Seungho’s POV

“APPA!!” Aeri screamed, scaring Heeri and I. I felt the boy jump a little in my arms, and then opened his big eyes and looked at me, as though asking ‘Who in the world was that?’.

Heeri is a calm baby at times like that, but when he is throwing a tantrum, it is war.

“It’s just your noona.” I said, patting him gently back to sleep.

“What is it, love? I said not to scream, right? Are you a cave girl?” I asked her.

“I kept calling you!” She reasoned.

“Now that you got my attention, do you still have to raise your voice?” I asked.

She let out a small pout and frowned, staring hard on the floor.

“You’re going to burn a hole in the floor if you keep staring like this.” I said.

She crossed her arms and looked away.

I had to fight so hard with myself not to go give her a hug and tell her I am sorry for not paying attention to her.

“Talk to me when you’re not angry anymore.” I said, shifting my position but was careful not to wake the boy in my arms.

“Appa changed.” Aeri said.

“Say what?” I asked, turning to look at her.

“I said, Appa changed.” She repeated.

Ouch.

“Appa didn’t change. Appa just want you to know that you don’t get everything you want by screaming. I will give in to you, Junhyungie, Doojoonie, Kikwangie will too, but in future people outside will not. What did I say? Manners, manners and manners. There are so many ways out there to get attention. You can tap me, you can wait, why did you have to scream?” I asked.

She looked slightly shocked. If I were not in the midst of lecturing her, I would have given her a bear hug. How can anyone not go jelly at her cuteness? Anything she does is cute, even if she is being a little brat.

Aeri pouted and turned away. I sighed and looked back at Min Jeong.

Min Jeong ah, am I doing this right?

I stole occasional glances at Aeri, she played quietly by herself at the corner, her back facing me. After awhile, she crawled onto the couch and fell asleep. Heeri shifted himself in my arms, still sleeping very soundly.

I closed my eyes and rested my head against the wall, listening to the soft snoring coming from Heeri, as well as the beeping that indicated my Min Jeong is alive.

I pictured us as a family, going to somewhere far away where there was literally no one, lying in the nature, looking up at the sky and listening to the quietness of the surroundings. So peaceful.

Shall we do this, Jeong ah? Go somewhere far away, and live the rest of our lives. Forget about work and school. Life is too short for those things, don’t you think so?

I opened my eyes, ending my fantasy. I put Heeri in his pram and buckled him up. Heeri sleeps very soundly, like Aeri. Sometimes I wonder if it is a good or bad thing, but then again, I would like to think of everything of my children as a trait.

I kissed Min Jeong on her forehead before going to pick Aeri up into my arms. She snuggled her face into my neck. I kissed her cheek and pat her back gently a few times.

“See you later, Jeong ah~” I said.

Before I left, I drew opened one side of the curtains. The weather report said that it would snow tonight. Min Jeong loves the snow. I am sure she would want to see it.

“Hey~” Doojoon greeted as I passed him along the corridor.

“Hey, I thought you were gone. Don’t you have a date with Junhyung?” I said.

“Nah~” He sighed.

“No?” I asked.

“I do, I do. It’s just… I had to… You know~” He said.

“Yea~ I know. I get it.” I said.

He forced a smile and then shrugged. He was broken, it was really obvious.

“See you later~” I pat his back before I left.

“Do you need help?” He asked, gesturing the sleeping children.

“I’m good.” I smiled as I turned to leave.

I shivered at the sudden strong wind that blew onto me the moment I stepped out of the hospital. I held Aeri closer towards me to warm her up.

As I was walking, I spotted a familiar figure squatting by the side of the road.

“Junhyung? What are you doing squatting here like this?” I asked.

He looked up and smiled. His cheeks were red from the cold.

“I’m waiting.” He said.

“Waiting for what? It’s so cold here.” I said.

“Waiting for it to snow.” He said.

“And why?”  I asked.

“So I can build a snowman!” He grinned.

My eyes widened. Have he gone mad?

“Have you been drinking?” I cannot help but ask this.

He frowned and shook his head.

“Do I have to be drunk to build a snowman? Is it such a ridiculous thing to do?” He asked.

“No. I was just making sure.” I muttered.

“No. I am really just waiting for it to snow.” He sighed.

“You can wait inside.” I said.

“I like it outside.” He said.

“Put this on.” I said, handing him my scarf.

He shook his head.

“Don’t be stubborn.” I said, throwing it over his head.

He put it over his neck and sighed.

“Good boy. Now, don’t go anywhere else, okay? Just wait here for the snow.” I said.

He nodded.

I walked further away, but kept him in my vision.

I sent Doojoon a text: There is a mad man squatting outside the hospital. He said he is waiting for the snow so he could build a snowman. You probably want to come and make a diagnosis?

It did not take long for me to see Doojoon run out of the hospital. He looked like those frantic male lead in dramas, banging into people and pillars.

“What are you doing!?” I heard him yell.

Doojoon, as usual, is always so loud.

Junhyung looked up at him and probably said something.

