Autumn Angel | JHS ✔

.thirty-four.

Christmas: a holiday that seems to lose its magic as you grow older. A day where you used to sleep next to the Christmas tree in hopes of running into Santa, and the joy of realization the moment you open your eyes the next morning. But as you grow older, the steady decrease of interest within the peers around you, and with each year that passes, the holiday comes to seem like any other day. Was that just me? Did I simply have this reaction because I never grew up with a real family? 

But regardless of the dying excitement I felt for the holiday as I grew older, I can't imagine how Hoseok and the rest of his members view the special day themselves. The thought comes to mind as the guys walk into the room, sweaty and out of breath from finishing their rehearsal for whatever Christmas event they were performing for today. Every single movement is captured by someone recording them for the behind the scenes of today. When did they ever have privacy? 

However, all thoughts escape me when Hoseok's eyes meet mine and his lips lift into his signature grin. "Angel!" 

We run towards each other with laughter and collide into a hug. 

"You smell disgusting," I say with a grin once I get a whiff of his sweaty clothes. Hoseok lifts his arm so that the smell radiates towards me more. I scrunch my nose and turn away. "Seriously? I come to surprise you and this is how I get treated?" 

Hoseok just responds with a larger smile and leans in closer, lifting his other arm and looming over me. When Hoseok's name is called, he takes my hand and leads me to his chair where a woman is waiting. "I have to get my hair and makeup done. This might take awhile." 

I just nod and hop up onto the counter, my short legs dangling over the edge. "When's the last time you spent Christmas with your actual family?" 

Hoseok shrugs off his jacket coat and leans back comfortably in his chair for his stylist to get to work on his makeup. "I honestly don't remember. It's sad to think about, but you get used to it. It's more than bearable because I get to spend the day doing what makes me feel most alive with people I have grown to love more than the word itself." Hoseok's hand reaches out to grab mine and his long fingers trace the elaborate brown design. "Did you do it yourself?" 

I smile down at my Henna tattoo. "Yeah. I'm quite proud of it." 

"I'm happy that you're happy. It looks incredible." Hoseok's fingers remain on mine even after his gaze shifts over to look at the mirror in front of him. 

"We should go to an art class together. I'm excited to see how well you would do." 

The smile on his face grows. "I would probably end up drawing some childish thing because I really have no artistic capabilities." 

"Can you please look forward?" the woman working on his makeup scolds. 

"Can we do this later? You can work on Jimin for now. You know he takes the longest." 

The stylist purses her lips and stares down at him, considering. "Fine. But I'm not coming to remind you." 

Hoseok grabs my hand as he stands up and starts to walk away. 

"A "thanks, Noona," would have been nice!" she calls after us. 

Hoseok just raises his hand as a response and guides us to some chairs surrounding a table. On top of the table are different snacks, drinks, and bags, and I reach out to open a bag of chips displayed. 

"How did you get in here?" Hoseok asks after I feed him a chip. 

"I had to call your manager and he gave me the lanyard."