#12 Scenario: Merry Christmas Gift
Maeng Soyul.
Had she ever mustered this much courage in her life?
Clutching her heart, which was pounding like it might burst, she opened her mouth toward Nam Siu standing in front of her.
"Sunbae, I like you."
"Huh? Out of nowhere? Yeah, thanks."
He replied with a cute little laugh.
She could tell he saw her not as a woman, but as a junior or a little sister.
"I'm confessing right now."
She could see him falter at her words. It made sense—he'd never once shown any sign of feelings from her side.
"Come on, no way a pretty girl like you likes a guy like me."
"……."
She'd poured her heart into it, but he didn't seem to get it.
"I'm serious."
Only after she emphasized it again did he finally put on a serious face.
"You're confessing for real?"
"Yes."
"Pfft, that's so you."
She wasn't sure what "that's so you" meant.
Pat.
He ruffled her hair, then spoke apologetically.
"I'm really grateful and touched by your sincerity, but I don't want a girlfriend right now... and I'm not such a nice guy. I've had a few girlfriends before."
"I don't care."
It sounded like he was being considerate because she was his first or younger. She didn't mind the women he'd dated before.
Like that saying she'd heard somewhere—the one who ends up with him wins.
"Uh, and... ah, yeah. I'm kind of a perv too."
"I don't care."
"……."
Even if he called himself a perv, it didn't faze her. It seemed true what they said—once you fall in love, nothing else matters.
"You sure you can handle it? I'm telling you, I'm not a nice guy."
"Stop rejecting me."
Maeng Soyul stared straight at him, determined to get a clear answer.
"Hmm... alright, then... sure."
Nam Siu extended his hand toward her.
"……?"
He grinned, offering a handshake.
"Let's get along starting today, Soyul. Thanks for confessing."
Her already racing heart went even wilder.
Joy mixed with a swell of emotion, like she was floating to the heavens. The euphoria of achieving everything enveloped her.
"……Yes."
She barely managed a choked response before grasping his outstretched hand.
In the cold winter, his hand felt like a furnace, warm enough to melt away the chill.
§
Actually getting confessed to was pretty fresh and fun in its own way.
"Come to think of it, this is my first time getting confessed to."
Maybe it felt like this because no woman had ever confessed to him before.
"Anyway."
Compared to the scenarios he'd done so far, this was tame as hell.
A plain old dating scenario.
At work, he'd often catch Maeng Soyul giving him faint smiles, different from her usual self.
"There's a good eats spot right by the office after work—let's check it out."
"Okay."
Without changing her character, she stayed true to form.
She gave one-word answers so much it almost made him wonder if they were really dating.
After work, he eyed Maeng Soyul, still giving short replies.
"What?"
"Nothing. You're just pretty."
"……."
Instead of answering, she just turned her head slightly aside.
Swish.
Like the day she'd confessed, he held out his hand.
"Let's hold hands."
"Ah, okay."
Her tiny hand slipped into his—so small and delicate.
They walked down the street, fingers interlaced, like any normal couple.
"So why'd you like me?"
"……."
"Answer me~. Otherwise, I won't know why you're dating me."
"……Because I like you."
"That's it?"
He was thinking he should've scripted some better lines when she shyly added,
"You're mature. Everyone I've met before just had age, no real maturity."
Her words stabbed like daggers into his chest. He wasn't mature either, but whatever.
"This is your first time dating, right?"
"Yes, it is."
He scratched his cheek with his free hand. Things had turned out this way, and he had nothing much to say.
"Sunbae."
"Yeah?"
She pointed to the restaurant she'd picked.
"This the place?"
"Yeah, yeah. Let's go. Oh, and outside work, you can call me oppa."
"……Okay, oppa."
She kept turning her head away shyly as she said it.
She wasn't big on aegyo, but it was cute enough.
"Let's get the couple set."
Steak came out, and Maeng Soyul just sat watching quietly.
"First time at a place like this?"
"Yes."
"Give it here—I'll cut it for you."
"Ah... um... okay... "
She showed expressions, but they were so subtle you had to look close to notice.
If this weren't a scenario, dating her for real might've been tough.
"Here, try it. Good price and tastes great."
They ate dinner after work and chatted, like any lovers would.
The problem was he did almost all the talking.
"Not fun?"
"Ah, no. It is fun."
"……Show it a little. Feels like you hate it."
"That's not true at all. I like you, sunbae. Oppa."
When she said she liked him, her gaze was steady, unwavering.
She had a personality that didn't back down where she was confident.
