Yeonjun and Beomgyu spend the next few weeks up to Christmas as a fresh start. The elder is reintroduced to his parents, who's attitude is new and improved, welcoming him in as if he'd always been part of the family.
Then next to they introduce each other to their friends—the ones they either don't know yet, or don't know well. And it turns out Yeonjun does have more than just Soobin, though limited as he keeps his friend group surprisingly small.
Beomgyu keeps his promise to Hueningkai too, spending more time with him instead of going weeks without seeing him. He's made fast friends with Yeonjun and the two have a thing together where they prank Beomgyu. One of the downsides to introducing your boyfriend to friends, he's noted, is that they can betray you.
But he's happy with the small pranks when it means spending more time with the people he loves. Taehyun visits more now, and Beomgyu visits him back.
One of the first things his little brother said to him when he knew he wasn't moping over Yeonjun anymore was that he knew Beomgyu wouldn't keep such a thing from him, chuckling mischievously. Beomgyu pouted before his lips betrayed him and he smiled.
Of course he wouldn't, they tell each other almost everything... remember?
And regarding Yeonjun's parents' house, there's a cycle of endless convincing. First, Beomgyu convinces Yeonjun to use some of earnings to stop the eviction—arguing that he wouldn't have earned what he did if it wasn't for Yeonjun's help—and then the elder has to convince his mother.
Yeonjun was right, his mother is incredibly stubborn and controlled by guilt when it comes to accepting money. Even from her own son it was a hassle getting her to accept it. Yeonjun eventually put his foot down and said for her to take it and that he wants her to because it's his house too, the one he grew up in, and he doesn't want to lose it.
But it worked in the end and time seemed to be moving fast.
Five days before Christmas, the couple are at Yeonjun's parents' house. His mother ( Hyeon-Nam, she said her name is) sits them down at the dining room table with a box of arts and crafts, insisting they help her with her Christmas cards and make their own while they're here.
"Mom, people don't give each other cards anymore," Yeonjun says through a pout as he sticks a sequin where she instructed him to.
Beomgyu looks up at him from where he's gluing a cut out of a tree onto the card he's constructing, a small smile on his lips. Yeonjun's far from happy, sulking at his mother who turns at him and gently slaps his shoulder.
"What do you mean? You used to take them into class every year as a kid!" She points at the unmade cards on the table, blank sheets of white, voice high with offence.
"You said it'd help me make friends!"
Beomgyu snickers quietly to himself, eyes flickering between the pair. Yeonjun resembles his father more than his mother, but it's clear who he gets his temperament from.
Speaking of, Yeonjun's father, Gil-Sung, appears from his room, walking towards the table they're all sat at. He's a lot healthier now, face a nice tan instead of a sickly pale and his bubbly personality returned.
The eldest of them gestures vaguely for Beomgyu to shuffle his chair over so he can pull out the one next to him and then takes a seat once he does, exhaling as he examines the mess in front of them.
"Here," Hyeon-Nam breaks from her debate with Yeonjun to hand her husband a card, pointing a finger at the card then him. "You can make the Lees' a card since you haven't made up with Sara's husband yet."
Gil-Sung mutters something under his breath that Beomgyu can't make out and Yeonjun's mother yells at him, daring him to repeat himself. Gil-Sung grins and then tells her, "I said you look pretty," and she melts, smiling as she smears glue onto her card.
Gil-Sung meets Beomgyu's eyes and winks. "That's how you keep a relationship strong."
"Just make your card!" Hyeon-Nam drops some glitter and glue in front of her husband, huffing as their eyes meet.
.•° ✿ °•.
Two days before Christmas, or Christmas Eve-Eve as Yeonjun calls it, their closer friends join them for lunch at their apartment—Beomgyu asked Yeonjun to move in pretty quickly since they'd already spent months living together before they were in a relationship.
Beomgyu hands Hueningkai, Soobin, and Taehyun their cards the couple made for them when they were at Yeonjun's parents, and the three all open them and compare the short messages written inside while they together.
