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Jeon Jungkook is having a really bad winter break. It’s the day before Christmas Eve and he still hasn’t finished all his Christmas shopping. He had resolved to do it today, but then several things proceeded to go wrong (like always). So many things, in fact, that Jungkook was keeping a mental list of all the shitty things that’s happened so far.
Jeon Jungkook’s List of Shitty Things That Happened During Winter Break:
1. His roommate finished the last of the coffee without telling Jungkook or buying more. (Damn it Park Jimin. This isn’t the first time this has happened.)
2. He lost his passport, which meant he couldn’t travel home to Busan for the holidays.
3. His car somehow ran out of gas overnight.
4. His emergency bicycle was stolen.
5. The wifi in his dorms had always been kind of weak, but now it’s completely unavailable.
6. Someone hacked into his email and sent spam messages to all his contacts, including his professors. (And now Jungkook fears for his life.)
7. A bird pooped on him.
So in conclusion, Jeon Jungkook is having an incredibly shitty break.
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At least the snowflakes are pretty, Jungkook thinks to himself as he trudges through the bustling crowd of shoppers scrambling to find last-minute gifts. The streets of New York are brightly lit with holiday decorations and Christmas music blasts from the various stores lining the sidewalk. Jungkook shoves his hands in his pockets to keep them warm. He’s determined to finish his shopping today so he can minimize the amount of times he’ll have to leave the dorm.
The only people he has left to buy presents for are his friend-mom Seokjin and his roommate Jimin. Maybe not Jimin, Jungkook muses. Especially after the coffee incident this morning. Naughty boys get coal…. fuck I’m getting grumpy like Yoongi hyung.
A sudden blast of warm air startles him from his thoughts. He turns his head and sees a department store on his left. Jungkook immediately squeezes his way through the crowd and enters the department store. He doesn’t know why he did it but as he looks around at the washed out lights and at the sparkling Christmas tree in the center of the store, he supposes this is a good place to finish his shopping.
The young college student wanders around the store. Nothing stands out to him as the perfect gift for his friends and Jungkook refuses to settle for some half-assed gift. Determined, he walks around the store another time. This time, he finds a small winter wonderland tucked into the corner of the store. A large chair is painted to resemble Santa’s sleigh and a handful of employees dressed as elves bustle around, wrapping gifts for customers. Another employee dressed as Santa sits on the sleigh/chair, a small girl on his lap. He laughs happily, a square smile stretching across his face. Soon, the small girl hops off his lap and another boy takes her place. Even though it’s late at night, a line of parents and children still extends past the small corner of the store where the festive decorations are set up. Jungkook stands to the side of the exhibit, taking it all in. Fake snow and glitter shimmer from every available surface and each employee here has a genuine smile on their face, unlike the tired expressions of the rest of the store. Reindeer figurines and gingerbread houses peek out from between the shelves and aisles. Bunches of mistletoe and tinsel are strewn along the ceiling and walls. The set up is incredibly charming and beautiful. Jungkook has no idea how he missed it on his first time around the store. As he takes it all in, he catches the Santa’s eyes, who winks at Jungkook cheekily. Jungkook’s cheeks redden and turns away, slightly embarrassed to be caught staring. He resumes his shopping but now for some reason, he can’t seem to focus and just ends up walking around aimlessly. Before he knows it, a female voice comes on through the store speakers.
“Good evening, valued customers. We will be closing in five minutes. Thank you for shopping with us tonight and we hope you come back soon!”
Jungkook sighs and runs a hand through his black hair. Oh well. There’s still tomorrow to finish his shopping. Jungkook mentally says goodbye to his plans of a day of napping and resting as he tries to find his way to the store exit. However, he somehow finds his way back to the wintery scene in the corner of the store.
There aren’t any children anymore, which gives the area a bare and empty feeling. Next to the sleigh, a young man with chestnut brown hair and a boxy smile is talking to a female employee. He’s only wearing a white undershirt, red velvet pants, and black boots. Seeing the red coat, hat, and curly white beard draped over the back of the sleigh, the realization that the young man must be the Santa dawns upon him. As he stands there, the woman talking to him laughs at something the Santa said and smacks his arm playfully.
Jungkook feels as though he is intruding on a private moment. As the PA echoes with a final closing announcement, he takes a step back, only to step on a toy someone had left in the aisle. The resounding squeak echoes throughout the now empty store. Both the young man’s and the woman’s heads swivel to meet his gaze.
“Uhh,” Jungkook shrinks in on himself.
