the air smelled faintly of instant ramen and cheap coffee, the scent clinging to your uniform as you absentmindedly ran the rag over the counter for the third time. your thoughts drifted—mostly to woonhak, as they often did during these long, uneventful shifts.

woonhak was at the back of the store, stacking boxes near the stockroom. from where you stood, you could see the way his sleeves were rolled up, exposing his forearms as he effortlessly lifted each box like it weighed nothing. he made it look easy, just like he made everything look easy.

you bit the inside of your cheek, annoyed at yourself for staring. it wasn’t like he was going to notice anyway. he never did.

at first, you tried convincing yourself that he was just quiet, that maybe he was the type of person who kept his distance from coworkers. but that theory crumbled quickly when you watched him chat effortlessly with customers, throwing in the occasional charming smile or polite nod. even when his friends dropped by, he greeted them with a grin, his usual composed expression softening into something warmer.

but with you? nothing.

sure, he said hi when your shifts overlapped. he’d ask you to stock shelves if he was busy handling the register. but that was the extent of it. no small talk. no casual conversations about school or life outside the store. just simple, impersonal exchanges that made you feel more like background noise than an actual person.

it was frustrating, really. and the worst part? you still couldn’t stop thinking about him.

you sighed, leaning against the counter, when a voice suddenly cut through the silence.

“you missed a spot.”

you jolted, your grip on the rag tightening as you turned to see woonhak standing beside you, peering down at the counter with his usual unreadable expression.

you blinked, your brain short-circuiting for a second. “what?”

woonhak pointed to a barely visible smudge near the register, his tone as casual as ever. “right there.”

you quickly wiped over it, heat creeping up your neck. of course, the first real thing he says to you all shift has to be about cleaning. not school, not work, not even some throwaway comment about the weather—just that.

when you looked up again, he was already walking away, disappearing into the stockroom like the moment hadn’t even happened.

you let out a breath you didn’t realize you were holding, staring after him in disbelief.

was he really that oblivious? or was he doing this on purpose?

either way, it was driving you insane.

the more time you spent working at the store, the more you started noticing the little things about woonhak. not the obvious things—like the way customers always gravitated toward him or how effortlessly he balanced school and work—but the smaller details, the ones you weren’t sure anyone else even paid attention to.

for instance, the way he hummed under his breath when he thought no one was listening. it was always something soft, barely audible over the hum of the refrigerators. sometimes, it was an old song playing faintly through the store’s speakers; other times, it was just a melody with no real pattern. you caught yourself lingering near the aisles whenever it happened, pretending to fix the same row of snacks just to hear it a little longer.

he also had this habit of organizing snacks by color. at first, you thought it was just him being efficient, but then you realized he did it even when it wasn’t necessary. the chips, the candies, even the energy drinks—if he was stocking the shelves, they always ended up arranged in a neat, color-coordinated gradient.

“you know, no one really cares if the ramen cups go from red to yellow,” you teased one evening, watching as he rearranged a row of instant noodles.

woonhak didn’t even look up. “yeah, but it looks better like this.”

you tilted your head, studying his expression. he wasn’t doing it for the customers. he wasn’t even doing it because his dad expected the shelves to look nice. he just liked things a certain way. it was oddly endearing.

but the thing that really got to you? the way he sometimes looked at you when he thought you weren’t paying attention.

it started small. you’d glance up from the register and catch his eyes flickering away too quickly. or you’d be restocking the shelves and feel the weight of his gaze just before he turned back to whatever he was doing. at first, you thought you were imagining it, that maybe you just wanted him to look at you so badly that your mind was playing tricks on you.

but then it kept happening.

like that time you were leaning against the counter during a slow shift, absentmindedly fiddling with a snack wrapper, when you felt it—that unmistakable pull of someone’s stare. you turned your head just in time to see woonhak, standing by the fridge section, looking right at you.

his expression was unreadable, but his eyes held something unfamiliar, something you couldn’t quite name.

the second your eyes met, he looked away, pretending to check the labels on the bottled drinks.

your heartbeat stuttered.

maybe he wasn’t as oblivious as you thought.

—

the storm rolled in without warning. one moment, the sky outside the store was a deep navy, the streetlights flickering lazily against the pavement. the next, rain was hammering against the windows, wind howling through the cracks in the doors. then—darkness.

the hum of the refrigerators cut out, the overhead lights flickered once, then died. the only thing left was the soft, eerie glow of the emergency lights lining the walls.

