http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wnhvyi5O4LU

Yangpa- Love...What to do

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The winter vacation passed by slowly and uneventfully for Niel. He felt unenthusiastic for the upcoming holidays. He never really looked forward to Christmas, but somehow this year, he felt even lonelier. Niel heaved a sigh as he traced his finger on the snow-covered window. *Something is missing. Something big…in here.* He placed a hand over his chest. A pang of melancholy hit him, and he wondered what cure there was for such a depressing feeling.

Niel glanced by his side and saw the black-and-white stuffed cat that Sohee had gotten for him. Immediately, his heart swelled up at the thought of her. It began to beat lively and fast. *That’s it. It’s her.*

Niel hopped out of bed, quickly changed into jeans and a leather jacket, and stuffed his shoes into his ratty sneakers. He left his room and craned his neck out. Silently, he crept towards the door. The TV was on, and Niel froze. He glanced towards the arm chair. As suspected, his alcoholic father was asleep with his mouth wide open. His big beer gut hung out and poked out from under his greasy white shirt.

Niel made a disgusted face. He hated to call that sweaty pig his father.

Niel shook his head and quickly ran out the door before he could get caught. He glanced around and took the key of the motorcycle out of his pocket. Niel tossed it in the air and swiftly caught in his palm. A smirk spread on his face. Now that he had a motivation, he felt emerged and renewed.

Niel hopped onto his father’s black-and-silver motorcycle, slipped the helmet over his head, and dashed off.

Niel arrived in Sohee’s neighborhood. He hid in a spot between two houses across from her apartment building. Niel took the helmet off his head and shook his hair so that the brown strands fell perfectly into the right places. He moved his gaze up to the building and softened. His heart felt at peace at once. He felt comforted just being somewhere near her. *I wonder what ssem is doing now. Reading? Grading papers? Eating? Sleeping?*

Niel placed his helmet in front of him and rested his arms on top of them.

For nearly two hours, he just sat there and watched in hope for any sign of her. Niel finally realized how desperate he looked and sighed. *This is pathetic. I’m leaving.* He was about to put his helmet back on when he heard someone coming up the snowy walkway.

Niel turned his head, and his heart instantly fluttered in recognition.

Sohee was coming up the pathway lugging two bags of groceries. Niel straightened up. He wanted to help, but that would be weird. It would be too much of a coincident to bump into her right now. So, he just stayed in the shadow and watched her.

Niel examined her comfortable attire. A small smile lit his face. *I think ssem looks prettier in jeans than in a skirt. That’s the first time I think something like that of a girl.* His face registered shock when he realized he had just thought of Sohee as a woman instead of a teacher.

A small noise of pain from Sohee made Niel look up. “Stupid step.” She muttered as she went inside.

Niel softly smiled and shook his head. *Ssem. I guess you’re not as perfect as I thought you were. That makes you even better.* His phone rang. It was Chunji. *I should go.* Niel put his helmet back on and looked up. *Goodbye, ssem.* He turned the engine on and sped off down the slippery road.

Sohee stopped by the mailbox and pulled out a bunch of letters. She headed up to her apartment and entered her warm home. Sohee placed the heavy groceries on the table and sighed in relief. *It was painful carrying all of those up that hill.* She placed everything away in a neat, organized manner.

Then Sohee made some coffee and took the mail into her living room. She sat on the cozy sofa and began to look through the mail one by one. *Bill. Bill. Bill. Advertisement. Bill. Ad, again.* Sohee stared at the second to last letter. It was from the man she distrusted most: her father.

Sohee swallowed hard.

Should she open it or not? Curiosity got the best of her, and she ripped the envelope open.

Sohee opened the letter to see her father’s neat, nervous handwriting.

Dear my daughter Sohee,

How have you been? I haven’t heard from you since two summers ago.

Why don’t you come visit me?

Your stepmother wants to check up on you as well, and your little sister is in middle school already.

How about you drop by for Christmas?

We can have a family dinner and spend the holidays as a family.

I’ll be waiting for your call.

Love,

Your Father

Sohee crumpled up the letter immediately and tossed it by her side. *I can’t believe he has the audacity to say those things to me. Family? Is he serious?* She shook her head with a sigh. Also, she highly doubted her young, hip stepmother who was only sixteen years older than her, missed her one, pesky stepdaughter. She didn’t want anything to do with her stepmother or Jung Hanee, her much-younger step-sibling.

Sohee glanced down to see one last envelope on her lap. This one was fancy and cold. Sohee just saw her address in the front. Curious, she opened it. A lavish gold-and-white invitation fell out.

Miss Jung Sohee,

You are cordially invited to the Kim’s Annual Christmas Ball.

This year, we are also celebrating the nineteenth birthday of our son, Kim Woobin, at this party as well.

Please come and make merry.

Invited by: Kim Woobin

Note to guest: Teacher, you’re coming. No need to RSVP. See you on December 25th.- Woobin

Below the invitation was the address of Woobin’s residence. Sohee shook her head. *Kim Woobin, you sneaky boy.*

At that moment, her phone rang. “Hello?”

“Did you get Woobin’s invitation?” Yijin asked.

“Yeah, I saw it now.” Sohee replied.

“That’s strange. He only invites you, but this year, he invited me, too.” Yijin said.

“I guess he’s warming up to you now.” Sohee chuckled.

“Psh.” Yijin rolled her eyes. “Are you going to go?”

“I don’t usually go to his Christmas Ball, but it says here that it is also his birthday party. Maybe I’ll just go and drop a gift.” Sohee said.

“No, you should come and stay.” Yijin said. “So you’re not the only teacher there?” Sohee kidded.

“So that you can reunite with Hansung students. Don’t you m