Christmas Miracle

By Kuribo

The day before Christmas was always a hectic time for shoppers buying gifts for their loved ones and friends at the last minute. Yuri Kwon was sadly one of them, but it was not because she forgot. She was a student by day and a waitress by night. With her hectic schedule, it was hard for her to find the time to get the presents that she wanted. She entered the mega store and ran straight to the beauty section. Her eyes landed on the Massage Pro 3009 on the shelf. It was the last box that she could see and she ran towards it. Not paying attention, she collided with another woman.

“I am so sorry,” Yuri said, immediately helping the woman stand on her feet, as well giving her back a red purse. Her breath hitched in as her eyes traveled up the woman’s beautiful body. The red dress was in direct contrast to the woman’s pale skin. Yuri gulped audibly when she saw how well that tight dress hugged the curves of the woman’s hips and s. Yuri her lips as she saw how full the red painted lips of the stranger before her were. Long black hair framed the face of the gorgeous woman in front of Yuri. Never in her life had Yuri felt so frumpy in her leather jacket, blue jeans, and worn out t-shirt.

Assessing the reaction from the person who crashed into her, the mystery woman raised an eyebrow. “Did I spill something on my dress?” she asked.

Yuri’s eyes widened. “Uh…no…I…was…uh,” she stuttered without getting a coherent word out from .

This amused the mystery woman and she chuckled. “I believe we have a bit of a dilemma here,” she began. “Were you not trying to get the last Massage Pro 3009?”

Turning to face the item and then back at the woman, Yuri finally spoke, “Ah! Yes! I need to get that present.”

“Well, I want that massager too,” the woman said calmly.  

“Please, Miss, I really need to get that for my mother. She’s a social worker for kids and the holiday season always puts extra stress on her. I don’t have much, but I really want to give that to her,” Yuri pleaded.

The woman was in a tough position. She also wanted to give that massager as a gift, but the person she had in mind was already well off financially. However, she did not want to give up this gift for free. Her finger tapped her chin as she looked at the woman in front of her. Her eyes looked down and she smiled in appreciation. Given how the woman had ogled her after their collision, she figured that she had a shot here. 

“I have a proposition for you,” the woman in red said.

Yuri eyed the woman suspiciously, but answered, “Go on.”

“You seem to need that gift more than I do, but I am not willing to let it go without some sort of compensation,” said the woman.

“I’ll pay anything, just name the price,” Yuri said.

“A date,” said the woman.

It took Yuri a full five seconds to comprehend what was said. “Wait, what?” she asked.

“You heard me right. I will let you take the gift if you promise to have a date with me tomorrow evening,” said the woman, walking closer to Yuri. She could see the taller woman her lips. Her hand wrapped around the back of Yuri’s neck and slowly massaged it in circles. “So what do you say?”

“Yes,” Yuri whispered. She could smell the perfume of the woman in front of her and became intoxicated. Her heart started beating fast inside her chest as she tried to contain her emotions. That idea went out the window when the mystery woman eye-smiled.

The woman in red pulled away, observing the noticeable blush on the taller woman’s face. She reached inside her purse and pulled out a card. “My name is Tiffany Hwang. What’s yours?” she asked while handing Yuri the card.

“It’s...ah…Yuri Kwon,” stumbled Yuri.

“Hello, Ah Yuri Kwon,” Tiffany teased.

Yuri’s face turned redder. “It’s Yuri,” she corrected.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Yuri. My address is written on that card. Would you be able to pick me up around 7pm? I’ll pick the place and cover our meal if that’s fine with you,” Tiffany said.

Yuri rubbed the back of her head with her hand and nodded. “Yeah, that would be fine. What should I wear?”

Tiffany bit her lip in concentration and answered, “A little black dress would be fine. Luckily for us, it will be unseasonably warm again. I’ll be sure to wear mine as well. Oh, can I have your number?” Yuri immediately gave it to her and Tiffany smiled. “Thanks for that and by the way, try to be more subtle when you’re eyeing a woman.” Tiffany winked and left a flabbergasted Yuri behind.

Christmas morning came and went with Yuri spending time with her family. After everyone left and her dad took a long nap, Yuri’s mom sat down on the couch next to her fidgeting daughter. “What have you got yourself into this time, Yuri?” asked the older woman.

Yuri looked at her mother, studying the warm features of her face. No matter how old she got, Yuri’s mother always had a knack of knowing when something big was going on in Yuri’s life. This was no different. “This wonderful woman asked me out on a date. She’s high class. I don’t know why she would even want to speak to me,” she admitted.

“Knowing you, I bet you had your heart on your sleeve and got caught admiring her,” said Yuri’s mom, chuckling. The blush on Yuri’s face was evidence enough to confirm her thoughts. “You were never good at lying. Besides, you are a beautiful woman even if you wear clothes to hide yourself. I’m sure she appreciated you as well. In this world, things can happen without any logical reason. It may not seem like it now, but it is possible that you two were meant to meet.”