“great,” you muttered, setting down the inventory clipboard you’d been pretending to work on.

behind the counter, woonhak sighed, pulling his phone out of his pocket. he tapped the screen. “no signal.”

of course. just your luck to be stuck in a blackout, in a convenience store, alone with woonhak.

you shifted awkwardly, glancing at him. “should we, uh… do something? or just wait it out?”

he looked around, eyes scanning the dimly lit store. “well, we can’t close up, and we can’t leave.” he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “guess we’re stuck here for a while.”

with nothing else to do, the two of you sat down on the floor near the counter, backs against the shelves stocked with instant noodles. the emergency lights cast a faint, bluish glow over his face, making his features look softer, almost unreal.

for a while, neither of you spoke. the silence wasn’t exactly uncomfortable, but it was heavy, like something unspoken was lingering between you. then, out of nowhere, woonhak let out a small, breathy chuckle.

“this is kinda weird, huh?” he mused.

you turned to him. “what is?”

“being here like this. we’ve worked together for months, but this is probably the longest we’ve ever talked.”

you blinked, taken aback by his sudden honesty. “yeah. you’ve always been... kind of hard to talk to.”

he raised an eyebrow. “hard to talk to?”

“i mean, you’re quiet. you don’t really say much unless it’s about work,” you admitted, hugging your knees. “honestly, i wasn’t sure if you even liked me.”

woonhak tilted his head slightly, studying you. “i never disliked you,” he said after a pause. “i just… don’t always know what to say.”

you looked at him, waiting, sensing there was more.

he exhaled, leaning his head back against the shelves. “it’s kinda dumb, but… i feel like i don’t have time to just—talk. i’m always thinking about what i should be doing next. school, work, helping my dad. it’s a lot, you know?”

his voice was quieter now, the usual steadiness replaced with something more fragile.

“because you’re the eldest?” you asked softly.

he nodded, a rueful smile tugging at his lips. “yeah. i don’t really have a choice. my dad relies on me, and i don’t want to let him down. sometimes, i think about what i actually want to do, but then i feel guilty, like i’m being selfish.”

for the first time, you saw him not as the woonhak that everyone admired—the perfect son, the dependable coworker—but as a boy who was just… tired.

hesitantly, you said, “i get it. maybe not in the exact same way, but… i understand what it’s like to feel like you have to be something for everyone else.”

he turned to you, intrigued. “yeah?”

you nodded, fiddling with the hem of your sleeve. “i’ve always felt like i had to prove something. like if i don’t push myself hard enough, i’ll just… fade into the background. i guess that’s why i’ve always been so frustrated with you.”

he blinked. “with me?”

you let out a small laugh. “yeah. you make everything look so easy. it’s like you don’t even have to try, and meanwhile, i’m over here struggling to keep up.”

woonhak was quiet for a moment, then—to your surprise—he smiled. not his usual polite smile, but something softer, more real.

“i didn’t know you thought that,” he murmured. “if it makes you feel any better, i think you work harder than anyone else here.”

you felt your face warm, looking away. “you’re just saying that.”

“no,” he said simply. “i’m not.”

the air between you shifted, something settling into place. and for the first time since meeting him, you didn’t feel invisible.

—

the change was subtle at first, but once you noticed it, you couldn’t unsee it.

woonhak was everywhere.

he was always near, always teasing, always finding little excuses to talk to you. he stopped treating you like just another co-worker and started acting like… well, like someone who actually wanted to be around you.

one evening, after an unusually slow shift, you were restocking shelves when you accidentally knocked over a row of neatly stacked chip bags.

“careful,” woonhak drawled from behind you, arms crossed as he leaned against the counter. “you break it, you buy it.”

you huffed, bending down to pick up the fallen bags. “do you ever actually help, or do you just stand there and make fun of me?”

“oh, i definitely just stand here and make fun of you,” he said, grinning.

you rolled your eyes, but you couldn’t help the small smile tugging at your lips.

and then there was the way he waited for you after shifts. at first, you thought it was a coincidence—maybe he just happened to finish work at the same time as you. but then it happened again. and again.

“why are you still here?” you asked one night, shoving your hands into your jacket pockets as you locked up the store.

woonhak stretched lazily, as if he hadn’t been waiting outside for you. “it’s dark out.”

“so?”

he gave you a pointed look. “might as well walk together.”

you narrowed your eyes. “but your house is—”

“doesn’t matter.” he started walking ahead, then glanced back at you, raising an eyebrow. “you coming, or what?”

you hated how easily he did this—how effortlessly he inserted himself into your routine, into your life, like he had always been there.

you groaned, but the truth was, you liked it. you liked how he matched his pace with yours, how he walked on the side closest to the street, how he never let the conversation die out even when you weren’t sure what to say.

and then there were the snacks.

at first, it was small. a bag of your favorite chips left near the register, a cold drink placed beside your bag without a word. when you asked about it, he’d just shrug.