“Are you crazy!?” Doojoon yelled, and then I saw him pull Junhyung into his embrace.

Just before I left, I saw the both of them sitting by the roadside, Junhyung leaning against Doojoon. I guess now instead of Junhyung waiting to build a snowman, Doojoon has decided to do it too.

Isn’t it a blessing to be able to find someone who goes crazy with you?

 ***
I walked home slowly, enjoying the cold.

In the past, I hated the cold. But when you have a girlfriend who loves the cold, things changes.

‘Stop sulking! Enjoy the cold!’ Min Jeong would always say.

‘But I am cold!!’ I would whined.

‘Well, you ought to be. It is called the cold for a reason, you know.’ She would always laugh.

“Oh!” I exclaimed when it started snowing.

Aeri stirred in my arm and woke up, looking at me.

“Did I wake you up? I am sorry.” I said, kissing her cheek.

“But it’s snowing. Look, darling.” I said, pointing at the sky.

She looked up, and then opened .

“What are you doing!?” I laughed.

“Eating snow!” She said.

I laughed and put her down. I let her run around the street with opened. It is dirty, I know, but don’t we all, once in awhile, want to eat snow?

“Appa! Appa! Appa!!” She yelled as she came running back to me.

“Yes?” I asked.

She hugged my legs, looking at me cutely.

“What is it?” I laughed, avoiding eye contact with her, because I know with this kind of look on her face, if she asks for things like the sun and the moon, I will not be able to say no.

“Appa! Can we stay?” She asked.

“Stay?” I asked, confused.

“Stay and wait!” She said.

“For what?” I asked.

“To build a snowman!! I want to build a snowman!” She said excitedly.

“You want to stay here and wait until the snow is thick enough to build a snowman? But it is going to take many hours of snow for that to happen, you know that right?” I asked.

“Yes! But I can wait!!” She exclaimed.

I let out a helpless laugh. Is craziness contagious? Did Junhyung pass his craziness to Aeri?

It had only started snowing for ten minutes. How long do we have to wait until it is thick enough to build a snowman?

“Appa, please!!” She pleaded, pouting for extra points.

“Alright. Let’s just wait for awhile, I guess.” I said.

“YAY!!!” She jumped around, yelling so loud I had to pull her back to my side to control her.

I brought her to the park where I let her play in the playground while I push Heeri back and forth in his pram to make sure he keeps sleeping.

“Come here, sweetheart.” I said, gesturing her over.

She crashed into my body, giggling when I yelped.

“Are you hungry?” I asked.

She nodded.

“Let’s go get some food.” I said.

We headed to the convenience store nearby. I stood by the door, looking at the snow fall while I let her take her pick.

Min Jeong ah, it is snowing, are you looking? Come and build a snowman with us.

After she was done, I paid and we headed back to the park where we sat down and ate.

“Appa.” Aeri called out suddenly.

“Hmm?” I looked at her.

“I am sorry.” She said, taking me aback.

“Sorry?” I asked.

“I was rude just now.” She said.

I smiled and kissed her forehead.

“It’s alright.” I said.

She hugged me and kissed me on my chin.

Aeri is someone who will not admit to her fault at that moment, but she would think it through. While she was playing with her back facing me, she was actually thinking whether she was at fault or not. If she were, she would definitely apologize. If she were not, you can never force an apology out of her.

As time passed, she got tired, so did I.

“Come and sleep on me.” I said, gesturing her into my arms.

“But I want to wait.” She pouted.

“I’ll wake you up later.” I said.

She shook her head, but still climbed into my arms.

Her exhaustion took over her excitement. She fell asleep quickly. I could have brought her home, but if you lie to a child, they will remember it forever. It will be like a dent in their perfect circle, and I have no desire to do this to my girl.

I tried hard to keep my eyes open, but I fell asleep in the end.

When I opened my eyes again, everything was white. It was still snowing lightly.

“Aeri ah~” I shook her gently.

She stirred a little.

“Aeri~” I called again.

She rubbed her eyes and looked at me.

“Do you want to build a snowman?” I asked excitedly.

Her eyes widened, and then she looked around.

“WAH!!!!” She jumped off me and into the thick pile of snow, making a snow angel.

I collected a handful of snow and dropped it onto her.

“APPA!!” She yelled, and then got up and chased after me.

It was early in the morning, it was just the three of us in the park, yelling like we are crazy.

We had a snow fight, we made snow angels, and build a snowman. I caught a bad cold after that, but it was all worthwhile. Just looking at Aeri’s happiness, nothing else mattered.

“Appa~” Aeri called out as she climbed onto me while I was lying in the pile of snow.

“Yes?” I asked.

She lied down on my chest, her hands cupping my cheeks.

“Merry Christmas, Appa.” She said.

I looked at her, and then at the date on my watch. It was indeed December 25.

“Merry Christmas, sweetheart.” I hugged her tightly. 

***
This is supposed to be up on Christmas. I apologize for the delay! 
Merry Christmas!