Chapter 37 Part 4: Christmas

Christmas came quietly yet splendidly.

The splendid lights that had not been seen until the day before.

From the beginning to the end of the hallway, a long line wrapped in beautiful and warm lights stretched out.

The morning announcement was replaced by a soft carol, heightening the Christmas atmosphere.

I looked around with pounding eyes after leaving the room. The only regret was that it was not snowing.

It was a shame that I could not receive the cold crystals falling from the sky with my two hands.

“Amy!”

I shouted as I looked at the large box placed outside the room.

I thought that I might not receive a present because I had not hung a large gift stocking, but it seemed that Santa had left a present for me and Shine.

Large presents were placed next to the door.

On the card placed on top of them, in small letters, it said, “To Jeff and Shine.”

I reached out and picked up the gift boxes.

They were heavy, but not so heavy that I couldn’t lift them.

I dragged the boxes around, struggling, and was able to safely bring the presents into the room.

“Shine!”

I proudly shouted to Shine, my chest sticking out.

The large gift box was clearly a gift from Santa.

“Did Santa come?”

“He must have snuck by in the middle of the night!”

“I missed you.”

“Santa is busy, so it’s hard to see him.”

“Yeah.”

I pushed the gift all the way to the middle of the room.

Amy, who was half asleep, opened her mouth as she watched me.

“You got a gift?”

“Yes!”

I stamped my feet and peeled off the gift’s wrapping paper.

The pretty wrapping paper tore open with a snap snap.

I felt a little disappointed, but my target was the item inside the wrapping paper.

The gorgeous starlight visible through the peeled off wrapping paper.

The smooth stick visible behind the stars pouring down from the sky.

The gorgeous star on the end of the stick moved as if spinning.

“Wow!”

I was so excited that I ripped open the box recklessly.

The solid box scattered here and there.

And that was all that was left, a long stick.

I reached out with trembling hands and picked up the stick.

The cold temperature.

The feel of it on my fingertips.

It was all true.

I waved my hand gently.

The star, which spun quickly even with a small shock, gave off a soft light.

“How’s it going, Jeff? Are you satisfied?”

I nodded.

The witch’s hat on my head fluttered because of the violent movement.

“It seems Santa read the letter well.”

I lowered my head at Amy’s words.

The contents of the letter came to mind.

Shine, who sat next to me, quietly unwrapped the package.

The contents of the gift in front of Shine were a gorgeous scarf.

The white cashmere scarf looked very soft at first glance.

She lifted the scarf and smiled with satisfaction.

The pure white cashmere scarf, like her hair, wrapped around her neck.

However, the length of the softly wrapped scarf was still quite long.

As I looked at her curiously, Shine approached me and held out her hand.

The long white scarf wrapped around my neck.

Shine’s hand continued to carefully pull out my hair.

Shine, who had been caressing the scarf wrapped around my neck, took a step back and smiled slightly.

The scarf between her and me stretched out.

“What is this?”

“I asked for a scarf that I can wear with Jeff.”

I lowered my head at Shine’s answer.

The wide brim of my hat fell down, covering my face.

A burning heat filled my face.

“Ugh…”

I twitched my toes with an inexplicable emotion.

“How are you, Shine? Are you satisfied with the gift?”

“Yeah. With this, I can do it with Jeff.”

At Amy’s question, Shine nodded and answered.

She stroked the loose scarf and pulled it gently.

A small force was transmitted to my neck.

I did not refuse and quietly approached her.

Shine and I sat down on the floor.

The tree decorated excitedly last night was twinkling with colorful lights.

The temperature in the building was not cold enough to need a scarf, but Shine did not take it off.

I also naturally wrapped my scarf around Shine.

The scarf was too long for her to wear alone.

If she were to wrap it around herself, it would definitely cover Shine’s small face.

I didn’t realize it at first, but the scarf that two people wore together was inconvenient.

I had to take her with me wherever I went.

My movements were not free.

When I tried to run to another place by myself, I had no choice but to stop moving due to the small shock transmitted from my neck.

“Hey, Shine. Can’t you take this off?”

“Why?”

“A little…”

“A little?”

“It’s a little hot…”

“Really…?”

Shine’s expression darkened at my words.

I added urgently.

“Come to think of it, it doesn’t seem hot!”

Shine smiled and grabbed my scarf.

Unable to refuse that small force, I approached her quietly.

“Umm….”

I let out a slightly uncomfortable groan as she gently hugged my body.

It was a little hot because I was wrapped up so tightly.

“Amy. Can’t we see the snow from here?”

“Snow?”

“Yes.”

“That’s right, I didn’t see the snow.”