“it’s nothing.”

but it wasn’t nothing.

one afternoon, after a particularly long shift, you found a neatly wrapped rice ball waiting for you in the breakroom.

you picked it up, turning it over in your hands. “did you—”

“you haven’t eaten, right?” woonhak interrupted, not looking at you as he busied himself with the stock list.

you blinked. “how did you know?”

“you always forget when you’re working.”

your heart stuttered at his words.

he noticed.

he was noticing you now. really noticing you.

you unwrapped the rice ball slowly, trying to ignore the way your hands felt unsteady. “thanks,” you muttered.

woonhak finally looked at you then, and for once, his usual teasing expression softened into something quieter. “don’t mention it.”

and that was how it was. little moments, little gestures, little things that all added up to something bigger.

you weren’t sure what it was, not yet. but you liked it.

and just as you started to believe that maybe, just maybe, this was turning into something more—

you overheard the conversation.

—

it was late, your shift nearly over, when you heard woonhak’s father speaking in hushed tones near the back of the store.

“it’s a big opportunity, woonhak. you’d be crazy to pass this up.”

you froze, your hand tightening around the stack of receipts you’d been organizing.

“i know,” woonhak replied, his voice lower than usual. hesitant.

you inched closer to the back of the store, staying just out of sight behind one of the shelves.

“then what’s the problem?” his father pressed. “you’ve worked hard for this. this isn’t just about the store—this is about your future.”

there was a pause. a long, heavy silence.

then, woonhak exhaled. “it’s just... sudden.”

“that’s how these things work. you don’t always get time to think. you have to act.” his father’s voice softened slightly. “listen, i know you worry about me, about the store, but i’ll be fine. this is your chance to do something more, something bigger than this place.”

your stomach twisted.

what was he talking about? what opportunity? where would it take him?

and why—why did it feel like something was slipping through your fingers before you even had the chance to hold it?

you heard woonhak sigh, the kind he let out when he was deep in thought, troubled.

“i just need time,” he murmured.

his father didn’t push him further, only replying, “just don’t take too long, son.”

you stood frozen behind the shelves long after the conversation ended, your heart pounding in your ears.

because you already knew.

whatever this was—whatever had been growing between you and woonhak, however slowly, however subtly—it wasn’t going to last.

the next few days felt different. not because anything had changed—woonhak still teased you, still left snacks by the register, still waited for you after your shifts like it was the most natural thing in the world. but now, there was something unspoken hanging in the air between you.

you weren’t sure if he knew you had overheard. part of you wanted to pretend you didn’t, to pretend things were the same. but you weren’t sure how long you could keep up the act when every moment with him suddenly felt like it had an expiration date.

then one night, as the store’s closing time approached, woonhak finally said it.

“can we talk?”

you turned to him, heart pounding. “yeah.”

he hesitated before pulling you outside, the cool night air wrapping around you both. the neon lights from the store’s sign buzzed softly above you, casting a faint glow over his face.

for a moment, he just looked at you, like he was trying to memorize something. then, he sighed.

“you heard, didn’t you?”

you swallowed. “yeah.”

woonhak let out a dry chuckle, looking down at his shoes. “figured. you’re not exactly subtle when you eavesdrop.”

“shut up,” you muttered, but there was no real bite to it.

he exhaled, running a hand through his hair. “it’s a scholarship. a really good one. i’d be studying abroad for a year—maybe longer, if things go well.”

your chest tightened. “that’s… amazing.”

he scoffed. “you don’t sound like you mean that.”

“no, i do.” you forced a smile. “this is everything you’ve worked for, right?”

“yeah,” he said, but his voice was uncertain. he wasn’t looking at you anymore, staring out at the empty street instead. “but… i don’t want to leave you alone.”

you blinked, caught off guard by his honesty.

he turned back to you, his usual teasing expression replaced with something raw, something real. “i mean it. the thought of being somewhere new, somewhere exciting—it should make me happy, right? but all i can think about is how i won’t be here. with you.”

your throat felt tight. because a few months ago, you never would have imagined hearing those words from woonhak. back then, you weren’t even sure he noticed you. and now here he was, standing in front of you, telling you he didn’t want to leave you behind.

but you couldn’t let him stay just for you.

you reached out, poking his forehead lightly. “you’re an idiot.”

he blinked. “what—”

“you have to go, woonhak,” you said softly. “you’d regret it if you didn’t.”

he frowned. “but—”

“but nothing,” you cut him off, smiling a little. “you won’t lose me.”

he stared at you, and for once, he didn’t have a witty comeback.

you took a deep breath. “i’ll wait for you. no matter how long it takes.”

woonhak exhaled, shaking his head with a small, incredulous laugh. “you’re serious?”

