That same morning once we were fully up we got ready to head to the house for the gift opening, the morning was just for family to get together and enjoy the few moments before chaos broke out.
Once we finished got ready we locked up the house and headed out, Christmas morning and it was snowing. The matching sweaters Minji bought came in handy for the morning, they were comfortable and warm.
"Are you ready to meet the Kim family?" I asked as we hopped in the car, "well I'm kinda nervous, this is the first time I'm going to be sitting down and talking to them." Minji replied.
"Trust me the worst that can happen is that they get to excited and start Hogging you up, but other than that there's nothing to worry about." I reassured him, "for a person they have never sat down and talk too, they are literally obsessed with you. It's rare to find someone they like as much as they like you."
"It's rare to find someone they like as much as they like you," I finished, glancing over at Minji with a grin as I started the car.
He gave a nervous smile, fiddling with the edge of his sweater. "I guess that's a good sign."
I reached over and squeezed his hand. "It's more than a good sign. They're going to love you even more once they get to know you. Plus, it's Christmas—everyone's going to be in a good mood. Just be yourself."
Minji relaxed a little at that, leaning back in his seat. "I hope so. I don't want to mess this up."
"You won't," I assured him. "I'm sure after today, they'll be asking when you're going to move in."
Minji laughed, the sound easing some of the tension between us. "One step at a time, Jihoon. Let's survive Christmas first."
We drove through the snowy streets, the world outside feeling quiet and peaceful. Everything was blanketed in white, the snow adding a special magic to the morning. The closer we got to my parents' house, the more I felt my own nerves start to settle in. But I knew this day was important, not just because of the holiday, but because of what I had planned later.
As we pulled into the driveway, I turned to Minji with a soft smile. "Ready?"
He took a deep breath, then nodded. "As ready as I'll ever be."
We stepped out of the car, and as soon as we reached the front door, I could already hear the chatter and laughter from inside. The moment we stepped through, we were greeted by the warmth of the house, the smell of cinnamon, and my mom's excited voice.
"There they are!" my mom exclaimed, rushing over to hug us both. "Merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas," I replied, feeling Minji tense for a second before relaxing into her hug.
"Minji, you look so cute in that sweater!" she gushed, pulling back to admire the matching outfits. "You two look perfect!"
Minji chuckled, looking a little more at ease. "Thank you, Mrs. Kim."
"Oh, please, call me Mom," she said with a wink. "Now come on, everyone's in the living room. We've been waiting for you to start opening presents."
I exchanged a quick glance with Minji, squeezing his hand as we followed my mom inside. Today was going to be a special day, no matter what.
Once we walked into the living room Hyung and Nuna burted out laughing as the looked at me, "no way you got him to wear that!" Hyung laughed. "Minji your amazing!" Nuna added.
"Why are two grown parents acting childish." I said as I walked over the the couch with Minji.
The kids already looked like they had opened their gifts and all was left was the adults, "So Minji, what did you see in him. I mean aside from his good Looks his a total jerk." Nuna said.
"Don't ask him stupid questions like that." I told her.
As Nuna and Hyung kept asking Minji stupid questions, mom and the other adults came in. "Minji, you're finally here. Long time no see!" BaekHyeon rejoiced.
"So this is the famous Minji everyone has been talking about?" Quinn questioned.
"You're such a sweet looking young man!" Dad chimed in.
"His the one you've been hiding from us?!" Uncle JaeHwa added
Minji chuckled nervously, looking a bit overwhelmed by the sudden flood of attention, but he smiled politely at each of them. "It's nice to finally meet everyone," he said, his voice steady despite the barrage of comments.
I wrapped an arm around his shoulder, pulling him close as I gave my family a playful glare. "Alright, alright, stop overwhelming him. It's his first Christmas with all of you, so try to behave."
Mom laughed softly, waving me off. "Oh, let him get used to us. He'll need it if he's going to be part of this family."
Minji's cheeks turned a light shade of pink at her words, and I couldn't help but smile. He handled himself well, though I could tell he was nervous. I leaned in close to whisper in his ear. "You're doing great."
"Thanks," he whispered back, glancing up at me with a small, appreciative smile.
As the gift exchange continued, it was clear that Minji was starting to relax more, especially as he answered my family's questions with humor and grace. They were curious, of course, but they all liked him almost immediately. It was hard not to.
When it was time for the adults to open gifts, Minji handed out the ones he had picked for my parents and siblings. Everyone seemed genuinely pleased, and I could see how much thought he had put into each present.
"Minji, you're so thoughtful," Mom said as she admired the gift he had given her. "Jihoon, you better take good care of him."
"I plan to," I replied, smiling at Minji.
But in the back of my mind, I was thinking about the real surprise I had planned for later. All of this—the gifts, the family, the holiday spirit—was leading up to the moment I'd finally ask him to spend the rest of his life with me.
