Fifth oneshot, back to ShunxAlice. I absolutely love listening to EXO's Christmas song "Miracles in December" right now, especially the Chinese version. And I literally cried! Then I thought of a beautiful way to reunite Shun's family and came up with this.
Snowfall on Christmas Eve. Nothing out of the ordinary there. Shun stared out down below from the window of the third floor of the hospital.
"Want some hot chocolate?"
He heard a voice behind him and turned around. Alice carried a cup of hot chocolate in one hand and drank from another cup with the other. "Sure. Thanks."
"No problem." She stared out at what Shun was looking earlier but raised an eyebrow. "What are you looking at? There are only cars, people, and streetlights down there."
"That's exactly what I'm looking at. Just look at them. All happy yet in a hurry..." Shun's trailed off, and he drank his hot chocolate. "What did they say?"
"Who? Dan?"
"The doctors."
"Oh..." Alice twitched nervously as she thought of how she should put her answer into words. "They said she might not live long."
"So how long?"
"The determined maximum is only to this weekend."
Shun froze.
"I-I'm sorry. That's all they said."
"Alice, you don't have to apologize. It's not your fault." He turned turn and hugged her snugly. "I'm scared, Alice. I've never been this scared before. What if my mom-"
"Shun, don't be." Alice put down her hot chocolate and hugged him back. "Your mom will be fine. It's been years since she was first diagnosed, yet she's still living. I know she's been in a coma for a year, but she'll fight through it."
"I wish I could believe you, but-"
"Just believe me, and think positive. Who knows? Maybe a miracle will descend from the sky."
"A miracle..." Shun looked at the people below and then the clock. "Wouldn't that be nice?"
"That's the spirit!"
Shun finished the rest of his hot chocolate and kissed Alice on the forehead. "Our visiting hours are over. You want to go shopping or eating somewhere?"
"Maybe a walk through the stores since I still need a few presents." She finished her hot chocolate, threw the cup away, and wiped her forehead with a napkin. "Next time, don't give me kisses after eating or drinking. It makes my face sticky."
"Yet you're okay with the lipstick prints your Aunt Clara gives you?"
"Those are not edible and are heavily waterproof. Which reminds me, I should by her a new tube of lipstick. Let's go."
"Okay, I'm coming."
Alice's joy and happiness may be showering on him, but it just wasn't enough to make him feel better about Shiori, who could pass away any day of this week.
MxMxM
"You know you didn't have to buy these for me, right?"
"I insist. It's the least I could do for other than to check up on your mom."
Aside from buying Aunt Clara a new tube of lipstick, Alice also bought toys for her cousins, some new cookware for her grandfather, and a coat plus scarf for Shun. "I might need the new coat, but a scarf? Not my style."
"Do you really not like it?" she asked with a breaking voice.
"No, I really—hold on." Shun looked at the caller ID on his phone and answered it reluctantly. "What is it?"
"Shun. You sound upset. Actually, after hearing what I'll say, you'll probably be more upset."
"That doesn't matter. What do mean, I'll be 'more upset'?"
"I'm sorry Shun, but a snowstorm is delaying plan flights, and my boss gave me other tasks. I...can't come over."
"Oh. Doesn't matter. You won't miss much."
"Thanks for understanding. I'm really sorry. Tell Mom I said hi."
Shun hung up without a reply, and Alice asked worriedly, "Shun, are you alright?"
"Fine. Why do you ask?"
"You sound a little cold-hearted in that conversation. Who was it?"
Shun took a deep breath and waiting at the corner. "My dad. He promised my mom and I that he'd definitely come over for Christmas no matter how busy, and now he just canceled it."
Alice nodded in understanding. "That's upsetting. There's not much we can do about-"
"There's nothing that we can do at all."He noticed Alice shiver in fear and apologized. "Sorry, I didn't mean to say that. It's just so...upsetting. After so many sworn promises, he breaks them all."
"I'm pretty sure your dad's just busy, that's all."
"He said he boss had urgent matters. You're right. I can't blame him." He held Alice's hand and crossed the street. "Did you buy everything you needed?"
"As a matter of fact, no. Not a single shoe store back there sold the fur boots that I really wanted to wear to a party tomorrow. And it's Christmas Eve. Either every place is sold out or waiting for post-Christmas sales."
"Hmm. If you really can't find the fur boots you want before Christmas, then I'll buy it for you after Christmas. I owe you."
