Chapter 1
After finishing her shoot as a freelance photographer, Nayeon headed straight home. She had three clients that day and was eager to rest, so as soon as her last appointment ended, she didn’t waste any time.
The moment she stepped into her apartment, she was greeted by Kookeu. She set her belongings and camera down on the sofa and scooped up her beloved dog. “How’s my good boy?” Nayeon cheerfully greeted him. Kookeu barked softly, as if answering his owner’s question.
She put him down and prepared his food, refilling his water bowl as well. Afterward, she grabbed her own meal and settled in the living room with her plate in hand.
Just as she turned on the TV to watch the latest series she was hooked on, her phone rang. Seeing Dahyun’s name on the screen, she immediately picked up.
“Nayeonie!!!”
Nayeon pulled the phone away from her ear at the sound of Dahyun’s loud voice. “Hey, tone it down,” she scolded lightly.
“Sorry, Unnie!” Dahyun said apologetically. Nayeon waited for her friend to speak again, but the line went quiet as if Dahyun was deep in thought.
“Dahyun?” Nayeon called softly. “What’s wrong?”
She heard the sound of a door closing on the other end. “I need your help, Nayeonie.” Dahyun’s hesitant tone caught Nayeon’s attention. “You know how Chaeyoung and I volunteered at the mall to hand out gifts since Christmas is tomorrow, right?” Dahyun added sheepishly.
Nayeon remembered that Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu always volunteered at the local mall on Christmas Eve to distribute presents to kids.
“Are you short on gifts?” Nayeon asked.
Dahyun let out a small laugh at her question. “Ah, no.” She paused before continuing. “It’s just… we’re short-staffed.”
“Short-staffed how?”
“We don’t have a Santa Claus. The person we arranged to come can’t make it tonight, so could you please fill in? Please, please?”
Dahyun spoke so quickly that Nayeon barely understood her.
“You need a Santa Claus? Dahyun, there’s no such thing as Santa—”
“Could you be our Santa Claus? Please, Nayeonie. We don’t have anyone else to ask. Chaeyoung said she’d help with your shoots, and Tzuyu said she’s available if you ever need a model. Please, Nayeonie!”
As Dahyun finished her plea, Nayeon was tempted to hang up the call. Dahyun and the others knew she couldn’t say no to them, and Nayeon knew deep down she wouldn’t be able to refuse either.
She let out a sigh before finally speaking. “What time is it?”
“7 PM!” Dahyun answered excitedly, and Nayeon could practically hear her smiling through the phone.
“Fine. See you later. You owe me,” Nayeon said firmly.
She couldn’t help but smile when she heard Chaeyoung and Tzuyu in the background, loudly thanking her.
When Nayeon arrived at the mall, it finally dawned on her that someone she knew might recognize her dressed as Santa Claus. She pulled up the hood of her hoodie to cover her head. As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, she immediately spotted her friends at their designated area. Tzuyu and Dahyun were busy organizing the gifts, while Chaeyoung was setting up the chair where “Santa Claus” would sit.
Nayeon observed her friends, noting that they were all wearing costumes—costumes that looked suspiciously similar to the ones from Mean Girls. Just as she considered making a run for it, knowing she’d look ridiculous, Tzuyu turned to where she was standing.
“Nayeonie!” Tzuyu called out cheerfully, catching the attention of Dahyun and Chaeyoung.
“Can’t I just wear what you guys are wearing instead?” Nayeon asked as she reluctantly walked toward them.
“You’re Santa Claus, Unnie. You’re the main character. We’re just your helpers,” Chaeyoung replied, pulling Nayeon into a hug.
“Sorry for calling you at the last minute. We really didn’t have anyone else to turn to. Thank you so much, Unnie,” Tzuyu said as she hugged her as well.
“Why couldn’t your original Santa Claus show up, anyway?”
“They told us they’re sick and couldn’t make it,” Dahyun explained, handing Nayeon the costume before hugging her briefly. “Thank you, Unnie,” she whispered.
Nayeon stared at the costume in her hands. It was complete with everything—even a fake beard. Just looking at it made her feel like her face was on fire with embarrassment. This was her first time doing anything like this, and the thought that someone she knew might see her like this was mortifying.
When she glanced at her three friends, who were all smiling at her, she sighed internally. She wanted to disappear into the floor—how could she ever say no to these three?
