account all set up and it needs paperwork drawn.”
Jongup smiled and thanked him before rushing out the door and towards his home. He hoped that Himchan was still awake because he had been asleep when he got home last night and Jongup didn’t have the heart to wake him. His eyes had been circled with black and his skin was damp as he sweated out a fever.
His heart sank at the quiet house and he entered silently, spotting the thin boy curled up on the couch and covered with a blanket. Himchan only slept on the couch when he was alone. He always said that the bed smelled like Jongup and that it just made him sad to sleep in it by himself.
“I’m sorry sweetheart.” He murmured into the sweat-slicked black hair. Even though he was starving and needed a shower he wanted to feel Himchan’s skin against his even more. His boyfriend was taller than him so carrying him should have been difficult, but his bones were pronounced and his cheeks were so gaunt that Jongup easily held him in his arms and into the cold bedroom.
“Jongup?” The raspy whisper filled his chest with happiness and he thanked God for allowing him to hear his name another time from those chapped lips. Every time Himchan smiled at him or touched him was another memory Jongup was able to add to his mind. “You’re late.”
He smiled against his forehead. “I know. Yongguk wanted to get a full day in. I’ll try to be home a little earlier tomorrow so we can have a Christmas meal together.”
Himchan pulled away from him with a growl. “Tomorrow’s Christmas Eve. Why would we have a Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve?”
He winced at the icy tone in his voice. Himchan was normally the sweetest person in the world, but if you angered him then a complete other side came out.
“Yongguk told me I have to work overtime on Christmas.” He began, already bracing for the explosion.
The hits were weak but Jongup could tell Himchan was exerting himself to his fullest for them. “You’re such an asshole, you promised!” He pulled away from Jongup’s warm body and slunk to the edge of the bed, eyes wet with tears. “Why don’t you just stand up to him? I miss you and this may be our last Christmas together!”
The words spoken out loud for the first time sent a jolt through Jongup’s body. “Don’t talk like that.”
“Why not?” Himchan grabbed at the nightstand and tried to stand on shaky feet. “You wouldn’t even notice if I died anyways, would you? Would my body stay here frozen for hours before you got home?”
Jongup tried to reach out for him but was smacked away before Himchan fell to the floor with a loud crash. “Dammit Himchan!” He slipped his arms under his boyfriend’s body and pulled him to his feet. “Please don’t talk like this.” Lips smoothed through his hair and hands traced the bumps along his spine. “I’m working so much for you, for us. The more money I make the better doctors I can take you to.”
“I don’t want doctors.” Himchan’s breath warmed his neck and he sighed into the feeble hold. “I just want to be home with you. Can’t I die happy? I don’t want to go alone.”
He didn’t know how to answer and even if he did Jongup knew the second he opened his mouth he would start sobbing and never stop. They’d only had two years together and the last eight months of them had been with Himchan under house arrest from his doctor. Jongup was too scared to kiss him if he’d heard even one person cough or sneeze that day. Himchan’s immune system was so compromised that he would catch a cold and it would last for weeks.
“I love you.” Jongup whispered, finally managing to pull the other boy back into the bed with him. “I just love you. I’m sorry.”
---
Yongguk worked through Christmas Eve in a fog. The busier he made himself the quicker the day went by. He had to drink six cups of coffee and burned through an entire package of chocolate covered pretzels. By the time he signed his name on the last document he was barely awake and his eyes were half opened as he stared through the open door at his secretary. Jongup had been patiently waiting for him to finish even though he had been done with his responsibilities hours before.
A sudden stab of guilt pierced Yongguk through the chest and he frowned in response. It wouldn’t look right for his company if he had them open on Christmas, he decided. They might think he didn’t have good values and would remember that when they needed his services.
“Jongup!” His secretary jerked to attention and tripped through the door. “Go home. I’ll see you on Thursday.”
“Sir?” Jongup frowned at the planner in his hands. “But tomorrow’s Wednesday?”
He waved him off and reached over to pour himself another glass of coffee. “Did you mishear me?”
Jongup stiffened and shook his head rapidly. “N-No sir! Thank you sir. I’ll see you on Thursday!” He grabbed his jacket and the small lunchbox that Himchan had packed him for the day and ran out the front door worried if he stayed a moment longer his boss would rethink letting him have tomorrow off.
Yongguk downed the cup of sludge-filled coffee and leaned his head back in the seat. It was barely ten and he wanted to start working on the accounting books before he left. The perks of having a two-person business was more money while the downside was you had to do everything yourself. That worked for Yongguk though because he preferred having more work. Idle hands drove him crazy.
