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Soobin should have been more careful. If Taehyun were here, he'd most definitely have scolded the entire crap out of Soobin for being so stupid.
Choi Soobin knew he should have hidden the gift better. Or put it in a bigger box, so that his gift was, you know, easier to spot? Instead, he'd chosen to keep it tiny, wrapping the little ring box with nothing more than a layer of wrapping paper, before placing it under the Christmas tree. Now, he truly wanted nothing more than to whack his own head. The rest of the day had gone perfectly — Yeonjun didn't screw up the turkey, he hadn't screwed up the biscuits, or any of the apple pie that Yeonjun liked to eat so much. He'd gotten the exact presents that Yeonjun wanted, a new perfume, a vinyl record (that took Soobin 3 months of lurking on ebay just to find) along with a new vinyl player, just so he could have a spare if he ever needed it. And Yeonjun had gotten him the newest Playstation 5, along with a couple of games that Soobin couldn't wait to try with him and the other beagles. They'd also gotten tickets to see the next Zootopia movie, which only seemed fitting given their online nickname of Nickjudyz. (He knew Yeonjun had been dying to watch it together ever since it came out, and honestly he couldn't wait to see it either.)
"Yeah? I'm here, mom?" Shoot. Of course he was taking a call from Eomma Malsun in another room. (they'd taken to calling one another's parents that ever since that Idol Theatre video came out- it only seemed fitting given that they had the same surname, and calling them Eomma *insert actual name* seemed really odd. So fake names it was. ) He did every day, and Soobin was now faced with the ardous task of searching for a ring box in the branches of their obnoxious pink Christmas tree without raising any suspicions, because he was fairly certain the conversation would move back to their living room, and fast. (Unfortunately for him, despite his role as leader, Soobin had always been a terrible liar. He could do it when required, but in front of his members, he was about as opaque as a crystal ball - which was to say he was the easiest to read.) Crud, he really should have put it in a bigger box - but he'd only left it there for a few hurs, how was it possiblee for it to vanish on him like that? The conversation between mother and son continued, all while Soobin scrambled to find the tiny box between the branches, shaking each branch he could find softly. He felt like he was handshaking the tree, which made him feel infinitely stupid - if any of the kids were here, he'd never hear the end of it.
"Healingie, where's Soobinie? I haven't seen him in so long, " Eomma Malsun called out, much to Soobin's fear - without thinking, he abandoned all rational thought and froxe, his limbs thumping softly on the floor, his legs giving way as he flopped down, pretending to meld into the floor.
"Yeah, he's here somewhere - Holiday leave, remember? There's no way he's leaving me alone on Christmas, of all days. He can't even leave me alone on Thanksgiving," Without even looking up, Soobin knew Eomma was shaking her head at her son, " yeah, cause he'd never hear the end of it from you. Holiday or not, that boy spoils you rotten - you better put a ring on his finger soon, Healingie - he's a good one."
"I know, I know - You've told me this at least five times by now, Eomma. We'll get married when we do. We haven't even discussed it fully yet," That was a lie, but somehow Eomma's voice was unintelligible in the next few moments, though Soobin could only guess it was because Yeonjun had lowered the volume for that part of the conversation.
"Yes, ma- I want to get married. And yes, I want to marry Soobin. I know this is the person I want to spend the rest of my life with, I'm sure of it." Soobin feels his heart warming at the mention of that, though heknows its not a stupid topic. They have mentioned it before, and both knew they wanted to marry one another. A timeline, though- that had never been discussed - Soobin could only hope that this would be the right time, once he found the goddamn ring.
He could have sworn that he'd sneaked it in somewhere into the branches of their tree - the tree they'd picked out years ago, because Yeonjun had been adamant that they wouldn't be paying thousands for a damn tree every year - so they;d gone straight to Marshall's to pick a silly plastic one out, along with matching ornaments. Since the pink tree had been the only one remaining, they ended up with a silly pink one (which Yeonjun actually squealed in delight about, because it was somehow just the one that he wanted.) Soobin swears that the look on his face that day was something that he'll never forget - the way his face lit up over something as small as a Christmas tree - he looked like an adorable little cat, and when he turned around to beam at Soobin, Soobin swore he knew it fully in an instant - he was most definitely going to marry Choi Yeonjun.
If only he could find the damned ring. Soobin wasn't entirely sure why Yeonjun had slipped out to answer the call earlier, but now he was heading back to find Soobin, who was currently on the floor. He heard Yeonjun's footsteps track back towards the living room, phone still in hand.
"And yeah, he's here Ma- he's on the floor," Yeonjun says, grinning sappily a his boyfriend as he pans the phone down, so that Soobin is captured. Eomma's face shows up on the screen, smiling warmly at Soobin.
"Happy Christmas, Eomma!" Soobin greeted, smiling back at Eomma Malsun, who beamed fondly.