After changing into the costume in the restroom, Nayeon stepped out and immediately felt people’s stares as they passed her. Whoever their original Santa Claus was, Nayeon swore she’d curse them for this. She handed her bag, which contained her regular clothes, to Chaeyoung, who tucked it away and motioned for Nayeon to sit on the prepared chair.
“Smile, Nayeonie,” Tzuyu said, snapping a photo of her just as she sat down.
“Don’t send that to the group chat! Jeongyeon and Jihyo will never let me hear the end of it.”
“This is just for me—something to remember this by,” Tzuyu replied, putting her phone away.
Dahyun placed a few gifts beside Nayeon. “You’ll give these to the kids who take pictures with you, Unnie,” she reminded her. “Oh, and it’s fine if the kids sit on your lap, right?”
Nayeon nodded. “That’s fine. So, these gifts here are just for the ones taking pictures?”
Dahyun gave her a thumbs-up.
Nayeon yelped in surprise when Chaeyoung suddenly plopped onto her lap and snapped a photo with her. She laughed as Nayeon gently pushed her off. “Make sure your ‘Ho Ho Ho’ is convincing, Unnie,” Chaeyoung teased.
“I’ll do my best, even though this beard is already making me itch,” Nayeon muttered, adjusting the fake beard. Dahyun leaned in to fix it properly for her.
“Ready?” Tzuyu asked as they opened the line for the kids.
“Not like I have a choice,” Nayeon muttered to herself under her breath.
While everyone else was busy preparing for Christmas Eve, Mina was busy playing on her Switch. After her character died in the game, she grabbed her water bottle, realizing how dry her throat had gotten from hours of nonstop gaming. It had already been two hours when she heard her sister’s voice calling out to her.
“Mina! Come here!” Sana yelled from the other room.
“What? I’m playing!” Mina tried raising her voice, but it still wasn’t loud enough to match Sana’s. “You come here. You’re the one who needs something from me.” Thankfully, Sana still heard her.
When Sana walked over to Mina, she grabbed the Switch from her hands. “All you ever do is play games.” She tossed it lightly onto the couch next to Mina and handed her Hana, her daughter. “Hana wants to go to the mall to see Santa Claus.”
“Santa Claus?” Mina turned off her Switch. “You do realize Santa isn’t rea—” She didn’t even finish her sentence before Sana kicked her in the shin.
“Auntie Mina, pleeease! I want to go to the mall and meet Santa!” Hana said, bouncing with excitement.
“Alright, but before we go, can you do me a favor?” Mina handed her the Switch. “Put this in my room first, okay?”
When Hana nodded enthusiastically and ran off to complete the task, Mina stood up and turned to Sana.
“Did you tell Hana that Santa’s at the mall?” Mina asked, crossing her arms.
“Yes, I did,” Sana replied casually. “I also know that Dahyun’s gift-giving event is happening there today. And from what I heard, they have a Santa Claus this year.” Sana glanced at the clock and then back at Mina. “If I were you, I’d take Hana now before the place gets packed with kids.”
“You’re lucky Christmas is my favorite holiday.” Mina grabbed her car keys and called out, “Hana! Let’s go! Santa’s waiting for you!”
Hearing Hana’s hurried footsteps clattering down the stairs, both Mina and Sana burst into laughter.
As soon as they entered the mall, Hana tried to run ahead, but Mina quickly grabbed her hand to stop her. The little girl, however, was too excited and ended up dragging Mina toward the elevator instead.
“Do you even know where Santa is?” Mina asked as they stepped into the elevator. She chuckled when Hana shook her head. Her laughter faded when she realized that Sana hadn’t told her which floor Dahyun and the others were on.
Once they exited the elevator, Mina spotted a security guard nearby and approached him to ask for directions. Thankfully, they were already on the right floor. Hana, on the other hand, immediately started tugging on her aunt’s hand again, urging her to hurry.
“Hana, don’t rush. Santa’s not going anywhere; he’s waiting for you,” Mina said, trying to calm her niece. When Hana didn’t stop pulling, Mina sighed and decided to carry her instead. She really takes after Sana, Mina thought, shaking her head. Hana was just as stubborn and impossible to reason with.
When Mina finally spotted the long line of kids waiting to meet Santa—and Dahyun among the crowd—she felt the urge to call her friend and ask for a favor. She wanted to skip the line so Hana could meet Santa without waiting.
“Auntie, you can put me down now. Let’s line up!” Hana pinched Mina’s cheek, trying to get her attention when she didn’t immediately respond.
