Mingled Round 🍭 ateez slash challenge [⏯]

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bottom!Jongho 
Top!Yunho

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As most people do, Yunho enjoys celebrating the New Year with a party and festivities with his loved ones.

In stark contrast, Jongho despises such celebrations, even to the point of hating them.

Why?

Because the sound of fireworks startles him.

He wonders if those are fireworks or bombs. Why is the sound so loud?

Well, even though he's never actually heard a bomb explode near him.

While others are busy celebrating, Jongho prefers to stay in his room, already asleep and tucked under his blanket by nine in the evening.

What he wants is peace, but when midnight comes, he's woken up by the sound of trumpets and cheers in the living room from his family. To make matters worse, his siblings set off firecrackers in the backyard, right outside Jongho's room. Followed by fireworks from the neighbors and other houses in the distance.

Seriously, is there no one who wants a quiet and peaceful New Year's Eve?

He has complained about this to his parents before. He wondered about it. But his mother replied that New Year's is a rare and precious moment, so they can't just let it pass. Because they have to wait a whole three hundred sixty-five days for the next New Year.

Jongho also can't protest when they are celebrating. One against many. It’s him who would disrupt the atmosphere.

His father once suggested spending New Year's Eve at his grandmother’s house in the village if Jongho wanted peace. But Jongho refused.

Well then, don’t blame anyone else.

Tonight Jongho will spend another New Year's Eve.

He declined Yunho’s invitation to the celebration, stating his reasons plainly. Yunho was very disappointed. But he couldn't force Jongho if his boyfriend didn't want to.

Jongho wished Yunho a good time at the party with his friends.

“What about you? At home, you’ll still be awakened by your family’s noise, right?”

Jongho shrugged. “I don’t have any other choice.”

Yunho thought for a moment until he got an idea, “I can take you to a quiet place, away from the noise of parties and fireworks.”

“Take me? So if you’re asking me to go to my grandmother's house, you’ll come along?”

Yunho facepalmed. “That’s not what I meant.”

“Then?”

“You don’t like fireworks because of their noise, right? But you know what fireworks look like? They’re beautiful, aren’t they?”

“Yes, they look nice. But the noise distracts me and prevents me from admiring them.”

That night, Jongho obediently followed Yunho, like a child complying with his parents.

Yunho dressed Jongho in a coat, scarf, gloves, and earmuffs, like a mother dressing her child to protect him from the extreme cold outside. There was only a little snow here, almost none. But the cold was almost the same.

Yunho led Jongho through the city. The streets were crowded with people buying and selling. Jongho liked the various decorations put up on every store and street.

Yunho, being protective, held Jongho’s hand, afraid of losing him because of how crowded it was. Once separated, it would be hard to find him. Also, it was to keep Jongho’s hands warm even though he was wearing gloves. Jongho didn’t mind. Although he didn’t really need it, he liked the feeling of Yunho’s attention and care.

Yunho led Jongho far away from the city, up a hill.

“Wait a minute. This is—”

“Exactly.”

“I haven’t said anything yet. You’re so presumptuous.”

“So what will you say? A temple, right?”

“No, I was going to say a spooky forest.” Jongho teased him.

But Yunho didn’t believe that.

They entered the temple to pray. There weren’t many people there, mostly just monks. Nowadays, city people celebrate the New Year by having fun in the city. Which, for Jongho, was not only noisy but also boring.

After praying, Yunho led Jongho to a spot with a great view.

“It’s so beautiful.” Jongho almost cried. Where had he been all this time? Why hadn’t he run here every New Year’s Eve?

The view displayed the beauty of the city lights. It looked so far away, like frozen fireflies. Or stars on the ground.

Yunho felt satisfied and relieved seeing Jongho’s amazed expression. The plan wasn’t in vain. And it wasn’t in vain that he turned down his friends’ invitations to bring Jongho here, if the result was this satisfying. He thought that if he could make Jongho happy this way, he wouldn’t need the city’s festive celebrations anymore.

Yunho poured hot chocolate into two small cups from the thermos he brought. They each held a cup and sipped it occasionally.

And if Yunho was not mistaken, “Look.” He pointed to the view in front of them.

Fireworks were bursting in the sky, with a very minimal sound, almost silent.

“You can enjoy the beauty of fireworks without having to hear the explosions. You can experience that here.”

“Oh my god, it’s really beautiful. Thank you, darling.” Jongho clung to Yunho’s arm, resting his head on his shoulder.

Yunho smiled broadly, leaning against Jongho’s head. “With my pleasure, my little teddy bear.” He took another sip of his hot chocolate.

He thought about doing this again next New Year’s Eve and every year after.