Just a little nap, he told himself as he drifted easily off into a sleep so deep that he started dreaming. Of the past, of him, of everything that made him hate holidays.
“Yongguk.” Cool fingers smoothed through his hair. “It’s time to wake up now.” He knew that voice, his brain knew that gentle tone and he tried to resurface through the muck and history in his head.
A soft whine of unhappiness left his lips as his eyes blinked heavily. The figure in front of him slowly came into focus, first appearing as a blurred blob and gradually turning into the smiling, tiny figure that he had tried so hard to forget.
With a crash he fell from his chair, bottom landing painfully hard on the ground below him. “J-Jae?” He scrambled backwards, eyes filled with confusion. “What are you doing here?”
The floppy black hair shook back and forth and the lips he used to leave swollen and red quirked up in a smile. “My name is actually Joko, but if calling me Jae is easier for you then by all means, go ahead.”
Yongguk was still unsure what was happening. He pinched his side and let out a squeak at the sharp pain it gave him. “You’re supposed to be in China. With… With your new boyfriend?”
“You’re still confused. That’s understandable. Usually our subjects have been sleeping longer and are easier to adapt but you’re full of caffeine and sugar, aren’t you.” Joko tsked and shook his head again. “You know that stuff will kill you one day, Yongguk.” He held out a hand and grinned, the full cheeks Yongguk still sometimes missed were pulled up full under his eyes. “Come on. I’ll explain as we go.”
He took his hand, still not sure what was happening or why he was dreaming of the ex-boyfriend he hadn’t seen in five years, but he took his hand anyways. The air around them seemed to expand and then contract, causing Yongguk’s breath to stop in his throat until it stopped and he opened his eyes in the middle of his, their, old apartment.
Youngjae, the real Youngjae stood in the center of the living room with hands on his hips and a bright smile on his lips. “I think the tree is a little too tall for the room, Yongguk.” He pushed at the overgrown spruce and tried to get it to stay in the corner. “Why did you get such a big tree anyways?”
With a shock, Yongguk saw himself enter the room. So much younger, eyes so much happier. It was a Yongguk that he didn’t even recognize anymore. “Because every year you go overboard with the ornaments and the tree gets so heavy all the branches droop. This way we’re prepared.”
“He really loved Christmas.” The dream Youngjae, Joko, Yongguk told himself, stood beside him and stared stoically at the scene. “And when he left you to go work in China you never recovered.”
Yongguk turned to him with wide eyes. “What’s happening?”
“This is your past.” Joko patted his arm sympathetically. “And I’m your Ghost of Christmas Past. I was going to use my real form, but I thought a familiar face would be helpful for your first visit. Ease you into it.” He rolled his eyes. “God knows you’ll need the help when the Present visits.” He snapped his fingers and they were suddenly in Yongguk’s office, the tiny tree by the front door the only sign it was the holiday season. His secretary shrunk into his desk as if trying to disappear from the argument.
“I told you I had to work late, I’m sorry.”
Youngjae looked so tired, so much more tired than Yongguk remembered him looking this day. His eyes were sunken and his clothes hung off his frame. “But it’s Christmas Eve!” He begged, voice already thick with the tears he’d shed during the lonely day. “We always open a present together on Christmas Eve and we order take-out and stay up late and watch mo-“
The other Yongguk slammed his hands down hard onto the desk. Jongup jumped up in shock and scurried out the door, muttering something about a family emergency.
“We’ve picked up a lot of new business this year and I have to oversee everything!”
“I know this!” Youngjae yelled. He scrubbed his face clear and yanked at his black hair. “I know you’ve gotten busier! I know this because for the past year I’ve barely seen you! You leave before I get up in the morning and you’re still not home by the time I go to sleep and I hate it, Yongguk.” He slumped in defeat and the real Yongguk knew this was the moment he would look back on in regret every single day. “I’m done, Yongguk. This isn’t working anymore.”
Yongguk mentally willed himself to say something different than he did last time. Change his future and tell Youngjae exactly what he needed to hear instead of the callous words he threw at him instead.
“Then go.”
“He was gone when you got home that night.” The Youngjae that wasn’t quite Youngjae, but still close enough that standing so near to him made Yongguk ache, sighed and shook his head. “All he wanted was to be with you and you couldn’t give that to him. Why is that, Yongguk? What are you so scared of?”
He didn’t answer, still watching his past self as he waited for Youngjae to come back, to say he was sorry and that he overreacted and that he wasn’t really going to leave him. But he knew now that wasn’t going to happen.
