ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴍᴀᴢᴇ • ᴠᴍɪɴ & ᴛᴀᴇᴋᴏᴏᴋ ꜰᴀɴꜰɪᴄᴛɪᴏɴ

76. Unwrapping Joy

The snow fell in thick, soft flakes outside, coating the world in a pristine white blanket. Inside the cozy warmth of Taehyung and V’s home, the living room glowed with the golden light of the fireplace. A tall Christmas tree, adorned with twinkling lights and carefully placed ornaments, stood proudly in the corner, while stockings were hung by the fire.

V stirred awake first in his and his twin’s shared room, blinking as the faint sound of Christmas carols drifted from the living room. He stretched lazily, as he took time to take in the scene. It was Christmas morning, and everything felt perfect or maybe he was finally happy after a very long time. 

Taehyung, his twin, lay sprawled beside him, limbs tangled over his elder brother, fast asleep. It had been a long time since they’d shared a bed like this. Though V often pretended to dislike skinship and cuddles, he was always the one to pull his brother back into bed whenever Taehyung slipped from his embrace.

Taehyung slept with carefree abandon, but V was always careful, tucking him in securely or even holding him close whenever his younger brother needed extra comfort. Like that morning, just as V sat up, Taehyung shivered in his sleep.

He slipped out of bed quietly, leaving Taehyung to sleep a little longer. As he padded into the living room, the sight of their parents sitting by the fire caught him off guard. They had woken up early, just as they promised the night before, and were busy arranging presents under the tree. The sight brought a wave of warmth through V, reminding him of the childhood Christmas mornings they hadn’t been able to fully enjoy together.

"Good morning, sweetheart!" Their mother greeted, beaming as V approached. She stood up and enveloped him in a tight hug, one filled with love and affection he had missed growing up.

Without hesitation, the mother seized the moment, gently holding her son by the jaw to plant soft kisses on each cheek. She knew how rarely V allowed such affection, but deep down, he always longed to be greeted this way.

"Merry Christmas!" V whispered, soaking in the warmth of the moment.

"Merry Christmas, my son!" Their father chimed in, clapping V on the back with a hearty laugh. "We’ve got a lot to catch up on, son."

V smiled, a hint of emotion swelling in his chest. For the first time in years, he felt the kind of pampering and affection he had longed for since childhood—the kind where his parents doted on him, making him feel cherished.

As if on cue, Taehyung stumbled out of the bedroom, rubbing sleep from his eyes and yawning widely. His face lit up when he saw the scene in front of him—his twin standing in the midst of their parents, gifts piled high under the tree, and the room brimming with love.

The parents and V caught sight of Taehyung waddling sleepily toward them, his face pressed into their mother’s shoulder. She giggled at the familiar gesture.

"Here you come, my baby. Merry Christmas!" she said, wrapping him in a hug. Taehyung hummed happily before breaking away to attack his father with another embrace. Used to his younger son’s antics, his father lifted him slightly, as if he were still a small child.

The room filled with joy as smiles spread across everyone’s faces. Once his father set him down, Taehyung immediately turned to his brother, clinging onto V.

"Merry Christmas, hyung-nim," Taehyung teased. V didn’t respond with a hug but instead squeezed Taehyung’s waist, trying to tickle him. Taehyung jumped back quickly.

"Merry Christmas, Korean Trump." V grinned and Taehyung groaned, rolling his eyes.

"That joke died ages ago. Find new ones." The twins were back to their usual banter, earning amused smiles from their parents.