"Good to see you, Soobin-ah. Happy Christmas to you too! How's your holiday been?"
"It's been amazing, Eomma - It's been an amazing break so far, I'm enjoying my time with Healingie," he glances lovingly up at his boyfriend, who smiles just as sappily back at him. If Beomgyu had been here, he'd have gagged at them, but luckily for all of them, he was too busy with his boyfriends to be here today. "He even got me a Playstation, wanna see?"
Soobin took the phone from Yeonjun, before getting up and moving towards the newly installed Playstation 5.
"Sure, I'd love to see what Healingie got you, " Eomma said, listening patiently as Soobin showed off and explained the gifts theyy got for one another. Once he was done, he asked Eomma Malsun: "How was your holiday?"
Eomma rolled her eyes. "Well, you know how Appa is - not one for festivities, that one - but he did cook dinner, and get me the exact cup I was looking at, and some other nonsense I didn't need. Always wasting money, that one, " She shakes her head, but the fond glint in her eyes and the miniscule curl of her mouth gives her away. Hearing this, Soobin chuckled.
"He just wants you to be happy, Eomma."
"I know," The old lady beams at someone behind the screen, undoubtedly Appa. "But still, fifteen gifts is overkill."
"hey, who's the spoiled one now?" Yeonjun hollers back at Eomma, who just shakes her head at her son.
"Fine, fine, I surrender - I'm just as spoiled as you, okay?"
"Aha!" Yeonjun yelled out, "So you admit it!"
"Yes, yes. I'm spoiled by your Appa too - happy now?" Eomma sighed, resigned. Yeonjun's smile was nearly blinding, much to Soobin's amusement.
"Very," Yeonjun grins, as Soobin pans the phone back to Yeonjun, who'd made a comfy spot on the sofa, sinking back into the velvet couch like a content kitty.
"Ohh, on that topic, Soobinie - have the two of you discussed marriage yet?"
"EOMMA!" Yeonjun shot back from the sofa, inclining forwards in a flurry. "That's private!"
"What, can't a nosy old lady just ask? You didn't give me much of an answer earlier - even Appa agrees, doesn't he?"
"Don't bring me into this!" came the holler from the back, that was followed up by a poignant pause - "But please get married soon!" Hearing this, Soobin lets out a chortle.
"Don't worry, Eomma and Appa, we'll get married soon - couldn't possibly make you guys wait now, could we?" Yeonjun's head snapped up immediately.
"We are?" he asked, slightly confused. He gets up from the sofa abruptly, walking towards Soobin, who glances back at him from the TV. Unfortunately for both of them, Yeonjun is clumsy, and he miscalculates hi walk, banging straight into the obnoxious pink tree.
It was like watching a horror movie unfold in slow motion, the way Yeonjun tripped over, slamming into the tree. The pink monstrosity tips over in slow motion, along with Yeonjun. As the tree cashes onto the ground, a tiny box flies out, sliding across the ground towards where Soobin had been five seconds ago, since he was currently rushing to grab his boyfriend, shielding his face from smashing into the floor after propping the phone up against the Playstation. Luckily, he rushed there on time, though not before Yeonjun caught a glimpse of the tiny, velvet box that flew out of the tree.
"You okay?" Soobin asked, oblivious to Yeonjun's quiet realisation. When Yeonjun didn't reply, Soobin finally followed his line of vision, following it from the fluffy pink tree the small, square velvet box lying metres away. Oh. Oh. "Yeonjun, I - "
"Is that what I think it is?" Yeonjun's voice was fervent, nearly shell-shocked. Soobin scanned his boyfriend's face, and he could only hope his predictions were right. Yeonjun's eyes were moist, nearly shiny - a little scared, a little hesitant, but mainly expectant. His cheeks were flushed, his hair perfectly mussed and messy, making him look softer than he usually does, a side of Yeonjun that only Soobin gets to see most days, a side of him that he wants to see for the rest of his life. He wants to spend every morning with him, that much he knows, All he has to do is make it official. Gently, Soobin distangles himself from Yeonjun, heading towards the ring box.
"Soobin?" Yeonjun's voice this time is soft, nearly excited.
Smiling, Soobin grabs the ring, turning towards Yeonjun, before kneeling down on one knee before him. He can swear he hears a small squeal in the background, and Yeonjun gets up quickly, his hands covering his mouth as he bounces up and down on his heels like a little kid, sending Soobin into chuckles before he can even begin to speak. After he finally regains his composure, Soobin finally begins to speak, praying that he doesn't stutter over the words that he's engraved into his mind for weeks, just for this moment.
Unlike the proposal in his mind, the tree is strewn haphazardly on the floor, and instead of it being an incredibly private moment between them both, Eomma is somewhere in the background, with the phone propped up to witness her one and only son's engagement.