“What are you so scared of, Yongguk?” Joko asked again, this time more gently. “Why couldn’t you just give Youngjae what he wanted?”
“He wasn’t happy here.” Yongguk finally answered quietly. “He only moved away from his hometown for me. That was why he threw himself into the holidays. I was his only family here and he wanted something important to celebrate with me. But I could see in his eyes how much he missed home and I started to hate celebrations so I stayed away.” He remembered the call he had gotten from his ex-boyfriend two years ago informing him he still cared for him but had moved on. With him. Junhong.
Joko nodded. “You loved Youngjae.”
“I did.”
“Just not enough to make him stay?”
When Yongguk didn’t answer again, Joko slipped his hand into Yongguk’s larger one and squeezed. “Time to go back to sleep. You have two more visitors coming and you need to rest up.”
He still didn’t understand what was happening, but dreams were always confusing so he decided to just go with it. And at the very least, he got to see Youngjae again. Even if it wasn’t real, it was real enough for him.
---
He jumped out of bed with a gasp. The clock beside him said two in the morning and he didn’t even remember leaving work and coming home. All he could pull to the front of his brain was some odd memory of two Youngjae’s and a feeling of flying.
“Oh good. You’re awake.” A nervous voice from the side of the bed had him jumping in shock and falling onto the floor with a yelp of pain. “No, no, no! You’re not supposed to get hurt!” The light switched on and Yongguk saw a tiny boy with worried eyes just before the stranger was suddenly in his face and hands were patting his entire body trying to find a wound. “I swear, you break one human’s leg and suddenly you’re a danger to the workplace.” The soft voice grumbled under his breath. He let out a deep sigh when he realized Yongguk was fine and sat back on the bed. “I’m your Ghost of Christmas Present. Let’s get this going because I’m already behind and the boss said if I mess up one more time then I’m benched for the next two Christmas’s”
Yongguk was frozen on the floor as he stared up at the wild-eyed stranger. “Who are you?” He finally squeaked out.
“Daehyun. Sorry I didn’t make myself look like someone you know. Joko has a soft spot for the customers so he always goes the extra mile.” The boy’s face suddenly contorted into horror. “You won’t give me a bad review for this, will you?” His body suddenly flickered between people Yongguk knew and members of his family as Daehyun tried to find one to stick. “Please don’t tell my supervisor that you were unhappy with my performance!”
“Can you… Can you just stop?” Yongguk growled at him as he pulled himself to his feet, wincing at the pain in his back. “Just be yourself, I don’t want someone else looking like anyone I know.”
Daehyun snapped back into his real body and stood at attention. “Thank you. Good. Yes.” He thumbed through the files in his arms and grabbed at the one with Yongguk on the front. “Bang Yongguk. Alone for five years. Owns his own accounting firm. Has one employee.” Daehyun stopped reading and his eyes met Yongguk’s over the top of the file. “Dude. Ever heard of not overdoing it?” He went back to the file and skimmed the rest in silence. “Okay, I know where we need to go.” The files disappeared with a snap of his fingers and he was pulling Yongguk behind him as the air started to get thicker and the oxygen was disappearing and Yongguk groaned when he realized what they were about to do.
“Not this ag-“ He wheezed out the last word as he found himself inside a familiar apartment. “Why are we in Jongup’s home?”
“This is your present Christmas. And since you refuse to celebrate I’m forced to show you the person closest to you.”
Jongup’s bedroom door slammed open against the wall and he rushed into the kitchen, hurriedly grabbing a glass from the cabinet and filling it with water from the sink. Yongguk could hear a chest-clenching cough coming from the bedroom and gagging sounds as the cough got worse with every breath.
“I’m coming!” Jongup hollered, flicking the water off with his elbow and running back into the bedroom.
Daehyun led them to the doorway where Yongguk saw his secretary carefully lifting his boyfriend’s head and helping him drink down little sips of the water.
“What’s wrong with Himchan?” He knew Jongup had mentioned before that Himchan was sick, but he didn’t know exactly with what.
“He's dying.” Daehyun spoke matter of factly to him. “That’s the only reason Jongup puts up with you. The more he works the more money he makes.” Himchan whimpered in his arms and buried his face into Jongup’s neck. “Himchan needs a lot of medical treatments.”
Yongguk’s throat clicked as he watched the intimate scene he had no clue was happening behind closed doors. If he had known Himchan was so sick…
“Jongup works almost as many hours as I do.” He murmured, eyes glued to the tender way Jongup held the frail boy. “Why hasn’t he told me he needed time off to take care of him?”
Daehyun’s dark eyes bore into his with no sympathy. “Would you have given it to him?”