The woman smiles in that fake but professional way, the type of smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. Suddenly she’s all business again. “I’m sorry sir, but our store is now closed. Did you come here to talk to Santa?”
The young man smiles at Jungkook, who is woefully unprepared for the blast of brightness. He tries to answer, but only ends up stumbling over his own words. “I...uh....umm…”
The woman steps forward, probably about to usher him out when the young man coughs. He smiles sheepishly and she quirks her eyebrow. Jungkook is just confused. Finally, the woman turns back to him.
“Well, it is Christmas. I’ll be in my office, just call me when you’re done so I can lock this place up.”
The Santa squawks in surprise. “Wait Byulyi, it’s okay, just give me the keys and I can lock the store up. You should go home, Wheein’s waiting for you. It’s not good to keep girlfriends waiting for a long time.”
Byulyi scoffs, already walking away. “Taehyung, I’m the manager so I’m keeping the keys. Besides, how long do you plan to take?” She chuckles.
Taehyung’s cheeks turn a light pink as the manager disappears. He quickly swivels back to Jungkook, a megawatt smile brighter than the store’s fluorescent light bulbs on his face.
“Hey, you can come closer you know.” Taehyung shrugs on his jacket and start putting his beard back on. Jungkook debates making a break for it, but what the hell, a cute boy is inviting him to sit on his lap and it’s Christmas (technically the day before Christmas Eve but details).
The college student shuffles over as Taehyung plops the hat on his head and sinks into his chair. He pats his thigh with a waggle of his eyebrow. Jungkook awkwardly seats himself. There’s a low oof as he puts his weight on Taehyung, who shifts and maneuvers Jungkook around on in his lap, trying to find a more comfortable position.
Heat rushes to Jungkook’s face and he’s starting to reconsider escaping the store when Taehyung settles down and loosely wraps his arms around Jungkook’s waist. “Sorry, you’re a little, um, bigger than my usual visitors.”
“More than a little,” Jungkook replies dryly.
“So what do you want for Christmas this year, not-so-little one?” Taehyung inquires, a twinkle in his eye.
“I don’t know, I think I’ve reached that age where I don’t have anything I want for Christmas.” Jungkook answers truthfully.
“Nonsense,” Taehyung gasps. He frees one of his hands so he can place it over his heart in mock shock. “Everyone wants something for Christmas. Everyone. Every. One.”
“Then what do you want for Christmas? Inspire me,” Jungkook teases. It’s probably midnight now, Jungkook’s stopped giving shits about being on a stranger’s lap.
“Well, for starters I would like a pair of clean pants,” Taehyung muses. Jungkook stares at him in horror.
“What do you mean by clean pants?”
“Oh well after a day’s work, my magic Santa pants get kinda dirty.” Taehyung says. “I only got peed on four times today though, and it’s dry now so yay. Apparently, lots of little kids are scared of Santa. I’m not surprised, actually”
Jungkook scrunches his nose in disgust and squirms around on Taehyung’s lap. “You get peed on? I think you’re not getting paid enough.”
“How do you know how much I make?”
“Minimum wage?”
“....Yeah.”
“Mmhmm.” Jungkook gives up trying to protect his own pants from the germs on Taehyung’s. “Does the store at least wash the uniform for you?”
Taehyung makes a face. “They’re supposed to but I do it myself. I highly doubt they actually wash it when they say they do.”
“That sucks.”
“Yeah.”
“You should rebel.” Though he’s stayed up later before, exhaustion and fatigue is starting to set in Jungkook’s bones and he blurts out his words before he can think. Oh well. His filter only works when he's had coffee in the morning, and he didn’t really have any thanks to Park Jimin, so.
“Rebel?” Taehyung repeats, a mischievous look glinting in his eyes.
“Yeah, you take the costume home to wash it right?”
“Smuggle is a better word.”
“So what you should do,” Jungkook waves his arms around as he describes his grand plan. “Is leave the costume at home or hide it somewhere and then come here and keep going on with the job. It makes a point. Wash the costume or watch the funds wash away. Click clack badda bing badda boom! Rebellion.”
“Interesting. I’ll have to keep it in mind.” Jungkook can feel Taehyung shaking with stifled laughter beneath him. “May I point out a few things though? Just to, ah, clarify.”
“Go ahead.”
“First of all,” Taehyung frees a hand so he can tick off his fingers. “What if I continue the job and get peed on in my actual clothes?”
“It’s a casualty of war, sometimes sacrifices have to be made.”
“I see. Okay. Second, what if I get fired?”
“You’ll become a martyr for the cause.” Jungkook salutes him playfully.