“Hana,” Mina said in a low, warning tone before setting her down.
“Mina Unnie!”
Mina tightened her grip on Hana’s hand as the little girl tried to dart toward Chaeyoung, who was walking over to greet them.
“What are you doing here?” Chaeyoung asked with a smile.
“Hana wants to meet Santa,” Mina replied briefly, trying to peer through the line of children to catch a glimpse of Santa Claus. The line was so long that she could barely see past the crowd. “Can we take a picture with Santa?” she asked Chaeyoung.
Chaeyoung glanced at Hana, noting how excited she was. “Of course, Unnie. It’s free anyway.” She looked over at the line, which was still quite long, and considered letting Mina and Hana cut in front.
“It’s okay, Chaeng. We’ll wait in line,” Mina said with a small smile.
“Are you sure, Unnie? I can make it happen if you want to go ahead.”
“It’s fine,” Mina replied. “Santa’s worth the wait.”
Chaeyoung couldn’t help but laugh as she glanced at Nayeon, who was busy talking to a child sitting on her lap.
“Santa’s definitely worth the wait,” Chaeyoung said with a smirk as she turned back to Mina.
Dahyun nearly dropped the gift she was handing to the little girl in front of her when she caught sight of Mina standing in line with her niece, Hana. She froze for a moment before glancing nervously at Nayeon, who was busy posing for photos with the children.
“Merry Christmas!” Dahyun greeted the girl in front of her a little too enthusiastically, handing her the gift before slowly sidling over to where Tzuyu and Chaeyoung were also distributing presents.
“Should we tell Nayeonie that Mina Unnie is here?” Dahyun whispered urgently.
Tzuyu followed Dahyun’s gaze to the line and spotted Mina with Hana. Her eyes widened slightly, but she didn’t seem as alarmed.
“Let’s not,” Chaeyoung said with a mischievous grin. “Just leave them be.”
“But Nayeonie’s worried someone might recognize her,” Dahyun countered, clearly concerned.
Tzuyu stayed silent, thinking the situation over, while Chaeyoung shrugged nonchalantly. A few seconds later, Tzuyu finally spoke. “Chaeyoung’s right. Let’s not tell her.”
“And anyway, who knows? Maybe Mina Unnie won’t even recognize her,” Chaeyoung added with a smirk.
Dahyun turned to Chaeyoung, disbelief etched across her face. “You do realize that if anyone’s going to recognize Nayeonie in costume, it’s Mina Unnie, right?”
Chaeyoung just grinned wider, clearly not bothered.
“If Nayeonie gets mad at us later, I’m blaming both of you,” Dahyun huffed before stomping back to her spot near Nayeon.
Tzuyu glanced at the line again and noticed Mina waving and smiling in their direction.
“She hasn’t seen Nayeonie yet, right?” Tzuyu asked, keeping her voice low as a child approached her for a gift.
“Not yet,” Chaeyoung replied, handing a present to another child. She glanced back at the line, noting that it was still long enough to keep Mina from spotting Santa Claus for now. “Let’s just pray she doesn’t figure it out right away,” she joked, flashing a cheeky grin.
Tzuyu shook her head with a small smile, but even she couldn’t help worrying about what would happen if Mina recognized Nayeon.
Mina and Hana were still waiting in line, the little girl now clinging to her aunt, clearly bored from all the waiting. Mina glanced at her watch—they had been in line for nearly an hour. She checked her phone, noticing a flood of messages from Sana, who was also growing impatient. Sana had even reminded Mina to take good care of Hana, as if she didn’t already know.
When Mina saw Chaeyoung approaching with a stack of presents, she assumed the event was about to wrap up and worried they’d be sent home without meeting Santa. But instead, Chaeyoung handed out the gifts to the kids behind Mina in the line, explaining to the parents that the queue would end with Mina and Hana as the last ones for the day. Thankfully, no one complained; the parents seemed to understand.
As they moved closer to the front of the line, Mina raised an eyebrow when she finally got a good look at Santa Claus. It was obvious this wasn’t a man—Santa’s body shape was distinctly familiar. Mina stared, trying to place where she’d seen this person before.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Hana, who was practically bouncing with excitement now that they were next in line.
Nayeon, meanwhile, felt her heart race when a very familiar little girl hopped onto her lap.
“Santa!” Hana squealed, throwing her tiny arms around Nayeon in a tight hug.
