This Feeling That You Carry

"That's a good one," a voice says, and Chaeryeong looks over her shoulder to a salesman coming up behind them. "Little young to have been cut, but it'll last you." He gives a nod, hands tucked in his pockets, and looks between them. "First Christmas?"

She looks at Changbin. The smile's already settling on his face, the secret one they share for a second whenever this happens. It looks good on him. He looks good, in his winter jacket with the fleece peeking out underneath. He looks like the kind of guy who'd let his wife pick the tree and grouse good-naturedly as he got it set up, just the way their dad always would.

"Yes," she says, cutting in before he can answer, and everything inside her floats like they've just hit a dip in the road.