It was Christmas Eve and Jiyeon was by the fireplace, hanging up the last few ornaments on the Christmas tree when her parents finally came down from their bedroom, all dressed up for their Christmas dinner at a restaurant. Jiyeon immediately stopped decorating and stood up to greet her parents, subtly feeling at awe at how lovely and handsome her parents were dressed.

“You look beautiful, omma. You, appa look absolutely stunning!” she exclaimed.

Her mother was flustered by the praises coming from her daughter that she bent down to give the 15 year old a kiss on the forehead.

“Thank you Jiyeonnie. The dress your grandma gave you compliments you well,” she said as she brushed the fully checkered dress donned by her daughter. She pressed her little red bow that was tied around her collar making the daughter and mother smiled at each other.

“Merry Christmas, omma… appa. Have a great time at dinner,” Jiyeon said to her parents.

“Are you sure you’ll be alright at home by yourself? We can always call the restaurant to add another seat for you and your brother,” said her father.

The young girl shook her head dismissively and smiled, hoping that they will understand that she will be fine. “Gwenchana yo. Omma and appa had always stayed home for Christmas Eve for me so this time, enjoy your date! I’ll be fine. Besides, Myungsoo oppa is here.”

True, the parents knew that she was in good hands with her brother around and they gave up coaxing their daughter to join them. So, the two adults bid their daughter farewell and Jiyeon waved to the two at the door. As the door closed behind her parents, she ran to the window to watch them leave the house until they were out of sight. What she didn’t notice was her brother was already downstairs, approaching her.

“Jiyeon ah,” he said.

The little girl jumped slightly by the call of her name and instantly turned around. “Ah… you surprised me, oppa,” she whined, clutching near her heart as the older male chuckled. She went to her oppa and held his right hand. There was warmth there, like every time she held it. She curiously turned it around to look at his wrist for the blue gem buried there but the long sleeve jumper was in the way.

“Looking for something?” he asked her sister with a small chuckle.

Before Jiyeon could open to answer, Myungsoo took something from behind his back with his free hand and showed it to her. Surprised to not notice he was hiding something from her, Jiyeon was again in awe the second time that evening by a glowing blue orb in her brother’s hand which emits a swirling blue light.

“What’s this? Is this for me?” she asked as she cupped the blue orb in her hands; her eyes never leaving it, captivated by its charm.

Myungsoo nodded and patted his younger sibling’s head tenderly, making her look up to match his warm gaze and hugged the orb tightly. “It’s an energy ball. Take good care of it, arraso?”

“I love it! I will, oppa. Thank you,” she said cheerily making the older sibling proud. However he was suddenly surprised as his sister pulled his arm to the doorway, taking his winter coat from the closet.

“What are you doing, Jiyeon? We’re not going anywhere,” he said feeling puzzled.

“I’m not, but you are.”

Jiyeon had a feeling that Myungsoo will never leave the house tonight because he was tied to her by responsibility to look after her. She loved that of course but she thought that this Christmas was going to be different. She knew that Myungsoo’s friends were planning a Christmas party at his school from the constant phone ringing or calls for him for the past few days but got dismissed quietly where Jiyeon couldn’t hear him nor could she? She told him everything she knew and hoped that her brother can accept her request to have fun with his friends that evening. Myungsoo seemed reluctant still.

“Please, oppa.”

“But I can’t leave you alone. It’s Christmas Eve.”

“Because it’s Christmas Eve that you should enjoy yourself. We spent every year together on Christmas so it’s this one evening. Go out and have fun. Let it be something meaningful and different for once.”

Myungsoo had his eyes casted down somewhere, avoiding his sister’s but Jiyeon sighed; stubbornly went towards him and put on his coat on him as he stood there like a statue. Deeming her brother was warmly wrapped in his winter coat, she patted his shoulder to get his attention.

“Oppa, I’m not 12 anymore and you’re not 15. You’re old enough to be with your friends out on the night of Christmas Eve. Compared to how I was 3 years ago, I am perfectly healthy and I’m feeling much better than I ever was so, less worrying and more smiling, alright?” Jiyeon said with her arms folded across her chest.

The confidence in her tone had Myungsoo in a stupor. Slowly but surely, he accepted his little sister’s wish gratefully with a slight ruffle of her hair which she always didn’t like. He left the house after he bid her farewell, telling her to take care and disappeared into the chilly evening of winter.