Nayeon hugged the child back, but her gaze nervously shifted to Mina, who was staring at her like she was trying to solve a puzzle. Nayeon quickly looked away, trying to keep her cool.
Mina glanced at Chaeyoung, Tzuyu, and Dahyun, all of whom were busy organizing the leftover gifts. She wanted to ask them why Santa Claus felt so oddly familiar—was this someone they all knew? Did Sana know about this?
“Santa, I want chocolates, a teddy bear—” Hana started rattling off her wish list enthusiastically, holding up her fingers to count each item. Mina shifted her attention back to her niece, smiling at how animated she was.
But as Mina watched Santa listening intently to Hana’s requests, a thought struck her. Was her hunch right? She decided to test it.
“And me, Santa,” Mina began, her tone teasing. “I want a private jet.”
“A private jet?” Nayeon turned to Mina, her expression unreadable beneath the fake beard. “I can’t even get back to the North Pole, and you want a private jet?” she retorted sarcastically.
Mina burst into laughter at Santa’s snarky response, which only made her more suspicious. Without hesitation, she reached over and tugged at the fake beard.
Nayeon gasped, caught completely off guard as the beard slipped down. Their eyes locked, Nayeon’s wide with shock while Mina’s sparkled with mischief.
“Auntie Mina, do you know Santa?” Hana asked, confused but intrigued.
“Oh, I know her very well,” Mina replied, a cheeky smile spreading across her face as she kept her gaze fixed on Nayeon, who was now blushing furiously.
As soon as Mina and Hana stepped out of the car, Hana bolted into the house, excited to share their Santa encounter with her mom. Mina, on the other hand, made her way to the couch after grabbing her Switch from her room, ready to relax.
“Auntie Mina sat on Santa’s lap too, Mommy!” Hana exclaimed loudly, her voice echoing through the house.
Mina froze mid-sit, her cheeks flushing a deep red at her niece’s enthusiastic announcement. Even her ears felt hot as she glanced at Sana, who was now laughing uncontrollably. Thankfully, it seemed Sana didn’t know that the Santa Claus they met at the mall was Nayeon.
“So, did you tell Santa your wish list too, Mitang?” Sana teased, her grin wide and mischievous.
Mina chose not to dignify her sister’s question with a response. Instead, she stood up, trying to regain her composure. “I’m heading back to my apartment. Just pack me some of the food you cooked.”
“You’re not staying for Christmas? It’s so close already!” Sana gestured at the clock on the wall, looking disappointed.
Mina shook her head, her tone casual but her words suggestive. “I’d rather celebrate with Santa.”
Sana burst into laughter, while Hana, upon hearing the mention of “Santa,” immediately dragged her mom toward the kitchen to pack food for her Auntie Mina.
Meanwhile, at the mall, Nayeon had just changed out of the Santa Claus costume and was met with knowing grins from Chaeyoung and Dahyun.
“Next time, I’m never helping you guys again,” Nayeon said, feigning annoyance as she handed the costume back to Dahyun.
Tzuyu poked her in the side, clearly enjoying herself. “You’re still blushing, Nayeonie.”
“I’m not!” Nayeon snapped, though her reddening face betrayed her.
Before she could defend herself further, Dahyun wrapped her arms around her in a warm hug. “Thank you so much for helping, Unnie. You made a lot of kids happy today.”
Chaeyoung and Tzuyu joined in on the hug, squishing Nayeon between them. When Nayeon felt Chaeyoung tightening her grip, she quickly wriggled free.
“Alright, I’m heading home. Be careful on your way back. And don’t forget—you owe me.” She gave each of them a quick peck on the cheek, leaving them grinning, before making her way toward the exit.
As Nayeon neared the mall’s exit, she suddenly remembered Hana’s wish list. She checked the time and decided to buy a few items, knowing the little girl would be thrilled. Sadly, a unicorn wasn’t on the table, but Nayeon hoped Hana would understand.
After finishing her shopping, Nayeon made her way to the parking lot. Just as she was loading the bags into her car, her phone vibrated in her pocket. She fumbled slightly, almost dropping her things, when she saw Mina’s name on the screen.
‘Dinner? ☺️’
The message was simple, but it made Nayeon’s heart skip a beat. Without hesitation, she quickly replied, letting Mina know she’d head straight to her apartment.
