Christmas
Somehow, after the aunt's birthday party, time had flown by.
Winter had arrived with a chill in the air and cold breaths visible, and before I knew it, I had turned seven. I was a whole year older. Last year, nothing particularly special had happened, but this year, there had been quite a few special things.
The first was on January 1st, when my family and Sia's family gathered to eat tteokguk together. Sia's family had invited us first and taken us to their house to eat tteokguk. Then, the second thing.
Sia and I had held our birthday parties together. The difference between our birthdays was only about two weeks, so last year we had done them separately, but this year Sia and I had held ours at the same time.
So, it seemed like from January onward, I had been spending a lot of time with Sia. Not only kindergarten, but whenever Sia's family went somewhere to play, she had brought me along.
Sia and I had gone to sledding hills together, and we had even taken a hot spring trip. Plus, in March, we had seen off the uncle whose ship was departing again.
I had been to the beach swimming area many times, but the port with ships was a first for me. The port I had only ever seen in pictures looked far larger and more complicated than I had imagined. The deep-sea fishing vessel the uncle was on was also incredibly big and strangely shaped.
Since Sia had told me it was really huge, I had not imagined it could be so massive. While I was marveling at the ship, before we set sail, the uncle had shown us around inside. The interior was just as vast and intricate.
After finishing the tour, we waved as the uncle's ship sailed away, but seeing it so small made me feel a strange lump in my throat. I had missed the uncle we got along with so much since we had been apart for so long.
The uncle had gone to work, but my daily life had not changed much. Whenever Sia mentioned they were going somewhere to play, I had followed along.
The reason we were together all the time was because of the situation in our family. This year, my dad and mom had been going on work trips frequently, and following them around had been tough. So, I had spent a lot of time at Sia's house or alone at our place.
Sia's family had brought me along whenever they went out to make sure I did not stay home alone. Even if it was not far, they had taken me to nearby parks, movie theaters to watch cartoons, and even the supermarket.
Because of that, I had grown really comfortable spending time with Sia's family. Before, I had tried to behave quietly so as not to cause trouble, but now that I was playing outside with Sia, the time at Sia's house felt easier.
So, in spring, we had gone on outings to see cherry blossoms together, and in summer, Sia, the aunt, and I had eaten watermelon at the pool or at home. During kindergarten summer break, the three of us had gone to the beach for a one-night-two-day trip.
In autumn, Sia and I had gone to a place called a tree-lined park to enjoy the colorful maple leaves together. Of course, I had not been with Sia's family all the time. Since I was now seven, I had been attending academy and studying workbooks in preparation for elementary school next year.
So, when I went to Sia's house to play, while I was studying, Sia had started studying with me too. Because Sia and I had studied together, we had ended up stopping the academy we went to for a long time.
Now that kindergarten was over, Sia had come to our house and we had started doing workbook homework together. When I studied alone, Sia had seemed really bored, but now that we did it together, that worry had disappeared.
With that, Sia and I were able to help each other with our workbooks. I was good at math, and Sia was good at Korean, so we had helped each other with the problems we could not solve. Of course, we had not solved each other's problems.
Why? Because the aunt had been watching us study from the side, and it had been impossible. So, after studying, playing, studying again, and playing again, we had reached the middle of December without realizing it.
Mom and dad were really looking forward to me entering school soon, but to me, school did not feel real at all. I just thought it would be no different from kindergarten.
So, as we were spending our last days of seven, Sia had seemed a little down somewhere. Of course, it was only natural because we had heard the uncle might not be able to come this year.
Apparently, there had been problems on the usual route where ships passed, so the aunt had explained it would be hard for him to arrive this year. With the news that the uncle might not come this year, Sia had seemed a bit gloomy.
The aunt had also seemed worried about Sia being down, so she had taken her to a lot of her favorite foods and places, but nothing had lifted Sia's mood. So, I had wondered if there was something I could do to cheer her up and then remembered that Sia liked drawing.
Sia, shall we make a Christmas tree together?
A tree? There's one at home.
That would be nice too, but like the one we made at kindergarten last year, let's make it ourselves.
Um... drawing it?
That's something you like.
... Okay.
I had suggested to Sia that we draw a Christmas tree together. Last year, at kindergarten, we had decorated a Christmas tree ourselves, but this year, instead of a real tree, we were doing one with rolling paper. Since we were entering elementary school, everyone might be scattered, so I had heard it was about writing what we wanted to say to each other.
Since Sia said we would not decorate a tree, I remembered how I had been disappointed and told her, and fortunately, it worked. I had told the aunt, and she had said, "Is that so? Then let's make it super big!"
I had thought about how big it would be according to the aunt, but...
The aunt had brought a huge wooden board.
Come on! Siwo Sia's! We're making our own Christmas tree!
Eh...
Yay...!
With the appearance of such a huge wooden board, Sia had looked thrilled. Seeing Sia excited made me feel it would be okay, so I had joined in too.
I was looking forward to making a Christmas tree as well. Wooden boards came in two main types: one brown and one green. Besides that, there were various colored wooden boards for each type.
We had decided to make the bottom with the brown one and the upper part with the green one. Cutting the wood had all been done by the aunt. She had brought what looked like a saw and plugged it into the outlet, and started cutting the wood without stopping.
We had assembled the quickly cut wood to complete the bottom, and now we were stacking the trees we wanted in layers, starting from the bottom. With various shapes like stars and gear shapes, and a star on the very top... a really pretty Christmas tree was finished.
Wow... It's much prettier than I thought, right?
Yeeees...
Right!
Now, shall we make some other decorations?
""Yes!""
We had started attaching decorations made from the remaining colored wooden boards in the shapes we wanted. Sia had made a magic wand from her favorite cartoon, and I had roughly carved a robot from one of my cartoons and decorated it.
After decorating it, even though it was a bit clumsy, the tree was really fulfilling.
Now, everyone, let's take a photo!
You must take a photo...
Quickly...!
I had hesitated a little because I did not want to be in the photo, but Sia had pulled me along and taken a photo with me. The aunt had sent the photo to my mom and dad, and they had petted my head saying it would have been fun.
Ah, Dad, Mom, can we be together on Christmas?
Yeah, of course.
Then, I have to be with my son.
Hehehe! Yay!
Ah, but what about Sia's family?
Sia's family, I guess Seung-hyun-ssi is still tied up.
Aigoo... He must be having a hard time.
Ah... Then...
I had almost said something like what about sending Sia with us, but since both Dad and Mom had been really busy with work lately, I could not ask for such a childish request.
So, time had passed, and it was Christmas Day.
Siwo, sorry, Dad has an urgent matter at the company, so he will not be able to come.
Eh... Why?! Why...
Apparently, there was a fire at the company warehouse.
Ah...
I had not been able to say anything. Since there was a fire, it was a big deal, so I had kept my mouth shut.
Still, let's go to the buffet together.
Yeah...
We had gone to the buffet we had been to before, but... the taste had not been the same as before.
The next day, when I met Sia, Sia's mood seemed a bit better. I had wondered why and asked.
Dad came back yesterday! So, we had a Christmas party at home together!
Ah... That must have been nice.
Yeah! Dad said it was well-made after seeing the tree Sia and I made!
Yeah... I see...
Siwo...?
That must have been nice.
...?
Until now, when I saw Sia looking happy, I had felt happy too, but today... my feelings had been the opposite.