"You're in early!" Nia cheers, her eyes fixated on the man dressed as a snowman.

Namjoon was sitting on her usual makeup chair, Nia hanging her scarf and coat on the coat hanger near the old wooden door.

"What can I say, employee of the month," he giggled from under the suit, Nia flashing him a cheeky smile before opening the door she had gone through.

"Well, Mr. Snowman I need you out. I gotta change into my suit," she chuckled.

"I see. By the way, before I go out, do you happen to know where we are helping out today?" He asked, his body halfway out the door.

"Orphanage. After Jinnie and his incredible bandmates went on to promote the place they have been having an influx of people going to help. The place wants us to go in and keep the kids entertained while the sponsors for this next donation talk politics. You ready for that?"

Namjoon nodded, walking out the door to wait for her.

They had become closer.

Even if it was only a couple of days, both of them had become close to one another.

Nia wasn't easily comfortable with people, but he had a pleasant personality. He often talked about his work and his adoration for his colleagues, something she found endearing.

Meanwhile, Nia would often complain about her friend and how her actions were slowly starting to scare her.

"I found her writing Namjoon's name all over a notebook yesterday. I thought I was losing it, I mean who wakes up at 6 am just to write someone's name on a notebook?" Nia rambled, both of them heading out the door of the store.

Namjoon felt a shiver run down the back of his spine with those words, his body turning while he adjusted his headpiece to turn with him.

Nia wore her usual old man make-up, a large cape laying on her shoulders.

"For?" Namjoon asked while pointing at the cape.

"The cold. I realize I tend to not wear enough to keep me nice and toasty. Speaking of, isn't it cold in there?" she questioned, Namjoon shaking the massive snowman's head.

"I end up sweating under hear usually. This thing is probably going to be pretty sweaty when I'm done with it," he laughed, Nia putting some distance between them in disgust.

"Nasty. You should probably wash it before turning it in. Speaking of, I heard from the boss that you're leaving soon. I'm guessing you're going to go celebrate the holidays?"

"Yeah. My mom has been nagging at me for not getting there early but after some explaining, she came through," he snickered awkwardly.

"Well, I'm with her. This is no place for a man as old as you to be hanging out in. I mean don't get me wrong, the help is nice and you can do charity at any age, but if it's just for a hobby may I suggest learning how to play an instrument or something?" Nia added.

"Why? You don't want me here anymore?"

"No that's not it. I mean you did break 4 plates the first week here, and the wooden door barely locks anymore since you pulled it out last time, but that's not why. I just thought you should maybe spend more time with these coworkers of yours. You guys seem to be pretty close," Nia suggested, Nia, leading him towards a large parking area.

"Where are we going?" he questioned, Nia taking out some keys from her pocket.

"We're going to the orphanage."

"I know that I mean, why are we at a parking lot?" Namjoon said in a panic.

"We are using the boss' rented van to go. We have to pick up a couple of cakes and refreshments on the way. He told the charity he'd be supplying them, why?"

"Sorry to break it to you bud but I don't have a driver's license."

"YOU WHAT?!"

~

Nia and Namjoon got off the car, popping the trunk of it open and pulling the cakes out, one of the owners of the orphanage greeting them as they arrived.

"Thanks again for bringing us here May," Nia sighed.

"The car is rather nice, don't you think?" Namjoon whispered while holding some cakes for Nia.

"Tell me about it. May may not look it but she comes from a rich family. She bought the NEXO car after BTS promoted it. She didn't even blink when putting down the payment for it," Nia mumbled back, placing an unsuspecting smile on her face when her friend turned back to say goodbye.

"That's why it looked familiar," Namjoon thought to himself, following the orphanage volunteers inside the building.

It was a large place, a bit old but nothing a fresh coat of paint couldn't fix.

Walking into the dining area, Namjoon was surprised to see how new it looked, two large long wooden tables on either side of the hall, many chairs positioned on either side of them.

"Wow," he slightly gasped, Nia patting his back while pushing him towards a table at the far back of the dining room.

"They remodeled this place for the kids. They wanted enough space so that none of them need to eat on the floor," Nia said sadly, placing a cake on the huge table they had arrived to.

"The cold floor isn't that comfortable to eat on," she muttered to herself, Namjoon turning to look at her softened expression.

There was a sense of melancholy coming from it, her eyes dropping down while making the makeup crinkle at the ends of her eyes.

"You okay Nia?" Namjoon asked, Nia, nodding at him while sighing, a large smile replacing her previous gloomy appearance.

"Let's get at it then, these kids won't feed themselves," she cheered.

Namjoon followed along, both of them running back and forth to slice the cake and hand out drinks. It took them about an hour to set up, Nia finally sitting down on a chair in a small corner of the large room, well-dressed people trickling in from the main orphanage entrance.

The kids went first, lining up in front of Nia with wide smiles on their faces. It broke Namjoon's heart seeing their wide eyes amazed at a costume that just about any teenager could come up with, all of them hopeful of gifts to come.