Alice's face lit up in happiness, and she charged at him with a hug. "Thanks Shun! I'll leave that up to you then." She looked around and pointed to a house up front. "Isn't that your house?"
"That is my house. You know Alice, I really want to just go home and rest. Are you okay with that?"
Alice was a little disappointed but nodded. "Of course I'm okay. You've had a tough day." In a softer voice, she added, "I only wish I could do more."
Shun took the coat and scarf and held it up to her. "You've done all that you could, Alice. You won't understand my parents' issues, and I really appreciate you buying me these, even though I really don't want the scarf." Shun hugged her once more and kissed her cold cheek. "You're freezing. Are you sure you'll be fine?"
Alice rubbed her hand on her face. "I'm so frozen that I can't even feel I'm frozen. Anyway, I will."
"See you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow, Shun." She waved him goodbye as he ran down the sidewalk and turned at the corner. Alice kept walking down the street with shopping bags in her hands as she warmed up her cold face. If only there was something she could do...
And if only Shun's pressure lessened even just a little...
MxMxM
"Shun...Shun, wake up."
"Huh?!"
Shun lifted his head and rubbed his eyes. After getting a call from Grandfather saying he wasn't coming home tonight, he spent the rest of the day in the hospital next to his mom. Shiori's vitals were all normal, but even if he knew that it'd mean she'd wake up any moment now, he also knew that her last day would also be any moment.
"Sorry to wake you up, Shun," the nurse apologized. "but I need to you move a little so I can check this screen again."
"No, I should be sorry. Here, is that enough space?"
"That's good. Thanks Shun."
He rested his chin on his interlocked fingers and watched the nurse copy the machine results. Every hour that passed, she came by to copy the results to make sure Shiori was okay. Only this time, Shun got really tired and fell asleep. It was about eight at night, and there was no point in going home anyway.
"How long do you still have to check the machines?" he asked.
"Every hour to make sure her vitals maintain normal level." She flipped through her clipboard papers. "Based on the similar results, your mother should be conscious any time soon. If we only had a miracle right now."
After that, the nurse left, and Shun scooted his chair closer to Shiori. "Mom, please wake up. I don't want you to die before you wake up, nevertheless see me for the last time."
All Shun had on him was the shopping bag of his new coat and scarf, which he brought with him in case Shiori woke up and felt cold. Right now, he was the only one cold and put the new coat on. "How did know my size without having me try it on at all?" At the though of Alice, Shun grabbed his mom's right hand and whispered, "I don't want you to die before seeing Alice and I together, either. At least to our wedding day, please."
Suddenly, her hand twitched a little.
"Mom? Are you waking up?"
The nurse from earlier overhead and walked in to measure her pulse. "She is waking up, but give her some time. I'll get her doctor."
He couldn't believe it. Shiori was really going to wake up, after a year-long coma. "I'm so glad you're finally awake. Was it because of what I said?" Then again, it was Alice who talked of miracles earlier today.
The doctor came in and checked the machines. "She's definitely waking up. I'll stay a while longer to confirm it, then you'll have your personal time, Shun." He smiled and shook his head. "What a miracle. Just before Christmas, too."
Seconds later, Shiori opened her green and ans saw Shun. "Sweetie, is that you?"
"Mom...I don't believe it. You're really awake...after such a long year of waiting."
Soon after, all the staff left the room, leaving Shun with his mom. "What's the date today, Shun."
"Twenty-fourth of December, Christmas Eve. It's a miracle, Mom. So close to Christmas Day, too. Of course, the earlier you woke up, the better. I feel like crying."
"Shun, don't. I know I always told you that it's okay to cry when around me, but not this time. Just once. For me." While hugging her son, she looked up at the person standing in the door. "Shininchi..."
"Shiorin..." replied Shun's dad by her nickname. "You're awake."
"What?!" Shun turned around and saw his dad walk in. "Dad, I thought your boss and that snowstorm-"
"My boss was aware that most of us employees would be out for Christmas, but since the snowstorm delayed the planes, we had to stay, and he wanted us to be productive. Once the snowstorm cleared, he let us go, and I hopped on the fastest plane here."
Suddenly, the doctor walked in with his hand up for now reason. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything, but the machine and test results say that Ms. Kazami will live a maximum of two months more now that she woke up. Meanwhile, we'll come up a new method of treatment for her. Other than that, happy holidays."