*          *          *

Jiyeon never thought being alone at home could be this foreign. She could almost hear a buzzing sound in her ear from the silence in the room. Even though she had wrapped all the presents for her family and put them under the tree; she was now sitting in the most comfortable armchair loved by her father with a good book and delicious biscuits baked by her mother from that morning.

She looked towards the clock that showed it was 9 o’ clock making it already three hours since her family gone out and to Jiyeon, it only felt like an hour ago. She was starting to feel bored and probably a little sleepy. It felt so cozy by the fire to not deny the sleepy feeling. She was about to return to the book she was reading until the landline rang, interrupting the peace.

She automatically got up from her seat to answer the phone. She was surprised by the owner of the call made by.

“Woohyunnie oppa?”

“Jiyeonnie?” the older male replied in a somewhat confused tone. “You’re at home? I was wondering if your brother was with you.”

“No, he isn’t,” Jiyeon felt strange and a pang of worry from the statement. Woohyun was her brother’s bestfriend who would be one of the many friends he was supposed to hang out with that evening. The call from him alerted her of one fact and she didn’t like it. “Isn’t my brother with you right now? He was out just after our parents were two hours ago.”

“He did send a message saying he was joining us at first but his second message came saying he had to run someplace else. He didn’t say where.”

Jiyeon heart stopped. She was trying to think of all the possible places his brother could be but it was impossible since they were always together at home or places nearby like the supermarket, or their favourite ddeobokki stall. If he were to return home, he would be there with her right now but no. He’s somewhere else without a clue.

Jiyeon was lost in thought for a minute to make Woohyun worry.

“Jiyeonnie, are you there… Jiyeon ah!” he called.

“Huh? I’m sorry, oppa. I’m here,” she said, still a bit lost from what else to say.

Woohyun’s sigh was audible from the other end of the line, making the lump in her chest heavier. Then, Woohyun spoke, “I’ll be there.” And the line ended.

Jiyeon put the phone down when the buzzing from the phone indicated that the caller had ended the call. She was heading back into the living room when an urgent knock was heard from the door. It scared her to pieces since she wasn’t expecting company but she suddenly remembered that Woohyun said he was coming over.

“It couldn’t be,” she said as she went to the door and opened it.

She gasped silently at the presence of the person at her door. His blond hair was disheveled from the wind and snow and he looked like he had run for a sprint of his life. The panting man brushed away all the excess snow collected in the pockets of his jacket and hood before greeting the female.

“Annyeong, Jiyeonnie,” said Woohyun casually with a hand rose as a greeting.

She wanted to throw a sarcastic remark for such a surprise but she was too overwhelmed by his presence and smile at him then hugged him tight. “It’s so nice to see you, oppa.”

“It’s nice to see you too, Jiyeon. Aren’t you going to let me in?” he chuckled as the girl embraced him.

Jiyeon let go of the older male and apologizes for her manners, letting him in. She invited Woohyun to sit comfortably in the living room, taking his coat to put in the closet before grabbing some snacks and a drink for her guest. Woohyun thanked Jiyeon for her generosity and they both started a light-hearted talk. She was still surprised that her brother’s friend was here before the loneliness felt a bit overwhelming. There was still one question she liked to ask him though.

“Oppa, how on Earth did you manage to come here in a split moment after our call? It was… unbelievable,” she said.

Woohyun paused at the question and put down his glass of milk to think about the question. A spilt moment she said, he thought. Carefully, he said, “I’m pretty sure I ran normally on my way here.”

Jiyeon shook her head, not taking it.

Woohyun rubbed his nape nervously because this wasn’t the first time someone told him how fast he had been running. He was an athlete at school and was still one in college- who was very well recognize by his peers and everyone who had seen him compete for his team. However, he was slowly acknowledging the change in his talents and abilities to go beyond the normal limits of the physical human body.

“This must sound crazy but I think I’m superman.”

“Sure, oppa,” she finally said something sarcastically, not buying the words.

Woohyun was well known to be playful and tell a lot of jokes but in between the lines of what he just said, he wasn’t trying to pull one of them tonight. “No, no… it’s true. How else can I explain it? It’s like, I was gifted with a super power or some sort.”

Jiyeon wasn’t one to argue but was intrigued. “What kind of super power is it?”

