Christmas was the best times of the year in my opinion. The lights, the sounds, and the smells just overwhelmed my senses and drove me into a state of pure bliss. Nothing could overcome this feeling for me and the whole world knew it. I moved to Korea four years ago to teach English to kindergarteners in Seoul with my best friend. The two of us made an agreement to wait for one another to finish college and move across the world to finally fulfill our dreams. Sure teaching wasn’t exactly a glorious job but it was what we wanted to do in a place where we wanted to be. Even though we wanted it more than anything in the world of course our parents didn’t agree. It’s been fours years since I’ve last spent Christmas with my family in America.

“Wake up we’re here,” I said jabbing my fingers into the side of my sleeping boyfriend. I smiled when he quickly opened his eyes with a surprised look on his face. His eyes scanned his surroundings, blinking rapidly to try and get the world to become clear again. How cute. I giggled when he finally looked at me with a sense of recognition and knowing. “Ah finally back to your senses I see sleeping beauty.” He rolled his eyes with a slight smile gracing his lips. His eyes gave away the fact that he was still completely exhausted. With a demanding and stressful job like his, I couldn’t blame him one bit. The poor thing never had a break.  “HA HA HA you’re so funny,” he said sarcastically making me punch him in the arm slightly. He gasped and grabbed his arm, pretending to be in unbearable pain. “Stop being such a sissy ninny baby and get your up. We have to meet my parents outside.”

We grabbed our carry ons and headed off the plane to collect our luggage. My parents were picking us up from the airport and I knew they wouldn’t be patient especially since it was Christmas eve. The stress from having to clean and cook for our arrival would have put both my mother and stepfather on the edge. The stress will hopefully fade when they see their beloved daughter. Although when they finally meet their beloved daughter’s boyfriend the stress might just work it’s way back. “Ahh I’m so nervous!” Minseok exclaimed looking down and putting his free hand over his chest. “I really hope your parents like me,” he said looking at me the worry evident in his eyes. That was the thing about Minseok. All of his emotions could be seen in his eyes. He could never lie or act with false emotion because everyone knew how he really felt inside. “It will be fine, I promise” I smiled gently and reached out to intertwine my fingers with his.

My parents greeted us happily and surprisingly took Minseok in with open arms. I honestly thought there would have been a rough meeting but it went completely and utterly…perfect. There were no awkward silences or fumbling with fingers and hands in nervousness. It went all too smoothly I thought.

Minseok and I were not allowed to share the same bedroom at my parents’ house of course. Even though I was over the age of 20 my parents still viewed me as a teenager. They separated us by sending me to my old bedroom and him to our spare room. Little did they know that back in Korea Minseok practically lived at my apartment and we even slept in the same bed, but I think that would be a story for another time. It was Christmas morning finally and feelings of happiness and excitement over flowed inside me. I woke up in my Christmas pajamas and practically ran down the stairs towards the living room just like I did when I was a little kid. My living room was lit with the light radiating from the Christmas tree, a bunch of presents huddled underneath. Just like when I was a kid. The smell of chocolate and cookies filled my senses. In the kitchen, my mom was pulling freshly baked chocolate chip and sugar cookies from the oven.  My one true weakness. The smell was absolutely heavenly and I drooled at the thought of shoving all the cookies I possibly could into my mouth. My stepdad was stirring hot chocolate with a peppermint stick. He went to Starbucks I see…good move…good move. Peppermint was my favorite thing to eat of all time. I could just survive and be happy eating peppermint only for the whole rest of my natural born life.

I was happily stuffing my face when I realized that I actually brought my boyfriend with me. Opps I forgot! I quickly stopped what I was doing and raced up the stairs. When I made it to the guest room, I quietly opened the door and tiptoed in. I have an idea. Minseok was sleeping quietly in the bed with the blankets hiding half of his face. He looked so peaceful…but not for long. When I reached the bed I let out a yell and jumped onto the bed. Minseok shot up in shock and fear. I laughed and continued to jump next to him. “Wake up silly!!” I yelled with laughter. He finally came out of his shock and he smiled a devious smile pulling me down by the hand. I landed with a thud next to him still laughing. He just continued to smile and grabbed both of my wrists pinning them above my head switching to hold them with one hand. I was too preoccupied with my own laughter from seeing him so surprised to even think about was happening and you could bet it was going to be something I didn’t like. Minseok took his free hand and started tickling my sides. I yelped and started to thrash about. How I hated when people did this to me. The trashing continued until he decided the punishment was enough and when he finally stopped I yelled at him angrily. I really hated that. During my fit of anger Minseok decided he had enough. His hand pinning my arms never left and his free hand held himself up and he climbed over me. This only made me yell more. Ignoring every word, he leaned in and captured my quickly moving lips. My eyes shot open in surprise and my body went rigid. Minseok pulled away enough to see my face and smiled brightly before kissing my forehead. He then moved from my forehead to planting a small peck on my nose and then from my nose he kissed my lips lovingly. “ You look so cute in those pajamas” is the only thing he said when he pulled away.

Minseok walked down the stairs and into the kitchen with me on his back. After complaining the whole time we were brushing our teeth and getting ready about how he really should do things like he did this morning I finally got him to agree on making up for it by giving me a piggyback ride. “You really are a five year old aren’t you?” he asked chucking as he reached the bottom of the stairs. I hit him lightly on the back. “But I’m your 5 year old,” I said sticking out my tongue even though I knew he couldn’t see it. It still made me feel better on the inside though as I held on to him tighter.