“dead serious.” you tilted your head at him. “what, do you not trust me?”

“no, it’s not that,” he muttered. “it’s just… funny. the you from a few months ago didn’t even think i knew you existed, and now you’re out here promising to wait for me.”

you felt your face heat up. “shut up.”

but woonhak was grinning now, his usual self creeping back in. “you’re kind of romantic, you know that?”

“don’t push it.”

he laughed, then—to your surprise—reached out and ruffled your hair. “alright, fine. i’ll go. but only because you said you’d wait for me.”

you swatted his hand away, scowling. “like you weren’t gonna go anyway.”

“nope. i was seriously considering staying.” he gave you a lopsided smile, and something about it made your heart ache. “but i guess i have to make this count now. wouldn’t want to keep you waiting too long.”

you rolled your eyes, but you were smiling.

and when he walked you home that night, he stayed a little longer by your door, hesitating like he had something more to say.

but instead of words, he reached out, carefully intertwining his pinky with yours.

a silent promise.

“wait for me,” he murmured.

you squeezed his hand, grinning. “i already said i would, didn’t i?”

and as woonhak laughed, shaking his head like you were the most ridiculous person in the world, you realized something.

for the first time, you weren’t afraid of losing him. because somehow, in his own way, woonhak was waiting for you too.

Woonhak knows that he’s not your first.

But, after hearing how you’ve casually mentioned that you never decorated your own tree with a significant other, he took it as an opportunity. 

He took it as a sign. A chance. A place where he could be your “first” at something that could matter so much to you. 

His goal wasn’t simply just making Christmas special. 

For the both of you, he wanted to create another memory. A memory that you would remember even down the long run. 

He wanted to make your Christmas special. 

He wants to be the first to do that with you.

Even if it meant absolutely going full out. 

As he stood up from the floor, Woonhak looked at the reality of the entire situation. He only just noticed the mountain of plastic filled bags he had surrounding him. 

He wasn’t really sure if you two needed everything. In fact, if anything, he was more painfully aware that most of these items were excessive. But, he couldn’t ignore the thought of getting a little bit of extra decorations—like the extra box of ornaments or the extra set of twinkly lights was just calling his name every single time.  

Even with the slight overwhelming feeling creeping up on him, the doorbell rang.

Both Woonhak and Sungho froze, making brief eye contact before their heads snapped toward the door at the same time. Their eyes had widened in unison as if that sudden noise could only mean one thing.  

Sungho scrambled toward the door, pressing his eye closer to the peephole. Meanwhile, Woonhak fumbled for his phone, instantly swiping up his notifications center at lightning speed. 

No messages from you.

Thank goodness.

“I think it’s just an order!” Sungho called out, turning to look at Woonhak who let out a breath he'd been holding and stepped forward. 

As he opened the door,  the massive brown box sitting horizontally in the entryway took up nearly the entire threshold. 

This was definitely not going to be easy to bring in.

Instantly turning back, Woonhak flashed a Sungho grin so wide that it undoubtedly creeped Sungho out. 

“What do you want from me now?” Sungho asked, his voice laced with dread as his gaze kept switching back from Woonhak’s unsettlingly pleased expression to the box outside of his place. 

“Help me, obviously,” Woonhak scoffed, turning his back on Sungho before he could bicker away again. The tactic worked like a charm; instead of hearing Sungho try to lecture him once more, he heard footsteps approaching right behind him. 

“Well, it shouldn’t be that difficult right?” Sungho muttered, stepping outside the door to lift the long box. He scanned the narrow entryway, making sure that once he lifted it up, it wouldn’t knock anything else present. 

Then he shot Woonhak another look, one eyebrow arching as he stared at him. “Are you going to help me or just stand there and watch?”  

Woonhak blinked right back at him, completely unbothered. After a brief moment, he crouched down, allowing his fingers to slip under the cardboard edge to also help lift the box. “Honestly? The latter sounds really good now.” 

Sungho groaned under his breath. “I swear, if you weren’t doing all this for someone you’re stupidly in love with—”

“Lift on three,” Woonhak cut in quickly, ears slightly heating up. 

They both paused, fixing their hand positions before inhaling. 

“One… two… three—”

The box was finally lifted, but it was not graceful. Sungho had straightened himself up properly with perfect controlled effort. Woonhak, on the other hand, nearly tipped backward before he found his footing, his arms wobbling along with him.

“Are you holding it or just letting me do the work?” Sungho hissed under his breath. 

“I am holding it!” Woonhak slightly snapped, though the way he adjusted his grip for like the fourth time in ten seconds made that questionable. 

