☾✰
I explicitly remember Felix saying he wouldn't be able to sleep last night. Now either he was a full blown liar, or he just looks good naturally any day, no matter how much sleep he gets.
I'd like to believe it was the latter, but it just goes to show how God having favorites was actually a thing.
Now my eyes were torn open with Felix sleeping right next to me, his arm locking me against his body.
What I had concluded from this was that Lee Felix was a total snuggler.
As much as I wanted to rip his arm off, the boy looked so ethereal in his slumber, it'd be a shame to wake him up after all I put him through last night. I turn to the side and decide to inspect the details on his face. Of course I felt guilty, our faces were literally inches apart, but at the same time I wanted to stare at him.
Felix. Out of all people, why did you befriend me? You have your whole gang, you have the entire school, you could have anyone you want, yet here you are trying to console a freak like me. Why go through such lengths?
I hadn't taken into account how long I had been absorbed into my thoughts before Felix's eyes slowly unraveled themselves, and the first thing he saw was me.
Gasping, I hid myself underneath the covers only for Felix to pull them back down. "Why are you hiding?" he asks mindlessly, the rasp in his voice apparent. It was my first time hearing his morning voice and I'd be lying if I said it bore no effect.
"You're right, what a blessing it is to wake up to me." I say, trying to rid his arm off of me.
"Glad you're the first face I get to see first thing in the morning. Now my day will go great," he responds, not releasing himself and my efforts go to vain.
"Get your arm off me."
"Merry Christmas fools!" Jisung swings the door open and shrieks once he sees the sight of us.
We instantly get up, but Jisung beats us to our explanation. "What the fuck were you guys doing last night?! I know Christmas is supposed to have miracles, but couldn't you guys have done it somewhere else?" He blabbers in one breath.
Felix looked just as flustered as I did. "It's not what it looks like—"
"Oh I'm sure. Why are you two sharing a—"
The misunderstanding was pitiful, and Jisung's loud voice was probably heard by everyone already. "Jisung," I start. "We were just watching a movie last night, and happened to fall asleep."
He raises a brow skeptically, how dramatic. "Oh, is that so?"
"Yes. It's definitely not what you think it was," I said solemnly. This wasn't really the best way to start off the morning.
The squirrel like boy stared at me with his widened eyes, blinking profusely. "Well if you say so, but you two should hurry down or we'll open gifts without you." he says and leaves.
I wasn't expecting anything really today. I mean gifts? Were actually people who put effort it finding well thought out gifts anymore?
The only person who had really attempted to get me presents throughout the years was Ivy, when she wasn't on vacation with her own family.
All I really wanted to do was dive back into bed and sleep for 2 days straight. Now that would be a real Christmas gift.
"Are you mad?" I hear Felix softly ask.
"Why would I be?"
"Sorry for that whole misunderstanding, and—" I watch his face turn away, but that didn't conceal the pink shade painted on his ears. "—For sleeping next to you. I fell asleep without realizing."
Frankly, it was odd watching Felix act so embarrassed when he talks so flirtatiously and bold half the time. It was amusing. Sometimes I forget under that flirty attitude, lies a small and shy chick.
"I was asleep to even acknowledge most of it, so don't worry," I attempt to reassure the boy as his face lit up again and turned my way. "Not an excuse for you to do it again, though," I say as he chuckles.
Grabbing my wrist, he ushers, "Let's just go, I can't wait to see who got what."
~~
"So, what did you salvages get me?" Minho joyfully hummed as he carefully inspected the gifts dispersed along the ground.
We had all gathered in the living room where the hung lights managed to look as gleaming as ever, and mountains of presents waited under the Christmas tree. It sure was exciting, I was eager to see what everyone else received.
Of course I wondered what I would get too, but I'd be fine with anything really, even if the gift wasn't intended for me.
"Okay Jisung!" Minho clapped his hands. "Because of my great decision making skills, I shall allow my virtue and kindness to collect whatever benevolent offering you have presented before me."
We all just looked at him as he cheekily smiled, while Jisung looked as clueless as ever. "I have no idea what that means, but if you're choosing my gift, then Merry Christmas Minho!"
Minho happily unwraps the neatly decorated package, but his smile disappeared so fast, as if it was never there.
"Wow, chicken breast." He deadpanned. "Just what I needed. It's not like there was a specific coat I wanted and ranted about for weeks," he grit his teeth.
"I'm glad you liked it!" Jisung slapped his back, and I could visibly see the silent fumes raging out of Minho.
It was okay though, we all had a laughing fit about it.
Gifts passed on and on until it was just the 4 of us left. After Minho's whole fiasco, everyone just selected gifts at random.
When it came down to my turn, Chan tugs at my wrist before I could reach for a gift. I tilted my head, confused. Was I not meant to get a gift today? Maybe this whole thing was just between them, of course I wasn't included. I was a mere outsider in their circle.
