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chapter 44.

a/n; long chapter4u!

xliv.

"..it's just us three?" eri questioned, stuffing her hands inside her coat as she exhaled, smoke escaping her parted lips from the freezing weather. they were at a strip mall, a type of mall where people shop outdoors and the stores are arranged in a row.

"i guess."

she wasn't alone, standing with her were two tall men known as park jimin and kim taehyung, her two best friends since high school (cuz they were the only people she talked to and hung out with back then.)

today's event was supposed to have the whole gang here, but unfortunately, a lot couldn't make it. most of them were celebrating christmas in their hometowns. take namjoon, hoseok, jungkook, ara, and minjee for example. yoongi was going to celebrate his christmas working in his studio while jin and yoona decided to go on a date together.

the good news was that they will be back a few days after christmas to celebrate new years together.

jo eri couldn't wait for the new year to come. twenty-nineteen was certainly one of the best years she experienced and she hoped twenty-twenty would be the same, or maybe even better. (hahahahaa no)

kim taehyung glanced at eri for a second before looking around the shopping district and spotting something in the distance. he quickly excused himself from the group, earning a nod from the other two in response.

"it's so quiet without everyone else here," jimin sighed, looking around the area as he eyed the xmas lights hanging from one pole to another and a huge christmas tree at the center. presents were gathered at the bottom of the tree and he wondered if they were actual presents or if they were just props.

"let's take a picture under the tree," he suggested.

"what about taehyung? he's still not here," eri informed. "we should wait for him."

"you're right. so while we're waiting for him, take a picture of me," jimin grinned, dragging the shorter girl with him towards the tree as he gave her his phone and opened the camera application before moving back a couple of steps and standing in front of the christmas tree. "signal!"

eri rolled her eyes playfully as she held the phone up to her face, positioning the camera so both jimin and the tree were visible on screen before she yelled out a "3... 2... 1!"

the male then held a ridiculous pose that made eri embarrassed from the stares coming their way but she shook it off and helped her frenemy take good pictures. she believed the reason why half of jimin's photos on his social media weren't half-assed was because she was the one taking them.

"do i look good?" jimin asked, skipping over to see the pictures.

"the christmas tree looks better than you not gonna lie," eri retorted, watching him swipe one picture to the next with a satisfied nod.

the young female blew heat and rubbed her hands to keep herself warm and it didn't go unnoticed by jimin. he kept his phone in his coat's pockets before taking her hand, catching her off guard.

"what are you—" she wasn't able to finish her sentence when jimin grabbed a pair of gloves from his bag and help her wear them, making sure each of her fingers was slid correctly through the right finger of the glove. he did the same with her other hand.

"there," he finished. "you should have worn your gloves, idiot," he scolded.

meanwhile, kim taehyung searched for a nice and casual-looking pair of gloves at a nearby souvenir store. he wanted to lend eri one after noticing her bare hands, but he didn't have a spare glove which was why he excused himself to buy one for her, not knowing jimin had already solved the problem.