They somehow shuffled forward, one awkward step at a time. 

The box would hit the doorframe. 

It would scrape the floor. 

Then hit the opposite wall. 

“Please tell me,” Sungho muttered between gritted teeth, “tell me you didn’t get the biggest size.” 

“I literally got the medium,” Woonhak defended. 

“This is not medium.” 

“Well, maybe—just maybe it just came in a bigger box!”

Sungho paused just long enough to glare at him. “You clearly bought the biggest one.”

“Even so, what’s wrong with that?” Woonhak muttered. 

They would continue their clumsy moves into the living room, the box finally being placed down in the center of the chaos of the filled bags for Christmas decorations. 

“I’m leaving this all to you to assemble.” Sungho straightened, rolling his shoulders back with a muffled groan. “You better hope this is all worth it.” 

“It is,” Woonhak said without hesitation—though the lingering doubt that still remained from earlier still hovered in the back of his mind. 

Woonhak didn’t have the time to overthink or handpick what he should get rid of because they seemed “too much”. You had actually texted not long ago that you’d be arriving soon during this whole process, and suddenly everything felt like it was sinking in. So, instead of going down in a further spiral, he would push out the still sulking Sungho out of his home, still muttering a quick but genuine “thanks” for the help—even after teasing him practically the entire time he was here.

Once the door had clicked shut behind Sungho, the atmosphere in the apartment fell into the tense quiet kind that made Woonhak more hyperaware of each scattered bag. To pretend like he wasn’t panicking about absolutely everything, he hurriedly attempted to make it seem more organized. 

Soon enough, Woonhak’s ears perked up at the doorbell. 

This time, the sound wasn’t entirely alarming. 

Woonhak knew well that this time, you would be the one behind the door. 

He rushed over immediately, barely giving himself a second to breathe before swinging it open, instantly breaking into a grin the moment he saw you. You matched his smile, lifting a small plastic bag in your hand. 

“I made some tiramisu for us.”

“Oh, you’re perfect,” he blurted out, unable to hold back the soft gush in his voice. He stepped aside, ushering you inside so you didn’t have to stand out there anymore. As you slipped off your shoes, Woonhak gently took your scarf and hat, setting them aside on his clothing rack. 

But his breath got caught when he noticed you freezed. 

Your eyes lingered on the mountain of shopping bags all gathered in the center of the floor. The unopened Christmas tree box still laid in the same position when the other two had brought it in.

“I know the room looks a little messy right now,” he said quickly, rushing forward as if blocking your view would somehow help you from registering the sight in front of you. “But it’ll look better once we get everything sorted out. Promise.”

His voice was cautious yet hopeful as he tried to read your own expression. Despite feeling like he knows you, he still braced for judgement—but hoping for anything else but that. 

“You remembered?” your voice softened, your eyes finding his. 

“You… you know what all of this is for?” Woonhak asked, his own voice growing quiet but still carrying a hint of surprise. He held a look that showed that he was waiting for you to say that somehow all this planning might’ve been too much. 

“Well, yeah,” you laughed lightly, the sound now easing the built up tension in his shoulders. You pointed towards the bags with a few stray decorations already peeking out. “It’s pretty obvious we’re decorating something.” 

Woonhak blinked at you, almost like he was acting like you wouldn’t catch on so easily. Or maybe he was just shocked that you did—but weren’t teasing him for it. 

“Right,” he murmured, rubbing the back of his neck. “I don’t know… I just wanted it to be special. I was going to assemble the tree before you got here, but I was too excited when I already heard that you’d be on your way.” 

You stepped closer, grabbing his hands. “Woonhak,” you said with a small smile, “the fact that you remembered and went through with all of this already makes it special.” 

Woonhak’s eyes couldn’t help but soften—completely and helplessly. 

“I’m glad I’ll be getting to spend Christmas with you,” he confessed in a hushed tone, cheeks already flushing as if the words slipped out before he could catch them. 

“Well, if you say so,” you teased lightly, brushing past him toward the mountain of bags, crouching to peek inside one of them. “We should probably start with the most important thing, right?” 

Woonhak nodded, immediately grabbing a box cutter to start assembling the tree. He’s never assembled a tree on his own before, but he hoped the ten minute Youtube tutorial he watched at double speed last night would magically benefit now. 

As he sliced the box open, the contents already instantly poured out in a tangled mess of the metal parts and branches. 

His confidence definitely wavered for a second. 

From where you crouched, you glanced up at him due to the source of the noise. Your attention on the pack of ornaments vanished when you caught the sight of Woonhak frowning at a paper pamphlet with the instructions.

“Do you need help?” 

