Black Baby Beast

Chaeyoung: Pretty good, thanks for asking

Momo: Cool, cool, cool, so how's it going

Chaeyoung: I'm still pretty good, nothing has changed

Momo: I hadn't heard about that

Chaeyoung: All right you're clearly not listening to me, I can say whatever I want

Momo: Tell me about it

Chaeyoung: I murdered Jeongyeon this weekend

Momo: I feel you

Chaeyoung: Now that I have the taste for blood I can't stop murdering

Momo: Been there

Chaeyoung: Ok, Momo. Momo? [claps her hands in front of her face]

Irene: I KNOW RIGHT?!?! Seulgi got a beautiful butt. Wendy too. Joy’s butt is really looking Damn good these days.

Jeongyeon: She raised a psychotic cold-hearted bitch.

Jihyo: How was…what is that? [Points between Tzuyu and Chaeyoung]

Chaeyoung: That’s Mina…

Jihyo: That’s not Mina. That’s a penguin.

{Meanwhile}

Jihyo: So let’s all confess, Let’s start with..you, Nayeon.

Nayeon: First of all, I’m really pretty. Second, I’m the center

Third—

Jihyo: Next!

Jeongyeon: I [tears up] I don’t make up my own jokes, i got them from the internet.

Chaeyoung: [Gasps] HOW COULD YOU-

Jihyo: NEXT

Momo: I eat a lot, Like..a lot.

Jihyo:…okay? Next?

Sana: I’m gay

Jihyo: We know, sana.

Sana: I’m not straight.

Jihyo: We know, sana.

Mina:

Jihyo: Can you speak up? I can’t hear you?

Mina:

Jihyo: what?

Mina: [murmurs] I’m going to kill you

Dahyun: MY TURN! I-

Jihyo: that’s nice Dahyun, next!

Dahyun: But i Haven’t-

Jihyo: NEXT

Chaeyoung: I’m in love with mina

Jihyo: oh

Tzuyu: just now, Chaeyoung broke my heart.

Jihyo: OH

Title: You’re My Secret Santa

Pairing: Mina x Chaeyoung / michaeng

She stared at the bright blobs of colors on her palette again. Then back to the painting. Then back to the colors. Which would she choose for her next brushstroke? What if it didn’t turn out perfect? And why oh earth did she decide on acrylic painting, not color pencils and ink like her other drawings?

Chaeyoung groaned inwardly in frustration at her inability to make a simple decision, at the same time, her heart fluttered with the excitement of Mina seeing her present. No, she would just have to keep trying and not give up on this. As she dipped her paintbrush in the titanium white once again, her mind wandered back to yesterday when Jihyo brought up the idea of secret Santa. 

“Everyone it’s that time of year againnnn~ You all know what that means!” Jihyo’s melodious voice sang with the holiday spirit. Tzuyu, who was sprawled on the couch, looked up from her phone and quizzically arched an eyebrow.

“Jihyo unnie, why do you sound so excited?” she asked, though her resigned tone made it sound like she knew what was coming. “Are you gonna make everyone do secret Santa again like last year?”

“Secret santa again? Aww, can we try something new? It’s just that I still have no idea what to do with all the selca portraits that Nayeon gifted me with last year,” Jeongyeon looked over at the two, pausing in the midst of hanging a string of brightly colored Christmas lights over the fireplace.

“You can still look at them every night before bed to remind you of my gorgeous existence,” Nayeon called from the kitchen, where she was drinking hot cocoa with Momo. Jeongyeon rolled her eyes at Nayeon’s typical remark before continuing her work.

“Yes,” Jihyo clapped her hands together, her smile beaming warmly. “Let’s do secret santa. But this time, we’ll make it different. To change things up a little.”

“Oh? How so?” Tzuyu still looked a little skeptical. Her last year’s present from Sana was highly impractical, not to mention barely appropriate for the innocent maknae.

“Trust me on this, my dear Tzuyu. We’ll have everyone give each other handmade gifts this year, no store-bought gifts allowed! It’ll be a fun and heartfelt way to express our love for each other as one big TWICE family,” Jihyo winked, already set to work on writing out everyone’s names on slips of paper.

And that was how TWICE ended up sitting in a circle, cuddling up in big comfy blankets, sipping hot drinks. Everyone pulled the name of their secret gift recipient from a hat, with much giggling and teasing one another about who might have gotten who.

Chaeyoung was both surprised and pleased to read “~Myoui Mina~” on her slip of paper. She tried not to be too obvious and did not glance immediately at Mina who was sitting across from her, leaning gently on Momo’s shoulder and sipping her cocoa thoughtfully. Instead, she just cracked a lame joke with Jeongyeon sitting beside her, though inwardly she was blushing like crazy. Her mind set to work wondering what kind of handmade present Mina would appreciate from her. Besides rapping and dancing, drawing was one of Chaeyoung’s many passions and seemed like the perfect idea to create a work of art for Mina’s gift.

The snow was falling delicately on the darkened city outside, and Mina could feel the friendly feeling of the Christmas holidays spreading slowly over her. She could hear the voices of Dahyun, Sana, Nayeon, and Jeongyeon downstairs playing some card game and Jeongyeon’s outraged voice at Nayeon’s obvious cheating. She gazed out the frosted window, feeling so lucky to be spending the holidays with some of her most favorite people in the whole world.  Her mouth curled in a slight smile at the thought of Chaeyoung unwrapping her present.

Of course, Mina tried not to give away her secret too easily. She avoided looking at Chaeyoung right after drawing her name from the hat and pretended to cuddle next to Momo. But she already knew the perfect gift Chaeyoung might like from her. Knitting was always one of those therapeutic, yet hardly used skills Mina always thought she had, so it seemed natural to knit Chaeyoung something. She’d challenge herself by making a pair of gloves, the design of which she had seen in Pinterest boards online, and decided it wouldn’t be too difficult to DIY.