Amy stood up as if she had remembered something she had forgotten at my words.

“Let’s go see the snow!”

As she spoke, Amy took out a thick coat that was hanging on a hanger.

Shine and I also wrapped ourselves in the coats she put on us.

I looked up at Amy with a puzzled face.

I’m sure we didn’t have a coat like this until yesterday.

My trembling mouth couldn’t express my doubt.

Amy was taking care of us in a way I hadn’t expected.

Armed with thick coats, we crossed the hallway and headed toward the stairs.

Of course, when I went up the stairs, I was carried in Amy’s arms.

She was headed to the floor where the model park was.

A cold wind blew from afar and brushed my cheek.

The sound disappeared.

My body, which had been shaking here and there, landed on the floor.

I opened my mouth blankly.

Blue light spread out high.

The boundary at the end spread another light.

White.

The white that started at the end continued to my feet.

Cold crystals scattered by the wind settled on my palm.

Crystals that slowly melted.

The cold air flowed through my hand.

Suddenly, I thought I had forgotten something.

The sound that had disappeared returned.

“Jeff.”

A force that felt like a slight pull.

When I turned my gaze, Shine was pulling on my scarf.

Shine, who had gone ahead, was leaving footprints in the white snow.

I also followed her and walked forward.

The sound I heard from under my feet scattered pleasantly.

“Snow…”

Shine spoke while looking around.

“I’ve never seen this before…”

Shine sat down on the floor and rubbed her eyes.

Her hands turned red, and the snow she held in her small hands slowly melted.

“It’s cold.”

The snow is cold.

It’s obvious.

But Shine, as if she only just realized that obvious fact, looked down at the snow with a moved face.

The deep hole collapsed in the wind.

The melting water droplets dripping down melted the snow at her feet.

I reached out and grabbed Shine’s hand.

I gently wrapped it around her cold hand.

“Amy, I think you’ll need gloves.”

I need gloves.

If I touched this cold snow with my bare hands, I would definitely get frostbite.

Amy nodded to me and rubbed her eyes.

“I guess so.”

She immediately took out her cell phone.

I shifted my gaze again and looked at the end of the park.

The wide white space was filled with people.

As if I could feel a warmth that I shouldn’t be able to feel, one side of my chest became warm.

Whoosh.

The breath that flowed out of my mouth cooled down.

The breath disappeared with white steam.

Shine followed me and exhaled.

Shine and I walked through the park.

The hand I held with her had no room for the wind to get in.

The feeling of the snow scattering under my feet was quite fun.

Shine and I stopped in front of the fountain.

The place where we had hidden ourselves to avoid Jin’s gaze.

The fountain had stopped working.

There were only frozen water droplets at the entrance where the cool water flowed out.

The cold water in the fountain had become a large sheet of ice.

I turned my head to check Amy’s expression.

She was sitting on a small bench, fiddling with her phone.

Now that her gaze had disappeared, this was my chance.

I jumped up and climbed onto the fountain.

My shoes were extremely slippery because of the snow stuck to them.

“Come up, Shine.”

Shine also climbed onto the fountain like me.

The cold wind blew her hair pleasantly.

“Be careful.”

As I said that, I took a step forward.

I glided forward.

My speed was very slow.

I moved slowly, pulling my scarf lightly.

Shine, who had been standing blankly, moved her feet as if following me.

Her eyes widened as if she was amazed at the slow sliding of her feet.

The soft warmth pushed away the cold snow.

“Isn’t it fun?”

Shine nodded without saying anything.

I held Shine’s hand and moved a little bigger.

The ice rink was refreshingly slippery.

Shine, who had become accustomed to the movement, immediately followed me.

The fountain was bigger than I thought.

It was enough for her and me to spin around and play.

After spinning around for a while, we stopped by holding onto the fountain’s pillar.

I could hear the sound of rapid breathing.

We looked at each other and laughed without saying who would go first.

“It’s fun!”

Shine said with a smile.

I nodded as well.

“I want to come again next time!”

“Let’s do it.”

“Next year too!”

Next year too.

Shine’s voice, flowing out like a promise, felt distant.

The cold chill of the pillar passed through my fingertips.

My mouth also seemed frozen, unable to move.

Shine, who had been holding onto the pillar, reached out and grabbed my hand.

Her cold, frozen hand moved gently.

“Let’s do it.”

I moved my mouth with difficulty.

It was only difficult to get started.

The voice that flowed out was as soft as before.

Shine smiled brightly, as if she was satisfied with my answer.

“Jeff! Shine!”

Amy’s voice was suddenly heard.

Shine and I jumped down from the fountain without saying a word.

Amy, who approached me urgently, was holding a thick glove in her hand.