winter falls ━ hyunsung. ✓

xxii › everything was beautiful back then.

out of all the things hyunjin expected to see or do on christmas eve, this didn't even cross his mind.

a knock had interrupted the early evening he was spending with his parents, watching them sing christmas songs and dance together.

hyunjin had perched himself on the couch with his digital camera, hoping to catch a good clear snapshot of his parents being happy, and thus be able to use the photo for references in a future project.

but the knock had caused all of them to look up and at the door in surprise; none of them had expected a guest to arrive.

"oh? hyunjin, will you get the door?" his mom laughed breathlessly, going over to the couch, "i need to rest, i'm tired out."

and so, hyunjin did as he was told, dutifully walking up to the door and opening it. shocked by the sight, his eyes widened and his jaw fell open.

a dimpled chris and a freckled felix stood on the house's porch, donning heavy jackets, scarves, hats, and gloves. they stood there expectantly with huge, matching grins nearly frozen in place on their faces as they shivered in the cold wind.

"sam? who is it?"

"it's. . ." hyunjin made no effort to stop the joy from showing on his face. "it's my friends!"

"c-can you let us i-in," felix pleaded, robotically dusting ice flakes off of his jacket.

hyunjin moved aside to let them through, closing the door quickly.

little by little the two began to thaw and gradually gain movement back; they removed their outerwear and introduced themselves to hyunjin's parents.

while his parents were busy gushing over felix and his general adorableness, hyunjin managed to pull chris aside and ask, "hey, i'm glad you two came over to see me and it's really nice to see you but, how did you find out where i live?"

"oh." chris affectionally patted hyunjin's arm. "about that, someone else is coming over in a bit."

hyunjin was confused by his best friend's mysterious answer, but he was unable to ask any further questions as they were called to start dinner.

"sam, you didn't let me know your friends were coming over; we're lucky i made extras," his father wagged his finger at hyunjin in an exaggerated motion of disapproval.

hyunjin muttered to himself, "i didn't know they were coming over either. . ."

they sat down to eat peacefully, engaging in a light conversation.

and before hyunjin knew it, it had reached midnight.

he was immediately enveloped in a hug from his parents, who wished him a merry christmas.

from there hyunjin turned to his two close friends, hugging them one by one.

felix was especially surprised to receive a hug on hyunjin's part; before befriending him, chris had warned that hyunjin tended to hate physical contact and avoided hugs at all costs.

then, hyunjin quickly ran to his room to retrieve chris' gift. he had not known they'd show up at his house; otherwise he would also have brought felix's gift as well.

with light and bounding steps, hyunjin placed the rolled painting in chris' hands expectantly.

"what's this?"

hyunjin rolled his eyes, answering sarcastically, "an art project."

"for me?" his friend immediately began unfolding the painting to gaze upon it with awe.