“No—I got this,” he said with instant determination, straightening his back from his own crouching position. He wanted the tree ready before you touched a single thing, wishing to prepare this tree as the perfect blank canvas for you to go all out with your own ideas.

“Totally got this,” he added, eyeing down the instructions once more. 

Instead of questioning him any further, you bit back a smile, choosing instead to go through another bag of decorations so you wouldn’t distract him too much. 

But, the silence was just too tempting. 

“You sure?” 

Woonhak didn’t look up. “It’s fine. This is easy. This should be easy.” 

You raised a brow as he flipped the pamphlet upside down, then right up up again, eyes flickering back and forth from the paper to the actual tree assembling. 

“Uh-huh,” you said along with a small chuckle following up afterwards. 

He cleared his throat, refusing to even acknowledge how the way your laugh made the tips of his ears redden. His focus surged once more as he pulled the bottom section of the tree into the base, slotting it until he heard a click. He would tighten the eyebolt, making sure that it stayed in place. 

He did glance over at you—just for a second—to see if you noticed. 

And you did. 

“That looks sturdy,” you praised as you watched him. “Good job.” 

“Told you I’ve got this,” he smirked—far too confident for someone who did not have a clear vision of what he was supposed to do. The confidence definitely arrived a little too soon. The tree was not fluffing up the way he wanted it to; instead of the lush, it looked like an extremely sad and stiff tree. 

He tried fixing it before you looked over, frantically moving at the branches to achieve the look he had pictured in his head. But, when he glanced up and caught your eye, it was already too late. 

“...It’s a part of the process,” he rushed to say, as if that explained everything. 

“Maybe I should help,” you said gently—just that soft understanding you always seemed to have. Instead of laughing, you scooted closer, allowing your knees to brush against his, settling next to him on the floor. 

Even though you’ve never done this before, you reached for the branches and began fluffing them. From the bottom alone, there was already some kind of shape forming. Within seconds, with the volume of the tree, it started looking like the one from the tutorial he swore he managed to remember perfectly. 

“See?” you said quietly, looking over to the boy’s expression that was mesmerized by how quick you managed to do all of that.

“Yeah,” he murmured, almost shyly. “Maybe we can do it together.”

You smiled, and it was the warm kind, the kind that was so familiar. “That’s the whole point, isn’t it?” 

Woonhak’s cheeks warmed up again, yet this time he didn’t look away. 

“Yeah,” he admitted, his previous confidence melting into something more earnest.  “I guess it is.” 

With that alone, the two of you instantly felt into an easy rhythm. The silence that had once filled the room earlier softened into light chatter, which transformed into shared laughter—Woonhak stealing glances at you after every joke he made, and you chuckling at almost anything that had slipped out of his mouth. 

Even though you two were only assembling the tree, Woonhak felt like this was already the beginning of something special. He believed that the moment you walked through his door, it was the moment that Christmas had already started.

And he hoped you felt the same way too.

If he had been doing this alone, he knew it would’ve taken him ages. But with you by his side, you two instantly worked at equal pace—naturally, and almost effortlessly so. 

“It looks good to me,” Woonhak said, stepping back to admire the three you both had but together. “What do you think?”

“I think so too,” you replied, your face brightening with the same gleam he’d wish to see everyday. It was the one where you’d get whenever something genuinely excited you. In an instant, you hurried back to the bags, lifting a couple toward him with both hands. 

“I think it’s the perfect time to start decorating!”

Now, it was his turn to laugh, but it was the soft, endearing kind. The kind of giggle that slipped out when he’s just genuinely admiring the person in front of him. 

He followed your excitement, gathering a couple of the bags and sliding them closer to the perfectly placed tree in the corner of his living room. The two of you stood side by side, staring at the ornaments, lights, ribbons, and all the miscellaneous decorations he absolutely didn’t need all out but bought them anyway. 

“Now, where do we even start?” he asked, his voice half-thrilled, half-terrified as he took in the sight of everything again. 

You tried starting back leaning over to one bag to pull out the fairy lights—only to pull out a tangled mess of it instead. 

“I think…” you tried stifling a laugh, but you couldn’t as the lights dangled. “This might’ve been your first mistake.”

“I didn’t even do anything yet!” his voice echoed, along with a dramatic gasp following it. 

“You bought them,” you teased, swinging the knotted lights around. 

“That hurts, you know,” he said dramatically while pressing his hand to his heart. Despite that act, he was already moving beside you, sitting cross-legged on the floor to help untangle one end of the disaster as you did the other one. 

It only took him a minute to somehow have his fingers stuck between the wires. 

“Don’t pull—wait, wait!” his voice boomed with panic, trying to get his fingers out as you stood momentarily frozen by the situation. “Okay, okay. Maybe pull a little that—no, not that way!” 