Woohyun was now hyped to tell the story of his newly profound super powers to his friend’s younger sister. He even turned his body around to face her and the girl copied him to listen to him better. He had a theory that since he showed such amazing raw talent is athletics, the gods wanted to bestow him with super strength and speed. He felt proud to make the younger smile widely at his explanation and decided to show something more interesting than before.

“Jiyeon ah, I’m going to show you something but don’t freak out. Promise?” he said as he starred into the girl’s eyes finding her trust.

“Promise.”

The male breathed in deeply and showed her his right wrist. As Jiyeon looked closely at it, her eyes widen to find a light blue crystal buried onto his skin. Terrified, Woohyun quickly pulled it away and pulled down his sleeve to cover it up again. They both looked at each other silently, afraid to say something first. Jiyeon felt his distress and decided to say something.

“You’re special, oppa. Just like my brother.”

Woohyun looked up at her, finding some kind of truth in those words.

“Myung oppa has it too. A blue gem buried beneath his wrist. Yours is a bit lighter in colour,” she said.

Woohyun was surprised by the revelation from the new information he had gotten. His best friend had something in common with him? He didn’t know that and so why didn’t he tell him, he thought? However, he can’t be angry at that since he was hiding it from him as well. He was sort of glad to not be the only freak in the world knowing Myungsoo was one as well. He was relieved even to tell Jiyeon about it too. They had to talk soon he thought.

Finally remembering why he was there, he asked the younger who was cleaning up the empty plate of cookies and empty glasses of milk when she brought them to the kitchen from the living room. “Jiyeon ah, do you have any idea where your brother is? How could he leave you alone at home?”

“Don’t be upset by my brother. I kicked him out,” she answered.

Woohyun scoffed at that, chuckling at such humour from the girl. She quickly returned and sat beside him on the sofa. He still wasn’t pleased that Myungsoo ditched them to somewhere they didn’t know. Jiyeon felt another wave of distress from him again.

“Oppa, Myungsoo is a big boy now. He can do whatever he wants. I trust him that he’s well,” she said, trying to reassure the other.

“How can you be so sure?” he asked.

“He’s my brother after all.”

Woohyun felt defeated. Jiyeon had a way when she said things like that about her brother and always fall into a period of lost communication which he can’t seem to pick up again. He felt a shift on the sofa where the girl had sat and saw her picking up a small colourful wrapped rectangular box from under the tree and gave it to him which he accepted without any other words besides thank you.

“Merry Christmas, Woohyunnie oppa. Thank you for coming by. You always did when I needed the company,” said Jiyeon with a warm smile.

Woohyun can’t help but to smile again and said, “You know what? I’ll keep you company for tonight.”

“What?”

“It’s Christmas Eve after all and who else would I spend it with if it isn’t with you?” said Woohyun flashing his famous wide smile at her.

Jiyeon squinted her eyes at the male feeling indifferent for his charms. “Are you serious? What about your friends?”

“What friends? I couldn’t remember the names of half of the number of people attending the Christmas party which I hoped Myungsoo show up but he didn’t. Besides, this is better since his cute little sister better company than them.”

Jiyeon couldn’t find the words to reply back and let the male do what he wanted. If they were to spend the evening like that, she offered him a warm mug of cocoa and a slice of cake as treats. They sat together like that, eating away and talking by the fireplace until Woohyun had a new idea to pass the time.

“Jiyeon ah, would you like to dance?”

*          *          *

Nam Woohyun knew of Kim Jiyeon since she was little. He remembered the cold pale girl pressing her hands upon the window of her bedroom looking down to him one autumn day when he went to find Myungsoo at his place. At first he was petrified to think that there was a little ghost girl living in his house hold and it didn’t help that Myungsoo said it was true in a very serious tone. He suggested to him and his family to move out immediately so many times until one day, he finally met her.

When they first met, she looked ice cold and her dark orbs shrunk into the size of peas as they locked gazes. She looked scary and unanimated. He learnt that Jiyeon was struggling with a sickness that she fought ever since she was a baby. The family had to explain to him that she was unable to neither play outside nor attend school anymore. Knowing that, all his initial thoughts about her flew out of the door and he embraced her with endearing care for her.

