It was when the tree was set up and fully decorated when Taehyung realized that he had forgot to buy the most essential thing—a phone charger. Angry about not being able to take and share a picture of his carefully arranged decoration, he plopped onto the couch and stared at the ceiling. Should he go back to the store, or should he take the opportunity to celebrate Christmas in a more conscious way?
"A digital detox during the holidays is just what I need," Tae told the empty living room and jumped off the couch. "Plus, my friends would probably spam me with reproach if I dare to message them after all this time."
His friends…
Taehyung shook off his sadness and opened another box of Christmas decorations which he had found in the storage room. This one contained lots of fairy lights and battery-powered knickknacks. Smiling, he took out the items from the box one by one and put them onto the couch, sorting and choosing where to put them at the same time.
'It will take forever to untangle all the cables… and even longer to place them all over the apartment,' a critical voice noted.
"Well, I guess then I shouldn't waste more daylight," Taehyung replied and went to work.
In the afternoon, Tae had finished placing every piece of decoration around the apartment. As he walked proudly through his self-made Christmas Wonderland with a cup of cinnamon tea in one hand, he picked up the only thing that was left to be used and turned it in his other hand.
It was an old iPod he had found on the bottom of the box with decorations. Wondering why the device had been in there for an entire year without being missed by someone, Tae connected it to speakers and found the answer the minute 'Let it snow' started playing.
A faint smile bloomed on Taehyung's lips, as he sat down on the couch, nipped on his tea and snuggled into a blanket. The lights in the room contrasted the grey sky, keeping the darkness away, light by light.
Everything was perfect.
At least so he thought.
Mistaking the gnawing feeling in his stomach with hunger, Taehyung got up and walked into the kitchen. Opening the fridge, he cringed, realizing where the strange feeling in his body came from. There was no lonelier sight than a hot pot set for one person in a half empty fridge on Christmas Eve.
After putting on a face mask and a Santa hat, Tae left the house. Fresh snow had covered the icy streets, making them a little less slippery, but still hard to cross.
Upon seeing Taehyung making his way into his direction, the Santa Claus performer rung his bell and shouted a loud "Ho, ho ho!" into the boy's direction.
'He's still here? Maybe that poor fellow really is frozen to the sidewalk,' Tae thought with a mix of cynicism and sympathy. Eventually, the sympathy won over.
Clearing his throat, Tae approached the man. "Are you okay?"
"Hohoho! Santa is always okay!" The man called out in a booming voice. "But thanks for your concern. I will return home once I finished my job."
Taehyung nodded and turned to walk away, but he stopped in his tracks. "Um… Santa? Can I talk to you for a minute?"
The man nodded vigorously.
"First, I know you're not the real Santa."
"What makes you think so?" came the standard fake-Santa reply, followed by an unobstrusive beard check.
"My friends and I rescued the real Santa last year, so I know what he looks like. But I also know that everyone dressed up as Santa on Christmas Eve acts as some kind of surrogate, so I'd like to give you my message to the real Santa Claus."
"All right, son," 'Santa' replied as if Taehyung's story made as much sense as a lecture on quantum physics.
"This is Kim Taehyung. Do you need my address as well?
"No, I will be fine."
"Please tell Santa that I want my friends back. I don't need presents this year. Just Namjoon, Jin, Hobi, Jimin, Jungkook and Bang PD-nim. And if he has time, Yoongi too. Okay?"
"I see what I can do," the man said and pulled a Christmas card from his bag. "Here. Take this."
Tae took the cold card and turned it in his hands. It came with an envelope and a silver pen.
Reading Tae's confused expression, 'Santa' laughed and pointed at the hat on Tae's head. "Today, you're a Surrogate Santa as well. Use this card to make a wish come true."
"Thanks. I see what I can do with it," Taehyung said and put the card into the pocket of his coat. Nodding one more time, Tae turned and walked away.
"Merry Christmas," the man's voice traveled with the wind.
*7 Days Left Until Christmas Eve*
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