"Thanks for saying that, but... show it more."
"Okay, I will."
Didn't seem like she fully got it.
"Wanna hit a nearby café?"
"……."
She checked the time and shook her head.
"If it's too late..."
"No biggie~. Siblings waiting? See you at work tomorrow then."
"Okay... next time together... "
Maeng Soyul bit her lower lip. It was hard for her to say she wanted to be alone with him next time.
He stroked her cheek reassuringly.
"It's fine. Or how about a trip on Christmas Eve?"
"A trip?"
"Too much, right?"
"Ah... "
His resigned tone weighed on her heart, and she shook her head.
"Well, one day... "
"Pfft, sure. I'll come to your place on the Eve."
"Okaay... "
The dinner-only date ended.
Waiting for the bus at the stop, hand in hand, snowflakes drifted down on the wind.
"Oh, snow."
He held out his hand, and a snowflake landed, melting away.
Maeng Soyul, fingers linked with his, opened her hand too.
"Snow's pretty, huh?"
"……Yes."
"Why stare at me? Look at the snow."
"……."
She didn't say it, but her whole body was attuned to him.
Hiss.
The bus pierced through the snow and pulled up.
Before she boarded, he pulled her into a light hug.
"Had fun today. Get home safe."
She hugged him tighter, as if reluctant to leave his embrace, then nodded.
"You too, oppa."
He waved until the bus with her on it was gone.
One thing he definitely felt: dating brought that fuzzy, tender emotion, which was a plus—but having to do this crazy routine every day was a minus.
"Whew, at least if dating leads to marriage, that's a relief."
He shoved his hands in his pockets and headed home.
§
Maeng Soyul.
Even after getting home, washing up, and lying down, she fiddled with her phone.
[Night~]
Nam Siu's short message made her heart flutter anyway.
As she toyed with her phone, her little sister beside her asked,
"Unnie, why're you smiling?"
"……Go to sleep."
"Pfft~. You're not sleeping either."
"I am."
She pulled the single blanket over her sister, who wriggled underneath. Hugging her, she patted her back.
The house she'd lived in her whole life felt cozier than ever tonight.
§
Christmas Eve
"Fucking white Christmas."
Heavy snow was falling outside.
In the scenario, he had to head out in the morning, but the fierce snow bred laziness.
"Ugh... "
He grabbed his coat from the hanger, stared blankly out the window, then stepped out.
Luckily, the snow made it milder than expected.
The bus dropped him in Maeng Soyul's neighborhood, which looked dauntingly steep.
"Whoa, mess up these stairs and you're dead... "
One wrong step on the frozen concrete, and it could be bad.
Cautiously climbing, he spotted Maeng Soyul smiling in the familiar alley.
"Oppa."
Her jet-black bob suited her perfectly, her skin white as snow, cat-like eyes alluring as she looked at him.
Like him, she wore a gray long coat, with a black hoodie and slacks underneath like her hair.
Up close, the faint pilling showed they were old, not great clothes—but he didn't care.
"Cold out—why not wait inside?"
"……Inside's cold too."
"Ahaha. Here."
He handed her the shopping bags, and she tilted her head.
"Gifts for your siblings, and this one's for grandma."
"Huh?"
Peeking inside, she looked apologetic.
"Give this to grandma—good for colds, they say. Try one; if it doesn't suit her, let me know."
"Sorry."
"What's to be sorry for? And these are for the kids. Saw their ball was beat-up last time—this soccer ball and... "
For the siblings: a soccer ball and a character princess doll from a toy shop.
He'd considered fakes but wanted something decent for kids.
"I got something separate for my Soyul."
He didn't mention it was 19+ lingerie.
Her touched expression gazed at him.
"Always just receiving... sorry... "
"It's fine. Your smile's the gift."
He tossed out the cringey line casually.
"Mind if I say hi since I'm here?"
"Yes!"
Following her in, he greeted the family.
"Grandma, how've you been? I'm Soyul's coworker. Brought this for you—try one, and tell me if it doesn't agree with you, okay~?"
He spoke softer and kinder than anyone.
Grandma smiled warmly, patting his shoulder.
He placed the gifts by the still-sleeping siblings' heads and headed out.
Whooosh.
Cold wind whistled through the alleys.
"Oppa... not cold?"
"Climbing up made me sweat instead."
"Pfft... right?"
As they started down, she suddenly reached out.
"Soyul's gift's at home, though?"
Shaking her head shyly, she took his finger.
"I... wanted to hold hands... "