There's only three days left before Christmas. But until now, Tiffany sees not a single decor in Jessica's house that will make her feel the spirit of the season. Christmas is her mother's favorite holiday. During this time, Mrs. Hwang always brings home a present for Tiffany, she bakes her favorite pecan pie and they go shopping for nearly two hours. But if she is tired from work, they simply stay at home and watch their favorite movies. Those quality times she spent with her mother are without a doubt a beautiful chapter in Tiffany's past. So even the young woman's rebellious self wants to feel the spirit of Christmas inside her new home. Therefore, without second thoughts, Tiffany went to the mall to buy a Christmas tree using the money she saved from her weekly allowance. In just a span of one month, the American girl learned to be a frugal person. This positive change is yet again to be credited to Jessica Jung, who reprimanded her boarder for spending too much during her second day at Shinjae University.

After setting up the medium-sized Christmas tree, Tiffany looked for items she can use to decorate the living area. Since Jessica and her handsome friend were not around, she went to the basement to see what they have hidden there. Much to her surprise, it was far from what she expects of a basement because the place was as tidy as any area in Jessica's house. All the items were neatly stacked and there wasn't a speck of dust anywhere. Tiffany can even sleep on the floor if she wishes.

Inside that basement, the American girl found lots of books, stuffed toys, artworks, figurines, and some expensive antique materials. There was also this cabinet where beddings with prints were kept along with the curtains in her favorite color - pink ( the color which Jessica dislikes the most).

When she looked further, Tiffany finally found what she's looking for - Christmas decors! Lots of it were kept in several boxes together with stuffs labeled as 'Things to be discarded'.

"The Christmas lights are all working and these wreaths look as good as new. Why does she want to throw it all away?" Tiffany asked herself once she's done decorating the living area. She's smiling proudly while praising her work because the space that used to look dull in her eyes was now transformed into a Christmas paradise. "Jessica will surely be enraged once she finds out that these are all the stuffs she kept at the basement. But it's okay. I'd love to see her vexated because of me. That annoying woman always win our argument so it will be good to see her unable to do anything."

Tiffany took a picture of her work and afterwards, she went to her room to take some rest. She's smiling contently while looking at the before and after photos of the living area. But if she's happy with what she did, Jessica was the complete opposite. As soon as she caught a glimpse of the twinkling lights, the young woman swiftly got off her car and entered the house. Her face cannot be drawn easily when she saw what Tiffany did to the living area - she changed the curtains into pink, put up a well-decorated Christmas tree, displayed the statuettes of Santa Claus and his little helpers, and also decorated the walls and the ceiling. Hence, with heavy steps, Jessica stormed into Tiffany's room.

"Don't you know how to knock?" Tiffany said to her vexated landlady whom she haven't seen since the day began. One thing the American girl noticed ever since she arrived at the Jung's place is that when they don't have classes, Jessica leaves early either alone or with Daniel. She comes back later in the evening or early in the morning the following day. Until now, Tiffany has no idea where Jessica frequently goes to. "Even though this house belongs to you, you cannot just barge into my room anytime you want Miss Jung," she continued to say.

"Who gave you the permission to decorate the living room?" Jessica said in a despotic manner. "It's fine with me if you only changed the curtains into pink. I can allow myself to be suffocated by that color. But for you to put those Christmas decors is something I cannot accept Tiffany! Remove it now if you don't want me to discard all of it!"

After saying those things, Jessica left and slammed the door. The angered Tiffany went out of her room to follow Jessica and argue with her. But she saw the young woman going out of the house to cool down.

"What the hell is wrong with your friend?!" Tiffany said to the Tom and Jerry's handsome mediator. "It's Christmas season so it's normal to put up these decorations. Why on earth is she complaining?! Is she some kind of twenty-first century Grinch?!" The riled up girl balled her hands into a fist and grunted in extreme irritation.

Though Tiffany looked funny while complaining, Daniel was not in the mood to laugh at her annoyed reaction. His mind was preoccupied with worries about his friend. Jessica's mood has been completely off on their way home and he's strongly aware of the reason behind this behavior. "I'm sorry about what happened. Jess is a person who doesn't celebrate Christmas."

Tiffany's expression changed suddenly after hearing what Daniel said. "Why?" she asked in almost a stutter.

There was something in Daniel's visage which told Tiffany that the answer to her question is something not worth sharing in such a merry season. "I am in no position to tell you about it," the young man replied. "You can try asking Jess if you really want to know. But I must warn you that she isn't a type of person who opens up easily." Daniel then looked at the Christmas decorations. Removing and keeping all of it will be too much work. "Do you need help in removing the decors?"

"No. Don't remove any of it please. I spent the whole afternoon working on it. I'll first try talking to your friend. This is the first time I'd be celebrating Christmas away from my friends. It's already disheartening to imagine so I cannot let the situation become worse because of that annoying grinch."

Tiffany's nervousness was eating her up as she stood outside the house and watched the woman whose back was facing her. Jessica's staring at the night sky while trying to erase her hurtful memory of the Christmas season. Few minutes later, she sensed Tiffany standing behind her.

"C-Can we talk?" Tiffany asked. It sure took her a long time before she mustered the courage to speak. Jessica turned around to look at her with her usual cold gaze which dropped the temperature to zero degree. "Listen. I'm really sorry for what I did. Have I known that you do not celebrate Christmas, I wouldn't have done so."

"You should have guessed after seeing the label of the box where I kept those decors. But you, Tiffany Hwang, was too dumb to realize it." Even in her sullen mood, Jessica still has the energy to mock the American girl.

Please Subscribe to read the full chapter