"You can tell which ones mine because the handwritings nicer," Yeonjun comments as he stirs the hotpot, that has tendrils of heat emanating from it, and smirks at Beomgyu who's sitting on the other side of the table.
Beomgyu spares him a glare, huffing and reading Hueningkai's with him. "No, you will not be pranking me on Christmas!" he yells when he reads the P.S note Yeonjun included below the general message.
The two chuckle and say in union, "we won't!" but the knowing looks the give each other state otherwise.
"Just hurry up and eat." Beomgyu sulks, pointing towards the hotpot with his chopsticks. "Other-wise I'll unleash Euncha on you two when she gets here."
"Euncha's coming?" Taehyun chimes in with a question, stealing a slice of beef he'd seen the ever-quiet Soobin fishing for. He laughs when the older glares at him.
"Yeah, we're going last-minute shopping together." He shrugs his confirmation, nonchalant, then shoves food into his mouth, sauce dripping down his chin.
Yeonjun fills the bowl in front of Beomgyu with food before he takes some tissue from the kitchen roll he knew to bring and wipes the younger's chin.
"Gross," Taehyun comments, receiving a hum of agreement from Soobin and Kai.
"Can I come with you?" Soobin speaks up after placing his chopsticks down and grabbing his fizzy drink. "I haven't bought Yeonjun anything yet."
"What!"
"Sure, we can help you look." The two ignore the astonishment on Yeonjun's face, wide eyes and open mouth as he gawks.
"Thanks, that be great!" Soobin grins, gulping down a few mouthfuls of his drink, then wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
"Been my friend for years and you leave it two days before Christmas to buy me a gift..." Yeonjun mutters to himself as he nudges the food in his own bowl, searching for a piece of beef and pouting. "I should send yours back."
The four around him chuckle at him, grinning away while they eat.
.•° ✿ °•.
"Soobin, Euncha. Euncha, Soobin." Beomgyu gestures to each individual as he introduces them where they'd met her outside of his apartment.
Luckily it hasn't snowed the last few days because Beomgyu chose an outfit that wasn't cold weather appropriate and goosebumps are running down his bare arms from the crisp air alone.
The more social one—Euncha—sticks her hand out and Soobin awkwardly accepts it. "You work with Yeonjun, right?"
"I do... but don't listen to anything he says, I promise I'm a nice person!" She rushes out her planned defence, shaking Soobin's hand.
Beomgyu raises an inquisitive brow, the whole thing is awkward and weird. He doesn't even greet new people like that and he's the type expected to.
Soobin chuckles as he frees his hand. "Don't worry, he tells me nice things."
"Really?" Her eyes widen and he skips to keep up with the much taller two when they start walking.
"Yeah, he only ever says nice things about all of you."
Beomgyu's interest is spiked and he turns his head to Soobin. "What does he say about me?"
Soobin turns to Beomgyu and pouts. "Nope, I'm not telling you anything." He swiftly faces away from him, crossing his arms and sticking out his bottom lip petulantly.
"Soobin Hyung, I have a right to know!" Beomgyu argues, grabbing onto Soobin's arm.
"Yeah, Soobin, Beomgyu has a right to know!" Euncha quickly picks sides, joining in with Beomgyu's whiny pitch of voice.
"Yeah, Soobin, I have a right to know!" Beomgyu repeats, tugging on the tallest's arm. He tries to get the elder to look at his big, pleading eyes because everyone falls victim to them but Soobin keeps his eyes focused on the direction they're all still walking in.
"You two are insufferable." Soobin sighs and slides his eyes from left to right, from Beomgyu to Euncha. "No wonder Yeonjun warmed me." He smirks as the other two gasp and clasp a hand over their mouths.
"No way!" Euncha gawks, eyes flitting to Beomgyu's.
"That bitch!" Beomgyu jokes, mouth still dropped open in shock.
