| R e v e n g e f o r C h r i s t m a s |
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It was a Saturday afternoon and I was studying for next week’s exam week; the last week before Christmas and winter vacation would start. I was excited because my parents would be coming back from Europe.
I heard the familiar sound of a text message from my phone and went to check.
It was Eunhyuk. I found out that he had been texting for five times in the fifteen minutes that I went downstairs to eat something.

‘Monkey’ 14:35 PM: “Hey, can you help me with something from biology?”

‘Monkey’ 14:39 PM: “Na-Young…? I don’t understand question 22 from page 125”

‘Monkey’ 14:44 PM: “Never mind, I already know… Question 23, please…”

‘Monkey’ 14:45 PM: “Na-Young?? You there? Maybe it’s better if you come by to help me…”

‘Monkey’ 14:49 PM: “Help meeeeeeeeehhh!!!!!!”

Another fifteen minutes later I stood in front of his door waiting for him to open it. It didn’t take long before the door flung open.

“Na-Young! Thanks for helping me, you’re the best!” He smiled, showing his gums.

“Better thank me with something good to eat or something else like that, because I just gave up my study hours for you…” I said without showing emotion.

“I’m sorry… but you’re the smartest girl that I know… and I can’t ask Leeteuk because he is staying with his father right now.” Eunhyuk smiled, but I still showed no emotion.

“Okay, I’ll pay you…” He finally said as I followed him up the stairs.

“You can’t cook right?” I let out, but he didn’t respond.

I settled in a chair in front of his desk as Eunhyuk went downstairs to get us something to drink. The walls of his room were covered by posters of famous European and South American soccer players. I met some of them when I was younger. My mother was at a press conference taking photos that time. One of them, as my mother told me later was Fernando Torres. He had called me when he noticed there was a ‘cute little girl’ present. I sat on his lap and he gave me a soccer ball as a present. Of course it was all for the media attention, it’s what my mother told me later.

The difference between Eunhyuk’s room and Leeteuk’s room were so obvious. Leeteuk had a lot of stuff filling his tiny place but it was still organized. Eunhyuk’s room was wide and yet it was messy.
Seconds later Eunhyuk returned with two colas and settled on the chair beside me.

“See I marked all the questions I can’t answer with red.” Eunhyuk told me honestly and handed me his paper.

Concerned I looked at the clearly dominating shade of red that filled the page. I didn’t look up as I muttered “Eunhyuk…” while my mouth fell open.
“It’s Monday already, you know that?!” I looked up at him.

“It’s Saturday…”he murmured.

“The test is Monday already!” I almost yelled at him.

“Okay, okay…Just joking, I mean of course I know its Monday and I know what you’re trying to say, but that’s why you’re here, huh?” He took the paper out of my hand.

“You’re also two paragraphs behind…” I noted.

“But let’s get down to business now…” I quickly added when Eunhyuk made a face.

We studied for two hours as I helped Eunhyuk with almost everything he needed to know. Meanwhile I was bored so I started flipping through some old comic books on his desk which we used to read together. Sometimes I started laughing randomly to be followed by a glare from Eunhyuk.
When he finally reached the paragraph where I stopped working last morning I put the comic book away and joined him with his work. It was surprising how fast we ran through the subjects now that we were working together.
After another hour Eunhyuk put down his pencil.

“I’m exhausted; do you want to go out and eat somewhere? My parents aren’t at home…” Eunhyuk asked softly and grinned a little.

“And you can’t cook…” I added, making it obvious.

“Stop saying th -…“ He defended himself but I already stood up and reached for the door.

After we put on our winter coats Eunhyuk opened the front door and a fierce wave of coldness hit our skin.

Outfits:
Eunhyuk:
http://j.imagehost.org/0837/f38bf4ae1294659.jpg
Na-Young:
http://a.imagehost.org/0542/white-formula-joven-coat-black-h-m-hat-black-zara-purse-black-blanco-boots.jpg

The outside temperature had dropped down drastically since this afternoon. The sun had disappeared and so did the warmth. I wrapped my arms around myself avoiding the coldness to penetrate my jacket but it didn’t work. I shivered lightly as Eunhyuk closed the front door.

“Let’s go aja… where do you want to go? I’m sure it’s not that pizza place…haha, do you remember that time?” He had a smug face.

“No…” I said without showing emotion. He was never going to drop it didn’t he? He was going to remember it until graduation.

He chuckled lightly and threw his arm around my shoulder.

“Na-Young, what day is it today?” Eunhyuk asked.

“It’s the 17th of December, why?”

“Do you want to go buy Christmas presents?”

Oh shoot, I remembered it was indeed the best day to look for them because Christmas was already next weekend and we wouldn’t have time during the week.

“Okay oppa…” I tugged lightly on his arm.

Then Eunhyuk eyed me suspiciously while his mouth fell open, dumbfounded.

“Okay, then I won’t say oppa!” I let out a little pissed after a too long silence.

“No no… call me oppa if you like, I just didn’t expect it from you…” He smiled weakly.