Woohyun had thought of the things, the younger sibling of the Kim household had to go through during her childhood now and then which she tried to assure him that is wasn’t all displeasing as he made out to be. She ate three meals per day, sometimes four which included supper and had tons of books she could read from so occupy her study time. She was never bored by herself when she was a good cook in the kitchen and a lovely singer during karaoke sessions with their home-installed karaoke set they used during family time over the weekdays. The question about friends on the other hand wasn’t even a problem for her since she confidently said that he and her brother were her best friends. The child within him was touched beyond his mind of her innocent mind.

He was now putting aside everything on Christmas Eve with the same child whom he grew up with, lost in his train of memories that he didn’t realize the young girl was already finished setting up her playlist of songs which he requested from her earlier. It was and iPod attached to the loud speakers in the same living room they occupy so that they much room to dance together.

“Would you like to choose the first song or should I play my playlist?” she asked Woohyun who waited in deep thought on the couch.

“Let’s hear your music playlist, Jiyeon ah,” he said standing up before her.

It was Christmas Eve. The least he could do for her is to give her a memorable one that she can smile at when she gets older. It was during times with her he was glad to be apart of a world that many people think was lonely and boring but was everything to a little girl named Kim Jiyeon. When the music starts playing, the first song was a soft melodious ballad which he remembered listening to from a drama, perfect for slow dancing. Immediately, Woohyun bowed before her politely, offering his hand and Jiyeon curtseyed before accepting his hand for a dance. Both smiled at each other and danced to the soothing music, feeling warm near the fireplace like wrapped with a woolen blanket and away from the roaring blizzard outside that rattled against the windows.  The perfect night became dark, allowing worrisome feelings to creep back into Jiyeon’s mind again.

It was a new day; it was Christmas. Jiyeon felt the warmth of the sun light grazing a soft caress on her skin waking her up. The unforgiving blizzard seemed to never end that night so she remembered asking Woohyun to stay overnight. Due to the blizzard, both her parents and brother wasn’t able to return either and put such a heavy weight of worry in the pit of her stomach turn unsettling. She got out of bed and cleaned up, changing into a fresh set of clothes before going downstairs to check if her family was home.

There was an alluring smell from the kitchen when she journeyed down the staircase diminishing her from the negative feelings she had earlier and quickened her footsteps, anticipating it was her mother. However, it was only Woohyun who was busily cooking what she suspects to be breakfast.

“Good morning, oppa,” she greeted the older male.

Woohyun turned off the stove and turned around as he held the pot which contained some fried rice. “Oh! Good morning Jiyeonnie. You’re already awake?”

The petite girl nodded with a small smile upon her face and Woohyun smiled back fondly. He made a pot of kimchi fried rice and asked if she was alright with it. Jiyeon thanked him for the food and offered to help him set up the table for Christmas. She was sure that her family will return any time by now.

“Have they called or anything?” she asked Woohyun who sat beside her at the table. He put some food on her plate as she was talking.

“The blizzard last night was awful. The line must’ve gone down,” she added.

Her sullen look didn’t escape the male when he finished laying the food in her plate for her.  Woohyun let out defeated sigh and took her trembling hand into his big ones. As if Jiyeon knew what he was trying to convey to her, she cracked a worried smile in the silence of the house. She thought she would wake up to a cheerful looking dining table her mother and she prepared. She would chuckle at the voice of her father waking up her brother from upstairs, cracking jokes with her mother about the reality of men. That was the hopeful sight she wished that could happen on Christmas day but it didn’t.

“Please, Jiyeon ah. Eat up, ok?”

“I’m sorry, oppa. I just don’t have the appetite,” she said and left the table.

Woohyun gave up hope, trying to persuade the younger. He knew how hard it must feel for her to not know where her parents and brother was at that moment. His sad eyes followed the young girl who walked in the direction of the living room with heavy feet. She paused just in front of the front white door and looked at it blankly but in her heart she was chanting and wishing hardly for them to come home.

Jiyeon jumped when a hard knock was heard on the door as she was spacing out. Woohyun heard it too and went to get the door. He was surprised that the person who knocked was the same person they hoped to return.

“Myungsoo…”

“Woohyun hyung?” Myungsoo replied looking absolutely surprised. “What are you doing here? Jiyeon?” In the corner of his eye, he saw the pale looking girl starring dumb founded at him.