"Hey Jun, come here, I need you to write down names and wishes okay?" Nia ordered, her voice an octave lower than it normally was.

Without blinking an eye he ran to her side, Nia handing him a clipboard with a list of names on them, the first one on the list being familiar.

"Yoojin- wait, isn't this that kid that-"

Looking up, Namjoon was surprised to see the young kid Nia had given food to the first time Namjoon helped out on a charity. 

He seemed less timid than before, the young boy smiling brightly as he walked up to Nia, his clothes oddly fitted to his body, obviously, a couple sizes too big.

It went smoothly, the rest of the charity, Namjoon, and Nia leaning on each other for help whenever the suits became too warm. The time past by faster than Namjoon thought, Nia's deep "santa-voice" the only thing making himnlaigh and keeping him entertained.

Walking outside, Nia took out a bag, handing Namjoon a tiny container.

They had both walked onto the balcony that connected to the dining room, Nia's nose becoming pink almost instantly.

"What's this?" Namjoon asked, Nia placing her Santa mittens in her suit pocket.

"Lunch. We've been here a while and we need to eat too. I made some food in the morning and was hoping you'd be okay with letting me make a meal for you," she mumbled, opening the lid of the remaining container in her hands.

"So that's why you asked me if I had any food allergies or food I didn't eat. Makes sense."

Taking out a pair of chopsticks and a spoon from a ziplock bag, Nia handed Namjoon the spoon and began to eat away at the rice.

Namjoon stood silent, unsure of what to do. He wasn't willing to take his suit off just yet, less of course in such a public place.

Nia looked up at him between bites, confused at first, before sighing heavily to herself.

"You really don't want to let me see your face, hu?"

Namjoon chuckled awkwardly, confirming Nia's suspicion.

"It's okay. I'll go in as soon as I'm done and you can go off to that corner to eat," she suggested, pointing at one side of the balcony that was off sight from the windows that gave ample view from inside the dining room, out.

"Tell me. Why isn't that you like Jin so much? I've been curious to know how your whole delusion began," Namjoon said, wanting to make small talk while he waited for her to finish.

"Delusion? Well, I guess you could call it that. Hm... I don't know to be fair. It just...suddenly happened. Unlike May who counts down to the second in which she fell in love with Namjoon, I never really... Cared as much for the exact time. I just know it happened during December...after...some-"

Nia's eyes began fidgeting like she was struggling for the right words to use.

"Some- things happened and I came across him and his group. He was a source of comfort for me," Nia admitted.

"Enough for you to be quote on quote be in love with him?"

"The thing is Jungi, that man holds the power to make me feel confident. He makes me feel like I can be myself with no judgment whatsoever. He is like me, underappreciated and undervalued. There aren't many of us who cheer him on, but those who do exist, well, we cheer him on hard enough for nobody to notice our absence. In your eyes, my oppa will never hear our words, but in my heart, I know he does," Nia smile, closing up the container of food and placing it in the bag she had taken it out of.

"I'll go back in to help set up for the kids' dinner. When you're done with the food put the container in here," Nia added, handing him the bag before walking back into the orphanage.

"Oppa. Jin really wouldn't mind hearing that from you," Namjoon mumbled to himself.

~

Namjoon and Nia sat silently inside the public bus, Nia's head resting on Namjoon's shoulder tiredly.

They had spent almost all day at the orphanage, Nia running from kid to kid while Namjoon kept most of the children away from the sweets that would keep their batteries going all through the night. It had been fun, Namjoon spending some time away from his members didn't mean he was completely free from stress, but it was fun. Seeing her struggle to keep her fake voice act, seeing the children pull at her fake hair, and having a nice chat with the adults from time to time made him feel fulfilled.

"I promise I'm not trying to be creepy Jun," Nia mumbled between a tired yawn.

"I'm just so sleepy, I can't keep my eyes open," she sighed, Namjoon nodding inside the suit.

"I get it. You did so much today," he said, looking down at his watch from inside the suit.

By now most of his members would be packing to head to their families for the holidays, Namjoon hoping his plane ticket had been booked and that he didn't forget his passport like he did the last time.

The ride to the shop was quiet, the sound of holiday music playing at every stop they made. Nia had fallen asleep on his shoulder, his heart beginning to pump hard. He was nervous, he thought, nervous about getting caught. But the way she laid there, so peaceful and exhausted, there was not a single trace of her fangirling ways.

Finally making it to the mall's stop, Namjoon slowly titled Nia's head to wake her up, both of them quickly getting off the bus and onto the snowy side walk.

"You headed to see your family now?" Nia smiled as they walked towards the small toy shop.

"Yeah. I'll probably be with them by tomorrow morning. My flight is at an odd hour," he admitted.

"Well, I wish you good luck Jun and happy holidays," Nia chuckled out.

"Thank you. I also wish you happy holidays."

◈◈◈◈◈

I know this chapter is shorter than my usual chapters, but I'm tired, and it's late, and the next chapters will be a real treat so cut me some slack.

Marili Cruz
~♡~