"Hey!" Taehyung quickly ran after the cashier, who had left the party shortly after Mr Lee's disappearance. "Jessica, right?"
The woman turned and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "How come you know my name, but I don't know yours…"
"I have something for you." Tae handed her the envelope containing the Christmas card.
Jessica looked at him with curious eyes and started peeling the envelope open.
"Wait," Tae stopped her. "Don't open it until tomorrow. It's a Christmas surprise."
"Who are you?" Jessica mouthed and took a step closer to find the answer in Taehyung's face.
Taehyung took a step back and straightened his red, fleece-trimmed hat."Surrogate Santa."
After successfully delivering the Christmas mail to Jessica, Taehyung headed home. The streets were calm and quiet, and the air smelled as if it would start snowing any minute. Most people would be home by now, spending a blissful evening with family, friends or their lovers. Even the Santa at the sidewalk in front of the apartment complex was gone.
Sadness was about to fill Taehyung's heart once again, but he shook it off thinking about the conversation with Mr Lee—and the envelope he had handed to Jessica. Fueled by a fuzzy feeling, Tae marched across the snow-crusted street and entered the building's main hall. Luckily, the security curfew hadn't started yet.
While he was wiping off the snow from his boots and shins, he noticed that the door to the CCTV room was open. And what's more, the security guy was having a vivid conversation with someone. Taehyung walked toward the small room. Perhaps Bang PD-nim had left a message for Taehyung. Plus, he still had to report the attempted burglary that had taken place the day before. And if he was really lucky, he could snatch a drink to warm himself up.
Taehyung had just inhaled to greet the security guard, when the woman who sat next to the man screeched, "what? You wanna raid the apartment while this kid is still inside?"
"But of course!" The security guard boasted. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance!"
"Um… Don't get me wrong, Bro… I love raids, especially the crazy ones, but… I don't think that's a good idea."
"Look, Sis. BTS' apartment is the reason why I started working in this filthy building in the first place. Ever since I learned about these seven little brats, I knew I wanted to rob the hell outta them. I don't care whether one of those sissies is still there."
Taehyung jolted back from the door and pressed against the wall. His heart hammered in his chest. 'Please, let this all just be a misunderstanding!'
"Stop calling them sissies, Bro!" Tae could hear a slapping noise, followed by a grumble.
"Sis, I tell you something. First we'll have our holiday dinner, then we'll watch 'Home Alone', and when we're in the mood, we'll pay this Taehyung a visit. Perhaps around 9:00."
'Misunderstanding? What misunderstanding!' Tae's inner voice screamed like a siren. Paralyzed, he looked for a way to escape. The way back to the apartment building's front door seemed like a three-day-trip now.
The security man chuckled. "It's dark, and if we're lucky, the little brat got drunk until then."
"Yeah, kids love to get drunk during the holidays," the woman chuckled.
"Just be careful that you don't get drunk during the holidays!"
"Hey! You spilled my drink!"
While the siblings fought like little kids, Taehyung moved away from the CCTV room as quietly as he could. His body almost succumbed to the relief when he reached the front door. With trembling hands he grabbed the handle—just to find out that it was locked.
Holiday curfew had started one minute ago.
*5 Days Left Until Christmas Eve*
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