“No, it’s too late now…” I let out.

Eunhyuk chuckled.
We walked to the bus station and took the first bus to the centre of Seoul. Then we headed to Shinsegae department store. All of a sudden I felt something cold and wet landing on my head. Eunhyuk felt it too. We looked up and to our surprise there were thousands of white flakes hovering in the sky above us. It was as if we stood beneath a cherry blossom tree.

“It’s snowing!” I let out enthusiastically.

“Wooaaah” Eunhyuk stared at the increasingly becoming white ground with amazement.
I pulled an umbrella out of my bag as the snow flakes were getting bigger and held it above us. It reminded me of that time when I walked with Yu-Na

It was kind of useless though, because we already entered the building.

“Do we split up?” Eunhyuk asked as he let go of my shoulder.

I nodded. “How about we meet here at 7 again?” I suggested.

“Okay, see you later…” Eunhyuk smiled suspiciously and walked away.

“Have fun shopping!” I yelled at him, just with the same tone, I knew what he was thinking and he knew what I was thinking; there was something traditional for Christmas we did every year. We didn’t just buy each other regular gifts like ordinary friends would do. We preferred shameful and embarrassing ones which our families would all witness on Christmas’ Eve.

It wasn’t my idea, but it all started two years ago when we were thirteen years old. Eunhyuk wanted to buy chewing gum for me but he confused it with cigarette filters because of the similar looking packaging.
The little incident caused an outbreak of furiosity from my parents because they thought I was committing myself to bad habits while they weren’t there to hold supervision. They almost fired the maid.
Of course this all didn’t hold me back from taking my revenge on Eunhyuk the next year. It wasn’t like I was holding grudges but I thought it was funny. Leeteuk of course, saw through my plan and played along.
That’s how it started.

I walked around while I wondered what it would be this year. I looked at the 3th floor map, my fingers tracing down all the stores located there as I suddenly laid my eyes on ‘The Undie Factory – all types of branded men underwear.’
Naaaah… I thought… or should I? Would I have the guts to go in there?

…

Minutes later I stood by the corner, checking the surface in front of the store. Then I looked around me if Eunhyuk wasn’t perhaps following me. When I saw nobody familiar I shifted through the entrance and went into the much oversized store. To think it was all only underwear for men was absurd.
Then the unexpected happened. I stopped deadly in my tracks when I saw Leeteuk there checking the Bjorn Borg section only three metres away from me. Hurriedly I ran back out and panted heavily.
I waited for about ten minutes as Leeteuk walked out with a satisfied look on his face. I let out a sigh of relief when he didn’t notice me. I went back in and searched for the Calvin Klein section. I thought about buying some hideous pink one when my eyes caught a tight looking purple one, size XS. It was perfect!
I went to the counter where a young guy was helping customers. When it was my turn to pay he looked up at me.

“Buying underwear for your boyfriend?” I looked up to see a sort of handsome looking guy with a small face and big eyes smirking at me, but there was a problem with him, he seemed to be the type that’s really nosy and always budging in other’s lives.
I couldn’t believe how guys could be this UPFRONT about it, like they didn’t have any shame to say the word “underwear” and “boyfriend” in the same sentence to a young lady they don’t even know.

“No…” I muttered too honestly before I realized what I just said. I must look like the biggest ert OR weirdo right now. You decide.

He started laughing out loud. “You don’t seem to be the tomboy type…” He studied me from head to toe as he was removing the alarm labels at the same time.

I wanted to scream ‘It’s none of your business!’ but he already mentioned the prize as I was searching through my bag for my wallet.
He started to put the boxers in a plastic bag as he added a pink heart shaped piece of paper with a code on it that obviously seemed to be a phone number. Something told me that he wouldn’t do that to other customers but that I was no exception outside the store. It was too perfectly planned. I looked up as I realized that I must have the biggest player on earth standing right in front of me.

“Thanks for visiting, please visit again and have a lovely day…” he said as he handed me the bag.

“Whatever…” I let out and walked away.
Outside the store I read the piece of paper. Some guy Kim Hee Chul gave me his telephone number huh? I tore it into pieces and threw it away.

My next goal was buying something suitable for Leeteuk. I looked at the stores surrounding and spotted one that sold toys. That would be perfect since Leeteuk had his childish moments once in a while.
I bought a mini school blackboard with chalk for children, and then I went straight to the supermarket to buy a garbage bag where I could hide it in. I thought it would be nice to also buy them something they would like so I went to the jewellery store and searched for bracelets. I bought a watch for my father and a necklace with an emerald for my mother.
I checked my watch as I saw it was already 5 minutes past 7. My phone vibrated. It was Eunhyuk.

“Y-y-y-you s-s-s-still c-c-c-coming?!” He stuttered from the coldness.

“So sorry…” I let out nonchalantly “I’ll be there in a few minutes…” I grimaced; I couldn’t explain my sudden slyness against him.
I was already picturing Christmas Eve in my mind and laughing at his, yet to come, reaction.