Finally deciding on starting up her little project again, Mina picked up the knitting needles and picked up from where she last left off. The wool was a cute, wintery blue color, and Mina already kenw it would be the perfect size for Chaeyoung’s smol hands by furtively measuring some old leather gloves from her closet (also, leather gloves? When she found them, Mina wondered when Chaeoyoung stopped wearing something as cool as those).

These warm gloves would be the perfect accessory for the winter season. Motivated by the thought of Chaeyoung happy and pleasantly surprised at the gift, Mina continued her knitting and began to softly sing the notes of a classy holiday carol, a gentle smile on her face.

“Ready? Ok, don’t look yet,” Chaeyoung made her final arrangements, as Mina sat on the couch with her eyes covered. “Ok now, 3..2..1..”

Mina opened her eyes and gasped. There, in front of her displayed on the coffee table in a frame, was an artistic rendering of her, painted against a snowy landscape. The Mina in the painting looked off into the distance, her graceful and delicate expression filled with hope and longing. In the painting, her beauty, sadness, and rare quirkiness was captured all at once in a single frame. Snowflakes cascaded all around in the portrait, and one could almost be reminded of a penguin at the south pole.

“I..I..” For a moment, she was lost for words.

“Do you like it?” Chaeyoung looked at her, hopeful and anxious at the same time. She’d spent the whole afternoon on the painting. After so many years of friendship, it was the first time Chaeyoung had drawn Mina and she was eager to see her reaction.

“I love it.” A huge smile lit up her elegant features. “Chaeyoung, this is amazing! Thank you.” Her look of humble gratitude and fondness spoke a thousand words to Chaeyoung. They embraced by the warmth of the fireplace, the bond of friendship between them strengthened like the bow of a Christmas ribbon.

“This is for you,” Mina presented an impeccably neatly wrapped gift box, decorated with cute penguins and polar bears on the wrapping paper.

“No way! You got me for secret Santa too?” Chaeyoung said, her hand covering her delighted surprise. She opened it excitedly and took out the contents. “Ah, these are so cute! And warm,” she tried the gloves on and put both hands, warmed by the soft wool, to her face. The knowledge that Mina had hand-knit these gloves, just for her, made her cherish them even more.

“This is the best Christmas I could have ever hoped for,” Chaeyoung’s words reflected her genuine happiness.

Mina felt a tingling warmth at seeing her Chae’s adorable smile. For now, as the other members still lay sound asleep upstairs, only she could share this rare moment with her baby lion cub, and it brought her unspeakable joy. 

It’s December 25, Christmas day. The girls had just finished their stage at Gayo Daejun. They went home, tired but happy that they pulled it off without a hitch. As everyone headed to their own rooms and freshened up before bed, Chaeyoung decided to open up the window by the living room and looked out and up to the sky.

It was a clear and cloudless. The moon shined and the stars were out. Their neighborhood was quiet and still. She sighed and just looked out. Everyone had given their presents during the recording of “Merry and Happy.” But then, everyone gave out gifts again before Christmas. She got a lot from everyone except one.

From Mina.

She sighs at the thought that she might’ve been forgotten or wasn’t worth the bother. 

“It’s cold. And I’m not just talking about the weather today.” She says to herself.

“Then, maybe you should wear something to warm you up?” A soft voice spoke behind her. Chaeyoung turned around to see Mina walking towards her. Mina was wearing her blue and white pajama and a cozy white jacket, her hands were behind her back. An awkward silence envelope them as they stand.

“Aren’t you going to sleep yet, unnie?” Chaeyoung asked.

“I told you to drop that when we’re alone, didn’t I?” Mina reminds Chaeyoung, and smiles. 

“Okay, fine. Aren’t you tired, Mina?”

“I am but, I’ve got something to do before I head to bed.” Mina says as she walked closer to Chaeyoung. Chaeyoung didn’t know what was going on or what Mina was planning to do, so she stood there, flustered. With a blush on Mina’s cheeks, she leans to whisper on Chaeyoung’s ears.

“Merry Christmas, Chaengie.” 

She leans back and wraps a red knitted scarf on Chaeyoung. 

“Wait, isn’t this the scarf you were knitting a month ago?” She asked as she held the scarf. It felt warm and cozy on her. Mina nods and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. 

“U-um. Thank you, Minari.” Chaeyoung stuttered to say. “But I don’t have anything for you and-” her sentence was cut short with Mina’s lips being onto hers. Mina broke away and said, “It’s okay. So long as I get to spend this time with you, it’s more than enough.” 

Chaeyoung blushed and hid half of her face using the scarf. Mina giggles at her action. 

“C’mon, Tiger. Let’s go and sleep.” Mina said as she held Chaeyoung’s hand.

“Can’t we stay up just a little bit longer? Say, watch a movie with some popcorn?” Chaeyoung offered. Mina thought about it and said “But we have a fan-meet tomorrow, remember?” 

“I know, but just one movie, please? It’s Christmas and you did say that spending time with me was more than enough.” She grinned, showing her dimple. Mina gave in and they both headed to the couch.

“This better be a good movie. And none of those horror stuff!” Mina says. 

“I promise. Besides, Christmas isn’t Christmas if it’s not Home Alone.” Chaeyoung says as she pulls out the DVD and placed it on the DVD player. She turned the lights off in the living room and headed to the kitchen to prepare the buttered popcorn. 

And so their midnight was spent in each other’s arms. All snuggled up and content watching Home Alone at Christmas eve. Fully aware they will be tired the next day, they have no regrets spending this time together.