.•° ✿ °•.
Christmas is spent at Beomgyu's parent's, they invite round Yeonjun's immediate family to join them too, who arrive with a small present for each of them.
"We have the rest of your stuff at home but because the invite was a little late we didn't want to bring yours and Beomgyu's stuff when he only managed to get the others these," Yeonjun's mother whispers to his ear as his dad heads inside with the gifts, struggling to see in front of him.
Beomgyu notices and helps guide him so that he doesn't trip on anything, taking his jacket off that's covered in snow as he leads him to sit in front of the fireplace.
"That'll keep you warm..." Yeonjun hears him saying before he remembers he was mid-conversation with his mother.
Yeonjun chuckles at her and grabs her hand. "You know you didn't have to get us anything! We're fine as is."
His mother scoffs in reply, "it's Christmas, do you really expect me to show up empty handed?" She tuts and dismisses him with a swat of her hand as he walks further into the house, shrugging off her own coat.
Yeonjun scoffs in amusement, following after her. "Of course not."
The first introduction of each other's parents is inevitability awkward, Hyeon-Nam not shying away from checking over the man she heard rejected her son with a judgemental glare, but she smiles and introduces herself kindly.
She holds out their gifts in both hands, waiting for them to accept them, misjudging how much younger Beomgyu's brother is because Taehyun receives a nerf gun and a sheepish look. "Sorry... I expected you to be younger."
Taehyun laughs as he accepts it, scrunching up the wrapping paper in his hands. "Oh, no need to apologise, I'll definitely be using this." He eyes Beomgyu who can already feel the ghost of bruises from the nerf bullets.
Beomgyu's eyes sharpen. "Try it Taehyun and I'll remind you how scary and older sibling can be."
Taehyun levels the box at Beomgyu, pretending to shoot him like the daredevil he is at times.
"Okayyy, why don't we get our presents, cub?" Yeonjun asks to disperse the tension in the younger's eyes, clutching his shoulders from behind.
Beomgyu looks at his boyfriend from over his shoulder and hums, short and confused. "I thought we were waiting 'til after dinner to give everyone their gifts?"
"We are, but we might as well get them now." Yeonjun smiles and guides Beomgyu towards the front door, leaving the their parents and Taehyun alone.
"All my nerf guns are stored in the attic but that won't stop me from bringing them all down if he wants to wage a war!" Beomgyu's still on the topic of fighting his brother with toy guns when they're collecting the gifts from the car boot, frustrated pout on his lips.
Yeonjun exhales in amusement. "And I'm sure you'd win... but he's clearly messing around, I don't see why you're letting him get to you."
Beomgyu turns his body to face Yeonjun, feet crunching in the snow and briefly staring down at one of the larger presence in his hands. He pouts as glances up to find Yeonjun's awaiting gaze. "You don't have siblings, Jun, you don't get it."
The elder chuckles at him, cheeks the colour pink from the cold weather and a mist of breath forming in front of him, only for it to quickly disappear . "Fine... the. if you want to shoot him, I'll support you."
He smiles softly at his boyfriend then adds, "I'll even be on your team if you need help." Yeonjun kisses his forehead and then he walks passed Beomgyu and towards the house, the delicate branches of snow breaking under his feet and leaving behind a trail of footprints.
"Of course you'd be on my team," Beomgyu says, perplexed, spinning on his heels so he doesn't lose sight of Yeonjun. "Wait, we're you not going to be on my team!" He begins walking after his boyfriend, pace fast.
.•° ✿ °•.
The Christmas dinner is quite possibly the best one Yeonjun's ever had and once he's finished, he slumps back in his chair, patting his stomach, satisfied. Beomgyu gives him a questionable glance before snorting at him and patting his stomach lightly too to show Yeonjun he feels the same. It's clear his parents are questioning his boyfriends behaviour but they're polite enough to try keep the gazes subtle and make no comments as they go back to their food.