Freezing in the thick snow, Myungsoo quickly stepped inside and closed the door behind him. He put his coat away in the closet before approaching his sister who seemed to be deep in thought. She was so deep in thought with a familiar expression he knew so well. It was a habit of hers which indicated how much she was thinking and afraid of expressing. The older sibling shrugged, feeling a bit guilty towards her and cupped her rounds cheeks, squeezing them slightly making her groan in pain.

“Yah, Kim Myungsoo.”

“Kim Jiyeon, mianhe. I shouldn’t disappeared like that and there’s no excuse so I’m sorry to make you worried,” said Myungsoo. Then he turned to his best friend who had his arms crossed looking at him with an unhappy look. “And I’m sorry too hyung.”

“You should at least inform us where you went, you jerk,” Woohyun remarked curtly.

Myungsoo turned expressionless and tucked his cold hands inside his pockets. He didn’t mean to disappear. A certain call from an old friend had him running. It overwhelmed him completely to think twice of everything he left behind just to meet her. A light tug on his sleeve snapped him from his thoughts to turn back to his sister with an unchanging look. Unlike him, she was now smiling.

“Appa and omma are still not back yet but, do you still want to eat together?

Being snapped into reality made him realized a few other things. “They’re not back yet?”

Jiyeon shook her head. The smile she had earlier turned into a frown and Myungsoo bit his lip for his fast tongue. He wished he could shut his trap and just said yes and enjoy breakfast like Jiyeon wished. He had thought of making it up to her on the way back home for leaving her but that was pretty unsuccessful.

Seeing how upsetting the two siblings’ conversation was going, Woohyun decided it was time to intervene. He took them both to the dining table with a good heart so they both have something warm to eat for breakfast on Christmas Day before it’s spoiled. Myungsoo was hungry and he was worried for Jiyeon’s well being so he agreed to have breakfast together with a firm hope that their parents will be back soon.

Speaking of the devil too soon, the door unlocked itself and their parents were finally home.

“Omma… Appa!” Jiyeon got up immediately and rushed to get them by the door, embracing them, all cold and wet from the snow. Her mother hugged her daughter while her father patted the little girl’s head.

“Happy to see us, Jiyeon ah?” asked her dad.

“Neh! I was so worried. The blizzard was terrible- but Woohyun oppa was here. I’m just so glad nothing bad had happened,” she exclaimed with so much happiness clouding her eyes; face buried in the crook of her mother’s neck. There were too much emotions going on but too little say.

Myungsoo and Woohyun approached the two adults and received a hug each from them. Everyone wished each other Merry Christmas and head towards the dining table for breakfast after much dwelling. The almost forgotten food was finally touched and devoured with much delight; Jiyeon looking the happiest at the table. Woohyun however, still remembered a poundering question he had since last night.

"Where did you go last night, Myung?"

Myungsoo was caught off guard by that question but decided to answer him right away, "Remember that red hair girl we used to play with when were kids?"

A red haired girl wasn’t common in their neighbourhood so he only knew one girl who used to dye her hair red. She was a weird but quiet girl who was teased quite a lot at the playground and only Myungsoo made friends with her because she was lonely.  “I remember. What about her?”

“She came back,” said Myungsoo simply because they both knew that the girl they were talking about whose name was Soojung moved away for private reasons, was the same girl who Myungsoo missed very much. “She called me last night and I went to see her.”

Woohyun suddenly found it hard to chew on his food, not knowing how to feel about it. “So, you spent Christmas Eve with her?”

Myungsoo nodded at his best friend and looked back at his family who was busily entertained mostly by Jiyeon’s liveliness. Surely, Christmas Eve had taken a toll on them all, he was sure. It was different and had meaning as Jiyeon had wished it to be. He didn’t expect such events to happen at first and was scared to leave her alone, yet he didn’t dislike it. He was thrilled!

“Hyung, you’ll always be around for us, won’t you?” Myungsoo asked with soft eyes on his sister who was blissfully in ignorance of his fate.

“You can’t get rid of me easily so yes. I’m yours forever, Myungie.” The answer caused them to chuckle and cringed; settling them to enjoy the meal with no more homoual remarks.

The blizzard on Christmas Eve rocked their lonely night after different turns and surprises but the morning sun was a gift for allowing them to return safely home in the arms of a family. They were still young and new to many more unseen paths in life that could have each other doubting, disappearing, scared and uncertain; but that thought was pushed aside for another day to enjoy Christmas together happily.

Fin