You burst into laughter as he shrieked, his expression twisting into instant betrayal. “Are you really laughing at my suffering?”

“Well, yes,” you said without an apology, leaning closer to carefully free his hand yourself, “but only because you look cute when you’re struggling with things like these.” 

“Um—you—well, okay,” he mumbled in defeat, his voice cracking on the last word. 

Once the lights were finally untangled, he stood up triumphantly with a proud grin. But before taking a single step toward the tree, he paused to look at you to show how he wanted your opinion first. 

You reached into one of the bags, putting out two sparkling bundles of tinsel. As the red and silver tinsels were in your hands, you stated, “Tinsels first, then the lights.” 

Woonhak nodded eagerly, setting the fairy lights aside. “Tinsels first,” he repeated, grabbing one of the tinsels from your hands before making his way to the tree with purpose. 

You followed right behind him, already wrapping the tinsel around one of the branches. He copied your movements, trying to not get into your way while you’re wrapping on your side—which caused his tinsel to look shift a little too much. But, you always helped him adjust it afterwards, allowing your shoulders to touch. 

Halfway through putting the first decorations, you both stepped back at the same time, looking at the tree with the tinsels finally all up. 

“I think it’s already starting to look good,” you said, nudging him with your shoulder. 

“I think so too,” his eyes lingered briefly on the tree before drifting back to you, already glowing with pride over the half finished product. “But, we still have a long way to go.” 

You agreed and practically scurried back, digging through the bags instantly. Woonhak would peek over your shoulder, grabbing the boxes of ornaments you pull out so you can continue going through whatever he bought. 

As you get everything ranging from frosted white glass baubles to glossy red ornaments, you two both on opposite sides of the tree start decorating. There were moments where you ended up getting in each other’s way, instantly playfully bickering about who was on that side first. 

During the process, you would circle around the tree and occasionally sneak glances back at him. You watched as Woonhak would carefully space out the ornaments apart, having him bite his lip slightly in concentration. 

Every now and then, he’d pause and back back to check if it looked good even from a distance. Much contrast to his words before, he was doing better than expected. You ended up slipping the odd ornaments towards the back of the tree, catching the attention of Woonhak. 

As he was about to comment, the facial expression on your face was enough to shut him up, making him allow you to do your own thing. After all, this experience was meant to cater towards you—so if you wanted a randomly large gingerbread cookie ornament to take up the space, he would gladly work around it to make it stand out. 

The more you two decorated, the more your steles would mesh together. Gradually, the tree would gradually turn into the best blend of his careful placements with your carefree ones. 

By the time the last ornament was on the last empty branch, you both stepped back once more, finally admiring the fully decorated tree. 

The branches were filled with the tinsels, the faintly glowing lights, and the combination of the ornaments made it look better than what you two had initially imagined. 

But there was only one thing that remained.

The golden star. 

You took the chance to lift it out of the box, eyeing Woonhak as you had it in your hands. His expression softened immediately and without saying anything, he walked closer. His hands overlapped with yours, his fingertips grazing yours as he held the star with you. 

“Ready for the finishing touch?” he asked. 

You nodded. 

As you two inched closer, you two had both stepped onto the stools he had nearby just for this moment. Lifting it together, he steadied the star once you had guided the piece into place. For a moment, both of your hands stayed there, pressed close, warm feeling against warm. 

The star gleamed perfectly, leaving both of you to have matched awe. 

“Woonhak,” you whispered, allowing your arm to now interlock with his. “It looks beautiful.” 

As much as the tree was really beautiful, he didn’t find himself looking at it. 

He wasn’t paying much attention at the vibrant tinsels, the bright lights, the shiny ornaments, or the glowing star you two placed together. 

He found himself looking at you. 

“Yeah,” he said softly, admiring something else instead. “It really does.”

And you caught him instantly. The way he was staring at you said everything he didn’t have to. By trying to play it off, you nudged him gently, which the smile tugging at your lips gave away how much that made you flustered. He laughed, and you joined him, which the laughter would quickly turn into something more lovestruck. 

“Thank you so much for doing this Woonhak,” you said, finally taking the chance to express what had been swelling in your chest the whole night. “I already have a feeling that this Christmas is really going to be special. And I’m really glad you’re my first for making this holiday already feel so perfect.” 

His breath hitched, feeling the impact of those words land on him. His fingers would slide to intertwine with yours fully, allowing his thumb to brush lightly over the back of your hand. 

“And I’ll always be here,” he said, his gaze settling on you with a sincerity that instantly made your heart skip. “For many more years to make this holiday always perfect for the both of us.” 