They both knew Yongguk wouldn’t have believed the situation was as serious as it really was. He would have blown the other off and might even have threatened him with loss of job.
“Your hatred of Christmas doesn’t just affect you.” Daehyun snapped his fingers again and they found themselves in a snow-covered graveyard. “If you keep over-working Jongup to where he can’t give Himchan the care he needs then this will be the present in no time at all.”
Jongup was bent over the plain casket, voice raw as he sobbed out Himchan’s name, the cold air making his breath cloud up with every cry.
Yongguk’s stomach clenched and he felt vomit rise up in the back of his throat. “I want to go home.” His voice was thick as he stumbled backwards, tripping over a gravestone. “This isn’t the kind of dreams I want. Take me home.”
The regretful shake of Daehyun’s head had him whimpering and he covered his head with his arms. “I’m sorry, Yongguk. You have one more visit left.” The arctic air was gone and Yongguk felt himself covered with his comforting blanket again. “Sleep well, Bang Yongguk.”
---
“You’re a lot bigger than I expected.” The snarky voice pulled him out of his sleep and he blinked in confusion for a moment before the last few hours of memories caught up with him. “I feel a little stupid for picking this body then. I should’ve chosen a more impressive one.” The curly-haired boy perched on the pillow beside him looked down and sniffed unhappily.
“Another ghost?” Yongguk coughed to clear his scratchy throat before sitting up in his bed and rubbing his itchy eyes. “Let me guess. I’ve had the past and the present. You must be the future.”
The boy’s innocent eyes were narrowed in annoyance. “You’re kind of dumb.” He informed him bluntly. “But yes. That’s me. I’m here to show you your future, but don’t worry, it won’t be as bleak as Daehyun’s was. That idiot gets off on bringing people down and showing them the sad scenes.” He clapped his hands together and Yongguk was suddenly standing in his own kitchen. “Let’s see the future you could have. If you’d only snap out of this manic-depressive shit and man up a little.”
Yongguk already didn’t like this ghost. “What am I supposed to call you? Devil Child? Demon Seed?”
“Junhong.” The boy grinned, eyes flashing with mirth when Yongguk doubled back over in surprise. “I thought it would be fun to show you what was in Youngjae’s future when you see yours. Just for shits and giggles.”
He really didn’t like this ghost.
“Why are we in my house still, though? Is my future just me alone?”
Before Junhong could answer him he saw himself walk through the front door, unfamiliar smile on his lips and a bag of Christmas presents in his hands.
“Jiho!” He laid the bag under the tree in the corner that Yongguk hadn’t even noticed was there. Now that he was looking around he saw lots of differences in the room compared to what it was now. The couch had new overstuffed pillows on each end and the coffee table had a picture of Yongguk and someone he couldn’t quite make out from how far away he was. “You home?”
A sleepy eyed boy stumbled through the bedroom door, fists rubbing at his half-closed eyes. “You’re home early. I thought you had to work till supper? The ham won’t be done for another four hours.”
“We finished up early. Jongup needed to help Himchan cook the pies. He said last time he left him alone in the kitchen he had to buy a new stove.”
Yongguk’s eyes darted back and forth between his future self and this stranger that he obviously was living with. “H-How far into the future is this? Who is that?”
Junhong hummed softly. “It’s however far you want it to be, Yongguk. Could be next Christmas if you want it to. And that’s Jiho. He’s your future. If you want him to be, of course.”
He’d never seen his smile stretch that wide as he held Jiho’s jaw in his palm and pressed his lips softly against the other boy’s. “I got you a Christmas present.” He whispered against his neck. “I know we said we weren’t going to, but I really wanted to get you something.”
Jiho laughed breathlessly, his deep voice coming out in a low groan as Yongguk pushed him towards the bedroom. “But Jongup and Himchan?”
“Won’t be here for a few hours.” Yongguk assured him, fingers teasing at the skin above his waistband. “They have two pies to bake so we have plenty of time.”
The last thing Yongguk heard was the sound of his happy laughter before he was back in his cold, sparse apartment.
Junhong was silent as he watched the myriad of emotions flicker across Yongguk’s face.
“That’s my future?” He felt like he was going to hyperventilate and had to sit down on his couch to breathe properly. “Jiho?”
“It could be.” Junhong repeated his earlier words. “If you want it to.”
Yongguk had almost forgotten what hope even felt like, but now he could feel it crawling its way through his system, infecting every pore with want.
“I want.” He insisted. “I really, really want.”