As we settled down after the gift exchange, I caught Minji's eye and nodded toward the door. "Want to take a walk? Just us?"
He hesitated for a second, then nodded. "Yeah, let's go."
We slipped out of the house, the cool air hitting us as soon as we stepped outside. The snow was falling lightly, and the world around us was peaceful, like the perfect setting for what I was about to do.
"I know this Christmas has been a lot," I started, taking his hand in mine as we walked through the snow. "But I'm glad you're here, Minji. You've made this day… perfect."
He looked at me, his eyes soft. "I'm happy to be here, too."
We stopped near a small clearing where the snow was untouched, and I took a deep breath as I held him in my arms, my heart pounding. Now or never, I told myself
"I know since the day we met I haven't been the greatest person to you, and until today I still hate myself for the way I treated you." I started, "I hate it that I made you cry multiple times, I'm sorry for making you feel shitty." I told him.
"We've been over this so many times, I told never to beat yourself up about it." Minji said.
"You were in a hard position and sometimes we lash out when we can't figure out an answer." He added.
"But that still doesn't excuse how I acted towards you, looking at you now it just makes me wonder why was I hurting the person that tried to help me." I remarked.
"But like you said, I guess to find soulmate you have to go through hardships with them. You showed me that, you showed me what it felt like to be loved by someone other then my family." I stated.
"If someone 5 years ago told me that we would end up together I wouldn't believe it, because after TaeHyun I never thought of falling in love again. But you showed me that a heartbreak is not the end of the world."
Minji's eyes shimmered with unshed tears as he listened to me, his hands squeezing mine gently. "Jihoon," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "You don't have to keep apologizing. What matters is that you're here, now. That you've grown, and that we're together."
I nodded, but I couldn't stop the flood of emotions. "I just... I can't believe I almost lost you because of my own fears and insecurities. I was so wrapped up in my pain, and I didn't see what I had right in front of me. You were always patient, always there, even when I didn't deserve it."
Minji shook his head, stepping closer and pressing his forehead against mine. "You deserved every bit of love, Jihoon. And you still do. We both had our struggles, but that's what makes us stronger together, right? We learned, and we grew."
I took a deep breath, the weight of everything we'd been through suddenly feeling lighter. "Yeah, we did." I reached into my pocket, my heart racing. "And that's why... I want to ask you something."
Minji's eyes widened slightly, his breath catching in his throat as he realized what was happening. I pulled out the small ring box, my hands trembling slightly, and knelt down in the snow, looking up at him.
"Minji, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. You've shown me love, patience, and a strength I never knew I had. I can't imagine my life without you. So, I'm asking... Will you marry me? Will you be mine forever?"
For a moment, time seemed to stand still as Minji stared at me, his eyes brimming with tears. He covered his mouth with his hand, his entire body trembling with emotion. Then, with a soft sob, he nodded.
"Yes, Jihoon. Yes!" he exclaimed, tears spilling down his cheeks as he threw his arms around me, pulling me up from the ground.
I laughed in relief, holding him tightly, burying my face in his shoulder. "I love you so much," I whispered, feeling like the luckiest person in the world.
"I love you too," Minji whispered back, his voice breaking with emotion. He pulled back just enough to look at me, his eyes sparkling as I slid the ring onto his finger. It fit perfectly.
As we stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, snow falling softly around us, I realized that this—this moment, this love—was all I ever wanted. All I ever needed.
"Merry Christmas," I said softly, my heart full.
Minji smiled, tears still clinging to his lashes. "Merry Christmas, Jihoon. I can't wait to spend every Christmas with you."
We stood there for what felt like forever, wrapped in each other's embrace, the cold air biting at our skin but neither of us caring. It was as if the rest of the world had faded away, and all that mattered was us, together, in this perfect moment.
Eventually, Minji pulled back slightly, wiping the tears from his face as he glanced down at the ring now resting on his finger. He admired it with a soft smile, his thumb gently brushing over the band. "I can't believe this is real," he said, his voice still thick with emotion. "I'm engaged... we're really doing this."
I grinned, a surge of happiness rushing through me as I took his hand in mine. "We're really doing this," I repeated, my heart soaring at the thought of our future together. "I've never been more sure of anything in my life."
Minji let out a shaky laugh, pulling me close again, his head resting on my shoulder. "I don't know how I got so lucky," he whispered, his breath warm against my neck. "You're everything to me, Jihoon. I can't wait to start our life together."
I kissed the top of his head, feeling an overwhelming sense of peace wash over me. For the first time in a long time, everything felt right. There was no more uncertainty, no more fear. Just us, moving forward, hand in hand.
"Come on, let's head back before we freeze," I suggested, though I wasn't sure if it was the cold or the emotion of the moment that was making me tremble.
Minji chuckled, nodding in agreement as he took my hand and started leading the way back into the house
TBC