Before knocking on Mina’s apartment door, Nayeon took a deep breath, tightening her grip on the gifts she’d brought for Mina and Hana. Her heart was racing—she wasn’t sure if it was from embarrassment over the Santa Claus costume or the thought of seeing Mina tonight.
She paused for a moment, steadying herself before finally knocking. When the door opened, Mina greeted her with a soft smile and immediately pulled her into a hug. It was warm and comforting, enough to make Nayeon feel like her nerves had been for nothing.
As she stepped inside, the flicker of candles caught her attention. Mina had lit several around the room, and soft music played faintly in the background. It was simple, yet the effort made Nayeon’s chest tighten in a way she couldn’t quite explain.
She set the bags on the couch, letting Mina guide her to the dining table. The warm glow of the candles reflected off the plates already set, and the music seemed to grow just a little louder.
Mina pulled out a chair for her, gesturing for her to sit. “Let me,” she said before Nayeon could protest.
Nayeon hesitated, watching Mina fill her plate. “I can do it myself, Mina. You don’t have to—”
“I know you’re tired, Nayeonie,” Mina cut her off gently. “Just let me take care of you tonight.”
Before Nayeon could find the words to reply, Mina leaned down and pressed a light kiss to her forehead. Her breath caught, and any protests she had disappeared in an instant.
They ate in comfortable silence, but there was a tension in the air, one that both of them could feel. There was something unspoken between them, something that had been there for far too long. The lingering hugs, the hand-holding, the way their gazes lingered—none of it felt like just friendship anymore.
“How did Dahyun even convince you to be Santa Claus?” Mina asked suddenly, her tone light, though there was a teasing glint in her eyes.
Nayeon bit her lip, already feeling her cheeks flush. “She told me they tried asking Jeongyeon first, but Jeong thought it was too embarrassing to wear the costume.” She couldn’t help but smile as Mina chuckled. “And you know I can’t say no to those three, so… I gave in.”
Mina reached out then, her hand brushing against Nayeon’s before taking hold of it. “Thank you, Nayeonie,” she said softly, her gaze warm. “You made Hana so happy today.”
The sincerity in Mina’s voice made Nayeon’s cheeks burn even more. She glanced down, trying to compose herself, but Mina’s hand stayed steady in hers, grounding her.
Nayeon looked up again, meeting Mina’s eyes, and in that moment, she knew. Whatever was between them, it wasn’t just in her head.
Nayeon waited on the couch while Mina went to her room to retrieve her gift. She cursed at herself internally for coming straight to Mina’s apartment without stopping by her own to grab the gift she had prepared. Glancing at the clock, she realized there were only fifteen minutes left until Christmas. Her gaze wandered to the Christmas tree, the one she and Mina had decorated together, and an idea came to her. Remembering the candy cane she’d bought at the mall, she decided it would have to do for now.
“Nayeonie.” Mina’s voice broke her thoughts, and Nayeon turned to see Mina holding something behind her back.
Standing, Nayeon shyly held out the candy cane. “This is just for tonight. I’ll give you your real gift tomorrow,” she said, her tone a little embarrassed.
Mina smiled warmly as she took the candy cane. “Thank you, Nayeonie.” She didn’t let go of it, even as she pulled a paper bag from behind her and placed it on the couch. Mina then revealed a knitted scarf, carefully made in soft, warm colors.
Mina stepped closer to Nayeon, wrapping the scarf gently around her neck. The closeness made Nayeon’s breath hitch, and she couldn’t help but notice the way Mina’s gaze briefly flicked to her lips.
“You made this?” Nayeon asked, her voice soft with awe. Mina nodded, her cheeks dusted with a faint blush.
“This feels a little too romantic, Minari,” Nayeon teased, a playful smile tugging at her lips.
“Maybe that’s the point,” Mina replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
Hearing that, Nayeon didn’t hesitate. She reached up to cup Mina’s face, pulling her closer as she kissed her softly on the lips. There were no grand confessions, no need for extravagant words—they already understood how they felt about each other. When Mina deepened the kiss, pulling Nayeon closer, Nayeon couldn’t help but smile against her lips.
Later that night, they sat cuddled together on the couch, watching Christmas movies. When a Santa Claus appeared on the screen, Mina leaned into Nayeon’s embrace and whispered, “You’re the cutest Santa Claus I’ve ever seen.”
Her words made Nayeon laugh loudly, but she hugged Mina tighter, pressing a playful kiss to her temple. This was, without a doubt, her favorite Christmas yet.