After hearing the news, Shun and his dad hit a high-five as Shiori smiled. "You hear that, Shiorin? Two months! You still have hope."
"And hopefully, that hope and this miracle don't run out."
"I know, right?" Shinichi kissed Shun and Shiori. "I'm just glad we can all be together for once again."
"Me too. And Dad, sorry for my attitude on our phone call earlier." Shun reached for the bag and took out the scarf. "Dad, Alice bought me this, but we both already understand that I don't like this scarf. I'm giving it to you."
"Thanks, Shun. Your present means a lot." He sighed and added, "It represents the first Christmas I spent with you guys after the divorce, yet also the Christmas in which you woke up from your coma. But now's not the time to be thinking about divorces. Someone change the topic. Hold on, did you say 'Alice' gave you this?"
"Uh, yeah. What about it?"
While they talked happily in Shiori's room, watching them through the window from the apartment building across the street was Alice, phone in hand looking at a message that she sent a few hours ago. Now that the message did its purpose, Alice closed her phone watched Shun and his family for one last time before leaving. She did was she did to help him, and it was time for her to go home. For some reason, Alice was happy for Shun, but not really happy herself.
"At least he got what he needed most this Christmas."
MxMxM
Alice walked home in the cold, snowy night, skin frozen and pale. It's was a little past nine, and the prettier Christmas lights turned on. Normally, walking home alone at night was dangerous, but even on Christmas Eve, just hours away from Christmas, there were many people walking around the streets. Alice just happened to be the only alone person among all pedestrians.
"Alice! Wait!"
She turned around and stood still, watching Shun run over to and stop in front of her. "Shun? How did you know I was here."
"I didn't." After catching his breath, he hugged her tightly for the third time today. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"Sending my dad that message." He held his phone up to show Alice a forwarded message. "He said you sent him a very sentimental message begging him to come no matter what. I don't know how you got his number, but he did end up coming."
Alice smiled. "I called and had to beg your grandfather, but he gave in. I sent that message about three hours ago but never got a reply, so I watched. That was a beautiful miracle, wasn't it?"
"Two beautiful miracles—my mom waking up, and the snowstorm clearing so my dad could fly over. Neither one of us had control over either one. Also, I gave the scarf to my dad as a Christmas present. Hope you don't mind."
"Of course I don't. Your dad doesn't always come back, and giving him something to take back is perfect. Wait. Shouldn't you be with parents back at the hospital?"
Shun checked his watch and shook his head. "Dad wanted to talk to Mom privately, so I took a walk Then I found you here." He noticed Alice's frozen pale skin and pulled her collar up. He gently touched her cheek. "How come you're always so cold? You should've kept the scarf."
"Shun, I grew up in Moscow. I'm used to the snow, although it wouldn't hurt to be just a little warmer."
Shun put his hand on Alice's shoulder and pulled her closer. "And to think I was still upset that Mom might now make it through today and that Dad actually broke his promise. It's really a miracle how both of them happened on Christmas Eve. I still owe you those fur boots, don't I?"
"Of course you do, especially since Christmas is only in two and something hours. Still haven't found them."
"So if we work hard and find those snow boots within these two hours, would that be considered a miracle?"
Alice looked up and pouted her lips in thought. "I don't know. That would just mean I have bad eye and missed that store."
"What if I said that store had only one pair left in their inventory that were your size?"
"Well...that's a little too miraculous. Wait, did you say you-"
Shun held out a larger shopping bag that carried a rectangular box. "You should've told me the boots you wanted were a limited edition. No wonder they were so hard to find, but I found them. It's a half-size bigger than your feet, but that shouldn't be a problem. Merry Christmas."
Alice gasped in joy. "Oh. My. God. You're not serious?"
"As serious as my mom waking and dad returning. Happy now?"
"Of course I am!" Alice kissed Shun on his lips and accepted the present. "Of course, this miracle is nothing compared to your parents." Alice checked the time on her phone. "You know, we should go visit your parents since it's been a long time since you came out."
"You're right. Mom may have seen you prior to her coma, but Dad hasn't seen you since primary school." Shun held Alice by her hand and took her all the way back to the hospital to Shiori's room.
What a perfectly miraculous Christmas Eve.
Go. Listen's to EXO's song now, whether it's the Korean or Chinese version. Anyway, Christmas is in the air, but please a review! Merry Christmas and Happy New year!