The glow from the Christmas tree in the corner of the room wrapped around you both, making this moment even more cherishable. 

Everything made this a moment you knew you both would remember. 

“Woonhak,” you whispered again, this time softer, turning your gaze back to the tree. You leaned your own head on his shoulder, and he immediately tilted his own to rest against yours as he hummed in acknowledgment for you to continue speaking. 

“I’m really happy.” 

His grip on your hands tightened, showing how grateful he was. 

“Me too,” he said, warmth filling his tone. “More than you know.” 

Along with the tree glowing and your fingers intertwined in the quiet warmth of his apartment, Christmas was already starting to feel like home. 

That was when everything started to settle in. 

He was the first. 

The first person that you ever decorated a Christmas tree with. 

And to him, that meant so much more than he knew how to put it into words. 

Everything helped him to understand how important he found first times to be. It wasn’t simply just something special—it was something precious as well. 

And Woonhak was truly—deeply—happy to be the one to be sharing it with you.

‘💬’ ─ I LOVE WOONHAK 💔😭💔😭💔😭💔

PROFILES — talented music divas chalant and PROUD

CHAPTERS — prologue

001 um who??

002 i’m going to whack myself with my clarinet.

003 oh here we go..

to be added as progress grows !

TAGLIST ( OPEN ) ! pls send a comment or ask to be added! BOLDED CANNOT BE TAGGED

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Sungho

Originally he invited you over to try out a new video game he got but neither of you thought that it will be so entertaining that you'll be at it for hours. First you were very calm about it, still figuring out how everything works but after you got into it, there was no stopping. You tried to accomplish more and more together in the game and playfully scolded each other when someone made a mistake. You had so much fun together that you didn't even realise how much time passed since you started. The sun slowly switched places with the moon and stars appeared on the dark sky one by one. When you noticed the time your were shocked about how long ago you started this game, but you didn't want to go home yet. So at the end you decided to turn this afternoon and evening spent together into a sleepover because you just didn't want to leave your boyfriend's side. Not tonight.

Riwoo

You planned a movie date for the evening at your place. What you didn't calculate with was the huge storm that decided to start right after he arrived and soon the electricity went off in the whole building thanks to that. So the movie date became impossible. You lit some candles to have something light up the place, it actually turned out pretty romantic. You ended up eating all the snacks you guys bought for the movie while waiting for the power to come back. After an hour or two everything went back to normal, the lamp working again, the tv turned on and the internet connection came back. However, Riwoo and you had so much fun doing nothing in the dim lights of the candles that movie night already became forgotten, you didn't want anything else than to just be with, and focus on each other. And maybe a little bit more snacks.

Jaehyun

Jaehyun is a weird guy. Everybody and their mother knows that. Therefore when he plans a date you never know what to expect. But something that you actually didn't expect was for him to put together the most romantic dinner ever known to mankind at his place. He put candles on the table, gave you your favourite flowers and cooked a delicious male by himself (or at least that's what he claimed). When you finished you didn't want to leave yet. It was a gesture that showed you how much he really loves and adores you and you didn't want this moment to end. So you just kept sitting at the table talking, really opening up to each other for hours straight. This was probably the point when both of you realised how serious you are about this relationship. And another thing that you realised that night was that Jaehyun can actually stay calm for more than an hour long.

Taesan

You were at his place, laying in his bed, cuddling. He hugged you so softly but still so close, your head on his chest. You could hear his heartbeat. It was calm. You made it calm. The same way he calmed you down. At that moment it didn't matter how stressful of a day you've had, how angry you were at the whole world just hours ago. But as soon as you were with him everything seemed to suddenly get better. And there you were, laying down with him as a calm melody was playing on his vinyl player. Words weren't needed in that moment. You were planning to lay there for a few minutes, but minutes soon turned into an hour and then more and more hours. "It's getting late" Taesan whispered to you "shouldn't you go home?" You looked up at him, right into those beautiful eyes of his, and said "right now all I want is to be with you"

Leehan

You know how much Leehan loves watching his fish even for hours straight. At first you didn't understand; how can someone be so entertained by some fish? they're not even doing anything special, just swimming around, how can someone just stare at them non-stop? But it seems like tonight you finally understood. Today was not just long but also really stressful for you and you didn't want anything else than just some comfort so you came over to your boyfriend's. After eating something the two of you just settled in front of his fish tank watching as the little animals swim around in the water. Your head resting on his shoulder, calmly breathing in and out, non of you breaking the silence. You didn't know how much time has passed since you sat down there but honestly, you didn't care. You felt closer to him than ever before, it gave you so much comfort, and all you did was watching some fish in the dim light.

Woonhak