“Uh huh. And third of all, assuming I don’t get fired, I can’t do my job without my Santa costume. Nope. Nada.”
Jungkook quirks an eyebrow. “Do explain.”
“The costume is part of the magic of the job,” Taehyung says matter-of-factly. “I can’t channel my inner Santa without it. Also, I’ve always wanted a beard when I grew up and it’s like having a preview of my older self. And what about the kids? They’d stop believing! Sorry, but I have to be in this costume, and it has to be absolutely perfect. For the kids, of course.”
Jungkook chooses not to comment on Taehyung’s lopsided, crooked beard and his assortment of coat buttons, which aren’t even lined up with the right holes. “Okay fine I get that, but in my defense, it’s midnight and I don’t come up with very good plans this late at night without coffee.”
Taehyung pats Jungkook’s knee. “It was a good thought.”
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. So have you thought about what you want for Christmas yet?”
Jungkook has, but he doesn’t want to lose this handsome boy’s company just yet. “...No.” He lies, a cheery smile on his face. “Inspire me more, O Great Santa.”
“How would you liked to be inspired?”
“Tell me about yourself.” Jungkook shifts around in Taehyung’s arms and leans back, pressing up against his chest. Taehyung makes a funny sound but when Jungkook peers up at him, his face is blank.
“Uhhh...ummm…” Taehyung stutters. Jungkook laughs and pokes him. “How old are you?”
“I’m 22,” Taehyung replies. Jungkook thinks Taehyung’s ears are turning red but he can’t see them very well with the store’s washed out lighting, so he could be wrong.
“Oh, I’m 20.” Jungkook says. “College?”
Jungkook brightens when he finds out that he and Taehyung go to the same school. Taehyung just gapes in surprise.
“So what major do you study?” Taehyung asks.
“Business. You?”
“Theater.” Taehyung smiles proudly.
“Arts,” Jungkook sighs wistfully. “I always wanted to go into arts, but my parents didn’t think it would a good choice.”
“What kind of art?”
“Graphic arts, maybe. Or dance. Or vocal performance. Probably vocal performance.” Jungkook says.
“Well, you should come down to the theater and watch us sometimes. I’ll blow your socks off.” Taehyung promises.
“I go there a lot though. My roommate majors in Music Composition and my best friend majors in Dance.”
Jungkook suddenly feels the deep and ancient instinct of all teenagers to check if Taehyung knows his friend.
“By any chance, do you know Park Jimin?”
“Yazzz!” Taehyung nearly shoots from his chair and topples Jungkook in excitement. He glances at the younger apologetically. “He’s your best friend?!”
“Yep,” Jungkook pops his P. “We’ve been friends since we were kids.”
“How have I not seen you around before?” Taehyung wails. “Jimin and I hang out all the time!”
Jungkook shrugs. Taehyung is a stranger but Jungkook is oddly comfortable with him, something that normally never happens with the shy black-haired kid.
“I-I think I know what I want for Christmas now.” Jungkook says quietly. He doesn’t miss the way Taehyung’s eyes fall. If Jungkook knows what he wants, then it probably means their time together will soon come to an end.
“O-Oh, okay. Well I hope you’ve been a good boy this year, so that Santa can grant your wish.”
Jungkook takes a deep breath. “I want Santa to help me ask this cute boy I met in a department store at -” Jungkook quickly glances at his watch. “-about 12:09 AM if he wants to go out for a midnight snack. But I need special Santa help because I think I’ve been a little naughty this year.”
Taehyung beams at him, eyes shining. “Not naughty enough, because I think Santa heard you. But the cute boy has conditions.” Taehyung holds up a finger again. “The cute boy wants to have a proper introduction before he agrees.”
Jungkook smiles at Taehyung and sticks out his hand. “I’m Jungkook. Jeon Jungkook. Revolutionary extraordinaire.”
Taehyung shakes his hand. “Kim Taehyung. Santa of the 9-12 shift. The cute boy says yes.”
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(“Wait Jungkook, lemme just change into my normal pants really fast.”
“Okay.”
“...You look like you’ve had one of your midnight ideas again.”
“Here give me your uniform, I’ll ask my roommate to wash them.”
“They’re hand-wash only…”
“That’s okay. I’m avenging my morning coffee.”
“So you are naughty! My pants are super super gross though. They’ve been peed on a lot.”
“Even better. After our midnight snack, since you bring the clothes home anyway, I can just take them-”
“I feel bad for your roommate.”
“-and I can come by again tomorrow to drop them off before your shift starts.”
“...I don’t feel so bad anymore.”)