“Maybe you’re right. I have to get ready soon anyway. She wants me to pick her up by 7pm. Can I borrow your car again? I don’t think I can ride my motorcycle in a black dress,” Yuri said.

“That will be fine, dear. I’ll even lend you my silver earrings and bracelet. It should help make your ensemble more elegant,” said Yuri’s mom.

A little before 7pm, Yuri pulled up into Tiffany’s neighborhood. She was surrounded by extravagant homes. For some, they had covered the entire property with beautiful Christmas lights and animatronic Santa’s. The only thing missing from this spectacle was the snow that never fell in California. Yuri carefully got out of the car and rang Tiffany’s doorbell promptly at 7pm. Yuri was shocked when a butler answered the door.

“Miss Hwang will be down shortly. You can wait here while I fetch her,” he said, bowing slightly to Yuri before going up the curved flight of stairs.

Yuri was completely floored with the wealth in Tiffany’s home. To the side of the curved marble stairs, there was a tiny water fountain with a silver boy pouring water from a bucket into the bottom. Lights gently lit the area as the sounds from the water began to soothe Yuri’s frayed nerves. On the walls were various paintings surrounded by elaborate wooden frames. They probably cost more than Yuri’s tuition for college. Turning to her left, she could see a fireplace. Above the mantle, there was a painted portrait of a family. She could easily identify Tiffany from the eye-smile. When Yuri heard someone clearing their throat, she turned back to the stairs.

Tiffany looked absolutely breathtaking on the marble steps. She wore black heels with a tiny emerald studded buckle that gleamed with every step. Her black dress stopped a few inches below her knees, but became more form fitting as it rose up her body. The rounded neckline displayed ample cleavage, highlighted by the chain of emeralds dangling from a simple silver necklace. Tiffany’s luxurious hair hugged her shoulders around her sleeveless arms. The dangling silver and emerald earrings contrasted perfectly with Tiffany’s red lipstick.

As Tiffany approached Yuri, she took notice of Yuri’s simple yet beautiful ensemble. Yuri wore simple black high heeled ankle cut boots, which were highlighted with a silver buckle. The black dress caressed Yuri’s toned body and peaked Tiffany’s curiosity as she saw the tiniest glimpse of cleavage. The spaghetti straps crossed at the base of Yuri’s neck and dangled lightly off of the plunging backline. She had a pretty clutch purse as well. What made the outfit was the simple silver bracelet and tasseled silver earrings. Yuri’s natural looking make up paired with her tanned complexion made her appearance warm and approachable, yet alluring.

“You look positively stunning, Yuri.” Tiffany said sincerely. “It is truly an honor to be your date tonight.”

“Thank you very much, Tiffany. I’m taken aback by your beauty,” Yuri said without thinking.

Tiffany raised her eyebrow and said, “Are you always that forward?”

Blushing, Yuri scratched the back of her head. “I’m sorry. I have no filter and wear my heart on my sleeve according to my mother,” she said.

“Don’t be sorry,” Tiffany said before leaning into Yuri’s ear and whispering. “I like it.” She saw her butler come back down with Tiffany’s shawl.

Yuri saw them and raised her hand to the butler. “May I?” she asked him. He bowed and gave Yuri the black shawl. She carefully covered Tiffany’s beautiful shoulders with the garment and smiled. “Before we go I have a little something for you.”

Tiffany looked at her in confusion, watching as Yuri took out a small box from her clutch. “What is that?” she asked.

“Mama really liked the massager as her Christmas gift. I know it might not be much, but I wanted to thank you personally for letting me get it,” Yuri said with a blush. “Go ahead, open it.”

Taking the box from Yuri’s hand, Tiffany carefully opened the box. She saw a pretty crocheted wreath pin with a tiny pink bow. It even had little red berries in it. “This is the cutest thing I’d ever received. Did you make this yourself, Yuri?” Tiffany asked excitedly.

“Uh…yeah. I spent all night making it. I’m sorry I couldn’t afford anything better,” Yuri shyly said.

“Cut that out. I absolutely adore this because it was made from the heart. I love it,” Tiffany said and she placed a gentle kiss on Yuri’s cheek. Both of their cheeks were rosy as they looked at each other for a few seconds. “Can you put it on me?”

“Sure,” Yuri said, giving Tiffany a wide grin. Little did Yuri know, her smile sent butterflies into Tiffany’s stomach. “There you go. Are you all set?” Yuri instinctually took hold of Tiffany’s hand.

“Yes, let’s go. Don’t wait up for me, Miles,” Tiffany said as she led Yuri outside.

Yuri was the perfect date, opening the car door for Tiffany before hopping in herself. It was easy for them to make idle conversation in the car on the way to the restaurant. They ended up going to a ballroom/restaurant hybrid alongside the ocean. Tiffany had reservations for a table of two and they were immediately seated. After they ordered their food, they continued their easy conversation.