Taehyun's already finished his and he offers to take his brother's and Yeonjun's plates to the sink along with his own, the purple party hat he won from the Christmas crackers on his head.
"Thanks," Beomgyu mutters, passing his and Yeonjun's plate to Taehyun and deciding that he may not shoot his brother out of annoyance anymore.
He stares at Yeonjun's side profile as he discuss the drama he and Beomgyu's mother are watching. The one Beomgyu has seen a million times because of her and now plus one time because of Yeonjun.
Despite the hatred he's built up for the drama, seeing his mother and his boyfriend talk about it so happily, expressive reactions whenever a big scene is mentioned, makes him happy. Smiling to himself widely as his eyes flicker between them.
When the conversation lulls, he tugs on Yeonjun's arm discreetly and whispers in his ear. "Should we get their presents now?"
"Now?" Yeonjun checks over the table where the slowest of eaters, Byungho and Hyeon-Nam are still eating.
"Yeah, they'll be done by the time we get them from the tree." They'd shoved them there so curious minds couldn't grab at them and figure out which one is their's.
"C'mon." Beomgyu takes Yeonjun's hand without waiting for an answer and leads him to the living room. He's most excited to see Yeonjun's reaction to the gift Beomgyu got him, the small envelope sitting in his right pocket.
It's almost too cosy in the living room, stockings hung up above the fireplace along with the fairy lights and polaroids Taehyun pinned up between each of the stockings.
The lights of the Christmas tree shine a mixture of green and red, tinsel spun around the tree and decorated with an insane amount of borbals. (Props to Beomgyu who insisted on putting some up himself. He has Yeonjun as a helping hand too though.)
He kind of wants to forget the whole plan and sit on the cream couch in front of the fireplace, throw the blanket that's currently on the back of it over them and cuddle into each other while watching a movie.
Too bad he can't because he still has presents to give and stories to hear from those waiting at the dining table. If he listens closely, past the awkward silence of the dining table, he can hear Taehyun washing the dishes, probably to avoid the lingering tension.
After giving everyone their presents, and receiving their own, Beomgyu's fingers hook around the white envelope in his pocket.
He turns to Yeonjun who's sipping on some white wine that was provided with the food from earlier. Beomgyu snorts as Yeonjun screws his face involuntary at the taste, then meets eyes with Beomgyu, sheepishly smiling.
"Keep forgetting you don't like it or something?" Beomgyu chuckles. His fingers tap against the envelope, trying to decide when he should give it to him.
"I was thirsty... but yeah," he admits with a quiet laugh, eyes trailing over Beomgyu. Yeonjun cheeks are a dusted rose, this time a causation of alcohol in his system and not the cold.
He slips his hand down Beomgyu's arm, searching for his hand. The younger's forced to let go of the envelope to accept it, clasping their hands together, fingers interlocked.
"Pretty," he mutters for only Beomgyu to hear and earns the blush he wanted.
"I got you a present," Beomgyu admits and Yeonjun tilts his head in confusion.
"We already gave each other our–"
"I know, but I wanted to give you this one later." Yeonjun raises his eyebrows, smirking. "Not that kind!" Beomgyu pulls his hand away to slap his shoulder and shoved it into his pocket. He reveals the envelop to Yeonjun, who furrows his brows at it, questioning what it could be.
Hesitantly, he takes the envelope from Beomgyu and tips it open—he tried not to rip it but it was glued down too firmly.
"Beomgyu, are you serious!" Yeonjun's eyes widen and he shows the two holiday tickets to the curious others in the room, without breaking eye contact with Beomgyu.
Beomgyu nods and accepts Yeonjun's embrace when he dives in and wraps his arms around him tightly.
"You're insane. My boyfriend is a crazy person," he says into Beomgyu's neck, breath hot against his skin. Beomgyu chuckles, his own breath fanning softly against Yeonjun's fluffy, black hair.
✿ End of Part 39 ✿