Chapter 25

"Jaehyun-ah, what did Irene-noona say? Where are they?" Taeyong asked, rushing from the kitchen to the dining room.

Jaehyun stood up and kept his phone, "She told me that they were stuck in traffic, and that they were running late."

Taeyong sighed, "Could you please call Mark? He's in his room."  He said.

Jaehyun complied and went upstairs to call Mark. He knocked on the door and Mark opened it.

"Hyung?" He yawner.

Jaehyun noticed that he looked like he just woke up. "Come downstairs. It's almost midnight." He smiled.

Mark went to the washroom and washed his face. He wiped his face and went back to Jaehyun who was waiting for him outside his room. "Is everyone there already?"

"Not really. Just the guys. Irene-noona and the girls are still on their way." Jaehyun said, walking behind him.

"I'm not surprised." Mark sighed.

"Me too." The older laughed. "Did you just wake up?"

The younger nodded, "I was staring at the ceiling until I fell asleep. I was too tired doing nothing." He shrugged.

They went downstairs and noticed that they were already there.

"Oh, there's Jaehyun and Mark." Wendy said.

Taeyong clapped his once, they were finally there. They're all complete. Well, minus one. They're supposed to be twenty three.

"It's 11:59!" Yeri shrieked, looking at her phone.

"10!!" They all started to count down.

Mark just watched them in amusement, not bothering to join them.

"9!!"

He laughed, upon seeing some of his hyungs' reaction. They were hitting each other with empty bottles.

"8!!"

"7!!"

"6!!"

"5!!"

He closed his eyes and silently made a wish. Wherever she is, I hope she's doing fine. I hope she's always smiling and happy even if I'm not the one making her happy...

"4!!"

"3!!"

"2!!"

Merry Chrisrmas, baby....

"1!!"

This is supposed to be our first Christmas together. I wish you were here, Jung Eunmi....

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!!" They all greeted each other.

He smiled, as a tear escaped his eye. He excused himself to go to the washroom, leaving the others in total confusion.

"Why is he back to being quiet?" Seulgi asked.

"He told me he just woke up..." Jaehyun shrugged.

"I don't believe that it's because he just woke up... I believe it's more than that.." Doyoung said.

The others nodded, "We all know that it's about something he doesn't want to talk about...." Ten said.

***

"Can you guys pick up your things? I'm so tired cleaning after you guys..." Taeyong sighed, lying down on the couch, covering his eyes with his arm.

"Honestly same here..." Jaehyun said.

They all laughed.

"Arasseo, hyung!" The maknaes immediately picked up the paper plates that were scattered on the floor and threw it on the garbage bag.

Taeyong's eyes widened when he saw that the floor was already clean. "Can you be like Chenle and Jisung here? Just for once?" He sighed.

Jeno laughed, "Taeyong-hyung, mianhae..."

"Anyways, time to give gifts!!!" Taeyong bolted up and reached for his gifts for everyone that was under the Christmas tree.

He looked for the gift that he was meant to give to that someone he picked for their exchange gift. "Ah, here." He said, finally seeing the familiar gift wrapper.

"Jisungie, Merry Christmas!" He handed the younger a box that was elegantly wrapped.

Jisung laughed, seeing the girly wrapping style his hyung made. "Thank you, Taeyong-hyung."

The older smiled and placed the other gifts on the table, "Each one of you has your names on a present. Find yours." He laughed.

The others groaned, finding it impossible because there were too many of them.

"Who did Chenle pick?" Lucas asked out of the blue. "Chenle's gifts are always the best!"

"Why me?" Chenle laughed.

"Because you're rich." Jisung laughed.

The older laughed, "I'm not!"

"Yeah because you basically ditched the dorm for the house your parents bought? Mhm.. thought so too. You aren't rich, Lele. Cause you're damn rich." Jaemin scoffed.

The maknaes, plus the 00 liners live in a dorm near the university they're all attending to. Jaemin and Haechan are the ones in charge of cooking. Jisung is the one in charge of washing the dishes. Jeno is in charge of the trash. Renjun (together with Chenle before he left their dorm) is in charge in taking their clothes to the laundry shop.

Chenle rolled his eyes, "It was my parents' plan! Do you guys think I have a choice?" He laughed afterwards. He sighed, lifting a paper bag up. "Yeri-noona, Merry Christmas!"

"Yeri-noona is the lucky one!" Haechan said, dancing the key part of a song.

Yeri laughed and reached for the paper bag Chenle gave her. She bowed and smiled, "Thank you, Lele!"

She opened the paper bag and her eyes widened when she saw what's inside the paper bag. "Holy mother of cheesecake..."

"What's inside?" Taeyong asked.

Yeri lifted a box— a Cartier box, to be exact.

Their eyes widened, "What the fudge..." Mark gasped.

She opened the box and saw a bracelet. It was made out of white gold, with a diamond on the middle, and her name engraved at the back of it. Yeri.

"My mom bought that since I had no idea what to buy for noona." Chenle laughed.

Zhong Chenle is indeed, one of a kind.

"But that's roughly around $40,000?! Not won, but dollars?!" Johnny exclaimed.

"Chenle– I'm–" Yeri was still shocked.

Chenle just smiled. "Thank my mom, not me." He giggled.

Mark tried to calculate the value of the bracelet. His eyes just widened when the value became bigger than he expected. Well, as expected from Chenle.

They all handed out gifts for each others, but Mark was wondering why Jaehyun was receiving a lot of gifts.

"Oppa, give this to her when she arrives." Yeri smiled, handing a wrapped box to Jaehyun. The older just nodded.

Then it hit him. Of course. Her.

Jaehyun nodded, "Of course. I'll tell her if she's online." He smiled.

"Hyung..." Mark approached him.

"Hm?" Jaehyun asked,  not bothering to look at Mark since he was busy placing the gifts inside a huge plastic bag.

"Have you talked to her?" Jaehyun turned around and looked at Mark. "She's not answering my calls, hyung.. is everything alright?" He asked.

Jaehyun's eyes widened. How could that be possible? Eunmi isn't also responding to any of his text messages and calls.

The older sighed and patted his shoulder. "I'll talk to her." I'll try.

"Gomawo, hyung..."

—tbc.