My parents stared at the two of us funnily when we both entered the kitchen, me on his back. All four of us ate the breakfast that my mother happily prepared. It was a huge American style breakfast with everything that I could possibly image from pancakes to sausage. My mother wanted Minseok to experience everything while he stayed with us. I was thankful for all of her effort. After we ate we moved to open presents from under the tree. Most of the presents were mine. My parents said it was to make up for all the years that I had not been home. Again I was thankful and a bit of regret filled me. I should come home more often around this time of year. After all it was a time to spend with your family and loved ones. I handed my parents the gifts that Minseok and I had brought back from Korea. While they were fawning over their presents and that fact that I was home, Minseok stood up and headed towards the tree. I watched him with careful eyes and saw him pull a flat present from under the tree. Ahh that reminds me! I still had to give Minseok my present. He told me not to get him something but naturally I was going to go against him and buy him one. I bought him the sweatshirt that he had been wanting for quite some time now but hasn’t had the time to go shopping for. He was going to love it….well I mean he better. It was really a really expensive sweatshirt because being an idol made his taste more extravagant.

As I expected Minseok loved my present but he complained about me spending the money on him. “It’s too muchhhh” he whined stomping his feet on the ground like a little kid. He said I was the childish one but I’m thinking the roles were now reversed. “I wanted to spend the money to get you something you liked so don’t complain about it because your not going to change my mind about it” I said giggling as he immediately stopped complaining and pulled the sweatshirt over his head. “I really love it. Thank you Jagiya,” he said softly leaning in to give me a quick peck on the cheek. My cheeks turned bright red because I knew my parents were watching. He laughed and pinched my cheeks only making me more embarrassed. “Stop doing these kinds of things around my parents” I whined swatting his hands away from my face. My parents only pretended to look away when they saw me look in their direction. Real smooth guys...real smooth. Minseok stuck his tongue out and took the bow off of the wrapping paper from the gift and stuck it onto my head.

Minseok picked up the flat gift from next to him and held it out to me with a big smile on his face. I grabbed it from him excitedly and tried to unwrap the present quickly without tearing the wrapping paper. Minseok shook his head at how neat I was trying to be but I knew that is one of the reasons why he liked me. He was clean and I was clean. Match made in heaven right? Taking off the wrapping paper I slowly started to reveal what was inside. It was a folder and a notebook. I looked confused at the two objects. I opened the folder and nothing was inside. I flipped through the pages of the notebook and found nothing was inscribed within it. I wasn’t going to lie but I was kind of disappointed in the gift. I know it’s the thought that counts but I still couldn’t help but feel that way. I looked up at my expectant boyfriend with a forced smile and thanked him.

Minseok laughed. Why is he laughing? My face glossed over with a look of absolute confusion. I tried to read his eyes and could tell from them that he was amused but I couldn’t tell what exactly he was thinking. “What?” I asked starting to feel self-conscious. Is he laughing at something I did or the look on my face? Whatever he was laughing at was starting to bother me. “You don’t like it do you?” he asked in between fits of laughter. I couldn’t figure out why that made him laugh though. Usually when people don’t like present you give them you feel kind of bad about it. “You know you can’t lie to me Jagiya,” he said standing up. I suddenly felt so bad about not liking the objects. “It’s okay if you don’t like them you know because it’s only a part of your real present,” he said extending his hand out for me to take. I cautiously placed my hand in his and he immediately enclosed it pulling me up. He had this huge and dorky smile plastered onto his face that made my confused expression fade into a smile. He was infectious really. He pulled the curtains open to reveal the snow falling outside. It was a white Christmas just like I have always loved ever since I was younger. This didn’t help my thought process though. What did he have planned? Minseok walked back over to me and pulled me again, but this time directly in front of the Christmas tree. My parents quietly got up from where they were seated and moved out of the room. Okay this was weird.

Minseok still holding my hands bent down on one knee. “Jagiya its been a long time right? 3 years together and our feelings towards one another continue to grow stronger day by day. I can’t stand practically living together and spending so much time together anymore just being boyfriend and girlfriend. I’m ready to live together and spend all of our time together as husband and wife.” Minseok released one of my hands and reached towards to tree grabbing a silver ring from one of the branches. “Will you marry me?” The tears could not be held back as I sobbed into my free hand nodding like a maniac. Of course I wanted to marry him. I wanted nothing more than that in the whole world. “Y-yes” I managed to choke out. Minseok’s smile got even brighter, if that was even possible, as he jumped back up onto his feet to hug me. I continued to sob into his chest. “Aigoo my cute girl” he cooed kissing the top of my head.

My parents came back into the room and congratulated us both. They were watching us from the opening of the kitchen into the living room. Minseok wrapped his arms around my waist. “You know your parents knew about this the whole time right?” I looked at him with wide eyes to which he laughed. “I got their number through your phone one day while you were preoccupied and I contacted them. I wasn’t going to ask you unless I had their permission first of course. I know that means a lot to you. Also the notebook and folder were for your wedding planning. It has all come together now huh?” I up my embarrassment and kissed him right there and then “I love you so much.” He rested his forehead against mine. “I love you too Jagiya.” Christmas really was the best time of the year.