“You said you were a student. What are you studying, Yuri?” Tiffany asked.

Yuri drank a sip of water and answered, “It’s a little complicated. Right now I am a Biology major, but I have been thinking about either going into Molecular Biology with an emphasis on psychiatric disorders or going completely into the Psychology field.”

“That is amazing. How did you end up getting into Science? I mean, it’s a really hard field,” Tiffany said with great interest.

“Ah, yeah, well, it is hard, but I really admire what my mama does with her social work. A lot of those kids have had bad histories; whether their parents did drugs, were mistreated emotionally, or just had a hard time due to their environment. I can only imagine how it effects the brain and their relationships with society. As a psychologist, I can learn to help kids cope through times like that. As a scientist, I could understand how both environment and our own bodies interplay to change their bodies with hard evidence. It’s really fascinating work, but it’s a lot to think about. I’m just a sophomore and it will take some time balancing that and my job as a waitress,” Yuri said.

Tiffany was really impressed with the intellectual side of Yuri. In her social circle, she’d never met anyone this passionate about school. Then again, her social circle mainly went to school for leisure because they were all financially set. “That’s so interesting. It sounds much better than what I am studying at college,” she said.

“You are a student too? What do you study?” Yuri asked.

“It’s nothing major. I’m studying Landscape Architecture,” she said. “I don’t really need to get a job because of my financial situation. However, I didn’t want to sit on money my whole life without doing something useful. I like designing things as a hobby. Before, it was all about fashion, but then I saw a documentary about how people are taking away all the flora and substituting it with dull greys and concrete. I love colors and think everyone should be able to enjoy them in their natural beauty. So I’m working my way into incorporating flora and nature in urban designs.”

“Wow, that’s really admirable. I watched something on television where this company took old train tracks from the industrial revolution and turned it into a park in the middle of New York City. It did wonders for the people psychologically,” Yuri mentioned.

“Wouldn’t it be cool if we could work together, where I create a place for those kids your mom works with to improve their environment with nature? You could use your psych skills to compare how kids fare in that space versus those without that enriched environment,” Tiffany said.

Yuri smiled and said, “I like how you think. Who would have thought that by meeting randomly over a massage toy that we’d find some common interest?”

“Maybe it was part of some grand Christmas Miracle,” Tiffany said and placed her hand over Yuri’s.

Their dinner arrived and the two of them enjoyed their dry-aged filet mignon with a side of honey-glazed carrots and mashed potatoes. It matched perfectly with the vintage 2002 Argentinian Malbec. Yuri had never had anything this delectable before. The night was becoming one of the best Christmases ever. When they finished dinner, Tiffany dragged them to the dance floor.

“Beautiful, intelligent, and a great dancer, where have you been all of my life?” Tiffany asked as Yuri twirled her around.

Yuri laughed in return and brought Tiffany closer to her. “I could say the same for you. I’m having a really great time,” she said. A light caught her eye and she noticed out on the patio that the moon was starting to rise over the ocean. “Want to check out the moonlight with me?”

“I’d love to,” Tiffany said

The two of them walked hand in hand out towards the patio and leaned on the railing that overlooked the ocean. They watched in silence as the moon made its shimmering grand appearance over the ocean. It was a serene moment for both of them as the sound of the crashing waves soothed their souls. Yuri looked at Tiffany and smiled. Tiffany caught Yuri looking at her and eye-smiled back.

“Thank you, Tiffany, for making this Christmas really special for me. Do you think we could do this again sometime?” Yuri asked tentatively.

“Are you asking me out on another date, Yuri?” Tiffany questioned.

Yuri blushed at Tiffany’s directness. “Uh…yeah I am. I don’t know what it is, but I feel like something clicks with you even though we are from different worlds,” Yuri admitted.

“You noticed that too, huh?” Tiffany said. “To answer your question, I would love to go on another date with you. The next time, it can be your choice. Maybe we can do something for New Year’s Eve.” 

“That would be great,” Yuri said. The wind picked up slightly and she felt a little chill.

“Why don’t we go back inside? You didn’t have a shawl to cover yourself up with,” Tiffany said. After Yuri agreed, Tiffany led them back to the restaurant portion, but then stopped. She smiled and pointed up. “Looks like we are standing under the mistletoe.”

It was Yuri’s turn to invade Tiffany’s personal space. Her hand cupped Tiffany’s face before she leaned down and gave Tiffany a lingering kiss. This time, both of them felt butterflies fluttering inside. When they parted, they had evident blushes on their face.

“Merry Christmas, Tiffany,” whispered Yuri.

“Merry Christmas to you too, Yuri. May it be the first of many we celebrate,” Tiffany whispered back before continuing their mistletoe kiss.