"Choi Yeonjun, from the first day we met, I knew you'd be someone special to me. But not even I could have imagined how overwhelmingly that would be true. You're the first person that I want to see every morning, and the one person I want to see when I end the day every night. Every moment with you feels extraordinary, no matter how mundane it may be— you once told me that we always need a witness in our lives— not just for the milestone moments, but for the ordinary bustle of everyday life — I didn't get it at first, but over the years, I finally understand what you mean. Because I've never been more in love with you than I've ever been in the small moments — hearing you sing in the shower, watching you brush your teeth next to me in the morning, still pouty from being woken up, or when you're sobbing into my shoulder when we're watching a Disney movie or romcoms," Yeonjun let out a wet chuckle hearing that, his eyes brimming with tears by now, his hand slipping off his face to reveal a sappy smile.
" Every moment is special as long as it's spent with you, and I've never been more sure of something in my life. I want to spend the rest of my life next to you, with you. I want to be your sworn witness for the rest of our lives. So with this ring, I need to ask you the question: Choi Yeonjun, will you grant me the honour of being your husband and marry me?"
Yeonjun let out a loud gasp, nodding vigorously, not quite trusting himself with words just yet. Then, he opened his mouth. "yes, YES A MILLION TIMES OVER! I'll marry you, Choi Soobin - I want to be your witness too, for every moment of our lives. I want to watch you while you're playing video games, at you 30th, 40th and 50th birthday with you - I want to be there holding your hair back when you're puking your guts out from either drinking too much or being too sick, I want to be there with you to witness every sunrise and sunset, want to be there with you through thick and thin, until we're grey and old. I promise you, over and over, Choi Soobin, that you are my future. I want to stay with you, even when we're ghosts. I want to spend this lifetime and every lifetime tht follows with you by my side."
Now, it was Soobin's turn to burst into tears as he slipped the ring onto Yeonjun's finger, watching with amusement and fondness as Yeonjun dissolved further into tears as he saw the design of the ring - It was a simple band, with a ruby in the centre, flanked at either side by a blue sapphire and a blue topaz, their birthstones together. As Yeonjun twists the ring, he sees the four letters engraved into the underside of the ring - SB+YJ - their initials, intertwined together.
"Where's yours?" Yeonjun asked, as Soobin slipped a second ring from beneath the plush insert, smiling widely before handing it to Yeonjun. Then, Soobin proffered his hand to his fiance, laughing through tears as a nearly identical ring was slipped onto his ring finger, so that they're matching. Instead of the ruby centre stone, Soobin's one had a moonstone set into it.
Beaming, Yeonjun pulled Soobin up to his feet, pulling him into a close hug, before leaning up to kiss him - Yeonjun's lips tastes like salty tears and cinnamon rolls, along with a hint of peppermint, not unlike their first kiss on the balcony of Namjoon hyung's Christmas party the first year they debuted, saccharine and sweet.
In the background, Soobin hears Eomma scream "CONGRATULATIONS!" which sends the newly engaged couple into a fit of giggles as they pul apart, and Soobin is suddenly aware of how perfect this is - with Yeonjun grinning sappily up at him, now his fiance. The fireplace warm and burning, accompanied by Eomma and Appa Malsun in the background. They're only missing one thing - his own parents.
"Congratulations from us too, Soobinie," His eyes widen for a moment, his head twisting back to the source of the voice, which sounded too much like his own Eomma.
"Eomma and Appa?" he whispered quietly, as two familiar faces filled the screen, beaming fondly at their son and soon to be son-in-law.
"We invited them over for Christmas this year," Eomma Malsun said, "They witnessed everything with us," hearing this, Soobin was ready to dissolve into tears a second time. So, it was perfect. Everything, was better than anything that they could have planned.
"Thank you," Soobin said back to the both of them. "Thank you guys for everything."
Yeonjun's arm snaked around Soobin's waist, keeping them close to one another. "Truly, thank you," Yeonjun continued, for the both of them. "We wouldn't have been able to achieve whatever we have without you guys over the years."
Two sets of parents filled the tiny screen, their eyes all glittering with tears, happy ones. "Nonsense, " Appa Soonja spoke up. "That was all the two of you. But enough of nagging from us for now, we'll leave you two lovebirds alone now. Congrats once again, sons."
And with that, the rest of them hung up, leaving them alone. "I love you, " Soobin whispers softly into Yeonjun's ears, his hands finding their way up Yeonjun's chest. He can feel his soon-to be husband's breath stutter at the contact, but he still melds into Soobin's touch.
"I love you too," Yeonjun whispered back, beaming up at Soobin, " I think this is the best Christmas I've ever gotten,"
"No arguments from me here," Soobin smiled, pressing their foreheads together, before moving to capture Yeonjun's lips once again. Their wish came true - all Soobin wanted for Christmas was Yeonjun, after all, and vice versa. In the magic of Christmas, they promised their lives to one another, over and over again.
Make my wish come true, all I want for Christmas, is you.