“Dear Santa,

I wish I have a place to call home

                        -Lee Eunsook-“

Eunsook puts her Christmas wish card into the red box in the mall. It is a promotion in her favorite mall every year. They will prepare a big red box and everyone can write their wishes. Then the mall will choose a wish card and give a luxurious gift to the winner. This is her 5^th year to participate in the event and her wish is always the same.

Eunsook then look at the giant Christmas tree and secretly hope her wish will come true. She then leaves the mall and walks home. Every step she takes feels so heavy. It feels even heavier as her distance getting shorter and shorter. Finally she arrives at her front door. Hands shaking and wish someone give her a call so she doesn’t have to go home.

After 5 minutes standing like a statue outside her house, she sighs and enters her house.

“I’m home.” She greets softly.

As usual tough her brother family is watching TV in the living room, no one greet her. She quickly walks to her room when her sister in law calls her from the kitchen.

“Eunsook, next time don’t forget to wash your dirty dishes and please don’t use us. I am not your maid.”

“Ne... eonnie. Sorry for that. Next time I wo-“her sister in law cut her before she finishes talking.

“I have no time to listen to you. I’m busy.” With that her sister in law leaves the kitchen.

She enters her room, locks the door, put her bag on the chair and then lie down on her bed. She takes her big bear doll and starts the one person conversation with her doll.

“I’m home Mr. Bear.”

“Welcome Eunsook. How’s your day?”

“Like usual Mr. Bear. Happy to be outside the house… I miss you Mr. Bear.” She hugs her bear tight and giggles. She then remembers to take water for her night supply.

“Mr. Bear, please wait for a while. I need to take drink for tonight.”

Eunsook walks to the kitchen when suddenly she hears voices in the kitchen. It’s her brother and sister in law.

“Yeobo, Eunsook is grown up already, why should we still need to take care of her? She supposed to live by herself. It’s been hard for our family and it get even harder with her still clinging with us.”

“Jagiya, you do know clearly she is my sister and I still hold responsibilities upon her. And you do know jagiya, she hasn’t get married yet.”

“Look at her! No men will fall for her. She is fat. Look at her thighs, her arms, her and her tummy. So full of fat, how will men find her attractive. Look at her appearance, far from what so called attractive. Just ask her to move out from our house. Let her live by herself. She is not a young girl yeobo.”

“Jagiya, please wait for a while ok?”

“I can only wait until Christmas. I’ve been patiently waiting for 5 years.”

Eunsook walks quietly to her room, closes the door and slides down crying her heart. She knows it already that her sister in law dislikes her. Ever since her brother gets married, she feels the pressure.

Once her sister in law asked her to take care of her niece and accidentally her niece fall from the bed and left a bad scar on her forehead. When her sister in law went home, she scolded Eunsook and even accused her for doing it on purpose.

Her brother didn’t say a word to defend her. The worst was her brother also accused her. She wasn’t able to say something and she only cried. Ever since, her brother’s family hates her so much.

Eunsook takes her phone and tries to dial her best friend number. Her hands trembles so much. Finally her friend answers the phone.

“Hello, Sookie…”

“Gwi… sob…Gwiboonnie… help me… I… sob”

“Sookie, are you ok? What happened?”

Eunsook tries her best to tell her friend the story.

“Pack your necessities; I’ll pick you up in 10 minutes. I’ll wake Jonghyun to drive me there.”

“May I bring Mr. Bear also?”

It breaks Gwiboon’s heart when Eunsook asks that question because it means Eunsook really feel sad.

“Sure, bring him also.”

Eunsook then pack her things and wait for Gwiboon while hugging Mr. Bear. True to her words, Gwiboon arrives at her home in 10 minutes. Without permission Gwiboon walks directly to Eunsook’s room and help her to bring her things. Then Gwiboon looks at Yuri (Eunsook’s sister in law)

“I’ll take care of her. Don’t you worry; she won’t be your family burden anymore.”

“Bah!! That leech will your blood dry. We’re happy finally we can get rid of that parasite.”

Gwiboon feels so angry to hear someone said her best friend is a leech and is about to slap her face when Eunsook hold her hand and plead with her eyes.

“Fine. You’re lucky! Let’s go Sookie”

 Eunsook keeps silent during the trip to Gwiboon’s house. When they arrive, Gwiboon looks at her through the rear mirror and let out soft chuckles. Eunsook falls asleep while hugging her big bear. Gwiboon and Jonghyun bring her inside the house and tuck her under a warm blanket. They kiss Eunsook forehead and wish her good night. Eunsook wish inside her heart.

“Dear Santa,

Please help me to find a place to call home and a family.”