He couldn’t wait till November again. He was a member of an ad-hor choir of carolers. The carolers will meet to do last minute practicing in November and went round caroling to charity homes free of charge. This was what he could offer during the festive cheer, other than the donations. He was looking forward to meet Cheom Seong-Im again. She was a new comer last year, and he really hope to know her better this year.

Today was the first practice, his heart was in jittery. He hoped she would join the choir this year. His heart leaped with joy when he saw her enter the door and saying hello to everyone. It was a short leap, behind her was a guy, the guy took her hand and they smiled at each other. He felt his heart sank to the bottom, his eyes followed her to her seat.

“Jong Kook, Jong Kook” someone was calling his name, breaking his daze.

“Yes,” he answered, the caller was his best Hyung, Yoo Jae Suk. “Yes, Hyung, what is the matter?”

“You are finally back, Jong Kook.” Jae Suk , he seldom saw Jong Kook in a daze. ”We are thinking for this year, maybe we could start with you soloing ‘Silent Night’, then the rest of us can join in after the first chorus. Are you ok?”

“Wow, that is a huge responsibility, Hyung, I don’t sing that well.” He thought he shouldn’t do it.

“If you don’t sing well, who does here. Why don’t we give it a try first then decide?” Jae Suk tried to convince Jong Kook to take up the role. Of course, he would need to find a few backups, in case, Jong Kook couldn’t make It for a particular sessions. But Jong Kook need to agree before he would decide the rest.

“Ok Hyung, if you insist” Jong Kook agreed.

“Ok, That me do the welcome thingy and any introduction.” Jae Suk went off to organize the choir.

Jong Kook instinctively looked for her again. She was still speaking to her friend. Jong Kook looked away, he knew he couldn’t keep what was not his. Jae Suk did a small introduction and asked each one of them to sing a verse and their name. He would then put them in the correct section of the choirs, as always he was one of the few males in the tenor section.

After all members were placed in their correct place, Jae Suk ran through his idea of a solo starting the caroling. He did an example, getting Jong Kook to solo of the first few verses, then the rest of choir joined in. He was right, the effect was specula, Jong Kook tenor voice offered suitable peace. Everyone clapped and cheered after their first try, they had loved the effects.

Jae Suk looked for Jong Kook after the practice, “I told you it would be wonderful, we should really incorporate it into our caroling” Jong Kook had to agree with him. “Help me looked for a few more soloist, in case, you have something on.”

“Ok, hyung, I will keep a look out during the next few practices.” The edge of his eye caught Ji Hyo left with the guy, Gary, he had caught the name during self introduction. He left with Jae Suk.

Over the next few practices, Ji Hyo appeared with Gary, his hopes were dashed; they appeared to be together.  He kept to his small groups of friends although he would greet everyone in the choir. He picked a few of the people who he though could carry the solo and Jae Suk tried then out. Jae Suk had thought they were not as good a Jong Kook, but then again, not a lot are. The choir practice would now always be opened by Jong Kook’s solo singing, followed by the choir. Jae Suk had wanted the carol to end with Jong Kook’s solo as well, but Jong Kook had voiced his discontentment, Jae Suk decided not to do it.

One of the practices, Gary didn’t turn up, Jong Kook happened to walk into the pantry when Ji Hyo was alone inside topping up her water bottle. Jong Kook tried to casually said. “Hi there, Gary not here today?”

“Hi there, no, he needed to work overtime.”Seong-Im said, there was an awkward silent that followed. Jong Kook didn’t want the conversation to end this way, he wanted to end on a good note, at least made a good impression, even thought she was someone else.

“Well, that’s a pity, I thought tonight practice did quite well. We are getting better and better, I can’t wait for the actual show and find out whether they loved our caroling.” He said.

“Of course, they would, I meant your solo was amazing” Seong-Im blabbed.

“I am? Haha, glad you liked it, I thought my performance was just average.” Jong kook was glad she liked his solo.

“Your singing always made me spell bounded. Gary oppa loved your singing too.” Seong-Im was sharing her view. Jong Kook felt darken when he heard Gary name but he was her boyfriend, of course, she would bring him up. “Gary oppa was my cousin, he usually loved hip hop but he wanted to do some charity work that why I asked him to join me.” Seong-Im continued, Jong Kook was happy when she clarified her relationship with Gary.

“Oh Gary was your cousin, I thought he was your boyfriend.” He wanted more clarity, a confirmation he wasn’t too late.”

“My boyfriend? Oh no, Gary oppa a flirt, as long as the other is a female, he wanted to flirt with it, but he was a kind man though. He wanted to help me look for a boyfriend“, Seong-Im giggled.

“I see,” Jong Kook wanted to know more about Ji Hyo when Jae Suk announced that break is over. Both of them walked back to the practice room. Jong Kook was now determined to make her his, this time, he wouldn’t pass on the chance.

Jong Kook started to talk to both of them more often during the practices, he even got to know Gary more. He wanted Gary help. Gary was smart, he caught on Jong Kook intention very fast, maybe Jong Kook had been too obvious too. Gary pulled Jong Kook aside one day, “You are interested in my cousin.” Gary said matter of fact.

“Yes, I am, I found Seong-Im a very good person, and I wanted to make her my girlfriend. “ Jong Kook was also directed, there was no point beating around the bush.

“Seong-Im is a very innocent girl, I don’t want her to get hurt.” Gary defended Seong-Im, Jong Kook understood.

“I was not going too, I wanted to treat her well” Jong Kook promised. “I wanted her to be the happiest woman alive.”

“Really, I will be watching you,” Gary stood up for Ji Hyo, “if you ever make her sad. I going all my might to make her leave you.” Gary walked away with a smile on his face, his cousin had already fallen head over heels over this man, Kim Jong Kook. That was why she dragged him to the choir, Gary had saw Jong Kook’s eyes following Seong-Im when she entered the practice room, but after he saw him, Jong Kook had kept his distance. Seong-Im had been gloomy when he ignored her. Gary thought maybe it was because of him that Jong Kook ignored her and made an excuse not to turn up for practice. Even heaven was helping the couple, and now Ji Hyo was happy that Jong Kook hand around her more. After what he heard Jong Kook’s promised, he had no doubt Seong-Im’s love was not a single sided one. Jong Kook definitely had fall for her as well.

They started their caroling tours, nearly every night they would visit some places to sing. Everywhere they went, the audience was captured by the magic of Jong Kook voice. It simply amazed them. Jong Kook took the opportunity to ask Ji Hyo out either before or after the sessions. Ji Hyo had agreed to meet up with him. He decided that after their final performance on Christmas eve, he would ask her to be his girlfriend.

He arranged them to have some light supper and they went to hanjang after that. They strolled beside the river, he took her hands in his. She didn’t reject his hand, they went to his favorite spot on the river. The moon was hanging over the river, big and round.

“Seong-Im, I always envy the couples when I ran down the path, they were always so loving. I wanted a girlfriend, my girlfriend must be someone like you. But the best choice is that my girlfriend is you. Would you like to be my girlfriend” Jong Kook looked earnestly at her.

“Yes, I would like that” Seong-Im replied, Jong Kook shouted “hurray” and hugged her tight. He gave her a kiss on her cheek.

“I love you, Cheom Seong-Im” Jong Kook vowed,

“I love you too,” Seong Im murmured.