Junhong’s face broke into a wide smile. “Good. Another satisfied customer.” He pointed to Yongguk’s bedroom and raised an eyebrow. “Then I’m assuming you know what to do?”
He nodded rapidly and rushed into his room, climbing into the bed and pulling the blanket up to his neck.
This time he fell asleep on his own, dreams of plump lips and long legs and a deep voice murmuring against his skin filling his head and sending him into a frenzy.
---
The alarm clock beeped at six am, same as every day. Yongguk stretched in his bed, body cracking and joints aching. His ass hurt and he had a splitting headache. By the time he half-crawled, half blind-walked to his bathroom, he had awoken enough to wonder just what the hell he had down to warrant his ass feeling like he had been beaten with a stick. The bruise covered the entire left cheek and he told himself no more coffee after eight pm because it just made him punch drunk.
It was only when he was splashing the cold water on his face that the dreams came back to him. He remembered Joko, the annoying brat Daehyun and finally that evil devil Junhong.
Jongup and Himchan.
And Jiho.
His heart beat wildly in his chest at the memory of Jiho. The dark brown eyes that looked at him like he was the most important thing in his world, the body that looked like it fit perfectly snug against his own, the fingers that slipped lazily through his hair as he kissed him dazedly against the door.
He patted his face dry and hurried to change his clothes. Finding Jiho was going to have to wait a little bit longer. Right now he had something much more important to do.
“Yongguk?” Jongup blinked dazed eyes at him. “What are you doing here at-“ He checked his watch. “Eight in the morning?”
He looked past him and saw Himchan’s terrified eyes. He held his boyfriend’s hand tightly as if he was afraid that if he let go then Yongguk would sweep him back to the office and he would spend Christmas alone.
“I’m sorry.” Yongguk blurted, eyes on the ground. “For making you work so much overtime. I wasn’t aware of how sick Himchan was and I took advantage of you. I’m sorry.”
He didn’t see Jongup’s eyes widen in surprise or the way Himchan loosened his protective grip.
“You came here on Christmas morning just to apologize?” Jongup sounded incredulous.
Yongguk shook his head. “I called the hospital and talked to Himchan’s doctor. He wouldn’t discuss with me about the details of his case but he was able to say that you were looking for AB negative blood and that it was hard to find.” He looked Himchan in the eye and grimaced regretfully. “I’m AB negative, Himchan.”
Jongup’s face was tight. “Why are you doing this, Yongguk?”
“I realized that I’m a selfish bastard?” He shrugged. “And I don’t want to be this way. Let me help. Please.”
Himchan licked his cracked lips and looked hopefully down at his boyfriend. “He’s a match, Jongup.”
Still leery of his boss’s sudden change of heart, Jongup didn’t look as convinced yet. “When can we do the transfusion?”
Yongguk pointed to the town car behind him that was still running. “I’m ready when you are.”
---
The smile on Himchan’s face was the most amazing present Yongguk thought he would ever receive. The sick boy had thanked him so many times that Yongguk was worried his voice was going to go hoarse.
Even Jongup had finally cracked his hard shell and was grinning from ear to ear as he watched Himchan be wheeled back to receive Yongguk’s blood.
“You did a really nice thing today, Yongguk.” Jongup looked at him with warmth, instead of fear like he normally did. “We’ll never forget it. I don’t even know how to start thanking you.”
Yongguk could feel his cheeks flush at the caring words, not used to them. “I told you. I don’t want to be this way anymore. It’s time for me to let my past stay there and look to the future.”
Jongup nodded. “That’s a good outlook to have.” He caught sight of something behind Yongguk’s head and jumped up excitedly. “You came!”
“Your text said to get here ASAP. What happened?”
The voice hit Yongguk like a ton of bricks. He rubbed at the goose bumps erupting across his skin and tried to turn around to join the conversations but couldn’t move.
“We have a donor! Himchan’s going back now.” Jongup grabbed Yongguk by the shoulder and pulled him up excitedly. “This is the person who saved his life.”
Yongguk hesitantly raised his eyes and came face to face with his future. The hair was a little shorter and his smile wasn’t as welcoming as Yongguk remembered, but it was still him.
“Jiho this is my boss, Yongguk. Yongguk, this is Himchan’s cousin and best friend, Jiho.”
“Hello.” Jiho’s arms reached forward to grab him by the shoulder into a hug. “Thank you.” He whispered against his ear and Yongguk knew that nothing would ever be the same again. “Merry Christmas, Yongguk. I hope you get everything you wished for this year."
He swallowed heavily and breathed in the unfamiliar but intoxicating scent of the boy holding him. "Me too."