As much as I tried to get myself to understand, I couldn't help but feel upset inside. Was I too ahead of myself? Well this was just embarrassing.
However, that was just my unresolved overthinking because Felix grabbed a rather small box and walked over towards me. I sat in silence, swallowing a lump in my throat as the boy with sparkling eyes sat right in front, reaching for my hands.
"I'm not sure how Christmas works in your family," he begins and clears his throat, "But I hope you enjoyed spending the holidays with us. Merry Christmas, Hailee!"
Felix hands me the box, and I don't hesitate to open it. Inside was the most exquisite item I had probably ever laid my hands on.
It was musical trinket box, a daffodil-like yellow painted one, with petals and stems patched over it. After opening the trinket box, an unfamiliar melody begins to play as two figures, a girl and a boy, rotated along it while holding hands.
I sat there, not moving, but just gazing at the gift in my hands. What words were there to describe how I felt, heck what should I even say!
This wasn't gratitude, though appreciation was prevalent, but the trinket box in my hand sent tingling works spiraling all around my body as I wanted to dance in gleam.
I also wanted to cry.
I had no idea someone would pick out something so thought out for me, even if this was just something plucked last minute. I couldn't care less because I couldn't even remember the last time anyone chose something so meaningful enough to cherish. My first true Christmas gift in years.
"Do you like it?" Felix asks with uncertainty.
"I love it, gosh, I love it so much to the point where I don't even know what to say!" I blurted.
I turn to him, in which he wielded a bright smile to my response. "I'm glad you do, Hae. I designed it all out just for you, including the two figures there," he points and my eyes widen. A whole treasure.
"Such lovebirds," I hear Changbin purr, but I decide to ignore it.
"By the way, what song is being played?" I gesture to the music box. It was catchy for sure, but I don't think I ever heard of it.
"It's the melody of a song called 'Phobia.' It's very expressive, I can assure."
Phobia. Definitely a title that's worth my intrigue, especially after Felix's decision to use it.
I felt awkward because my gift of a scented candle would go to Felix. He gave me such a beaming gift, while on the other hand, he gets a golden cherry rose candle. My present was inferior in every way, but Felix somehow turned things in a positive direction.
"Sweet! I've been looking for just the right scent to place in my room, I love it. Thanks, Hae!" He beams, and I smile, watching him sniff the candle over and over again.
Everyone, with the exception of Minho, seemed rather pleased with their presents. Nevertheless, the moments I had spent with them devoted so much smiling, and cackling because of just how chaotic they are.
I complained last night about the cruelty of never celebrating Christmas properly with a family, but today, here I was.
I discovered a family of friends who had accepted and welcomed me in, helping me forget my worries and the awful situation back at home, and none of them even knew. I found a group that didn't care about my depressing aura, but rather changed my energy into an enthusiastic one.
It was truly a Christmas miracle.
~~
"Hey Hae Hae!" Felix leaps towards me, as he swings his arm around my shoulder.
It's become a daily routine to face this greeting as I walk to school, not that I was complaining. I've gotten used to Felix's enthusiastic approaches.
"Someone's gotten too comfortable," I push his arm off me, "And stop calling me that. It sounds so brutally awful."
"I think it has a nice ring to it," he shrugs, "And of course I've gotten comfortable! We literally slept with each other," he rejoiced, earning the stares of people we walked passed as I tried to hide my face in my palms.
"Could you keep it down?! That sounds so wrong and off from what actually happened." I whisper yelled.
"That's why I said it," he winks.
It's been almost two months since the whole Christmas event, marveling how quickly time washed through us.
Ever since then, I've become more alert in my house.
God knows how I managed to come back to that traumatizing thing I call home, but my mother and I exchanged very few words with each other.
The only escapism I sought was coming to school, maintaining my grades and hanging out with my friends.
Friends. It was such a beautiful word to spell out; I could sing it, hum it, scream it out while spinning around and around. Certainly a word that now gave me a positive connotation.
It was a signal that I made it. I no longer kept my door locked, I let it creak open enough to let others inside.
"What's making you smile so much, thinking of me?" Felix interrupts my thoughts.
As we enter the school gates, I look at small chunks of ice hanging from tree branches and then up to the clear sky. Something about today felt so right. "Well, you're part of it," I chuckle.
I could feel his eyes peeking at me as I only stared up, "Hailee," he says.
I lower my head, and face him, but he looked at me intently with an earnest expression. "That's me."
"Let's go on a date."
✰➵✰
n o t e s ;
imagine phobia, but like a music box bc that's how hailee's gift sounds like
also also, i wanna publish a new book soon! i'm not sure if i wanna go for enemies to lovers or republish a twin au i was working on.
do you guys have an specific tropes i should write about? i'm down for any suggestions, so lmk please :)