Title: Merry Little SoShi Christmas Posted: 15 January 2015 Play: Coldplay - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (Live on KCRW)   A cup of steaming hot chocolate was held tightly as the owner of the beverage stared out the window to the snowing apartment complex outside. The steam from the cup warmed the young woman’s bare face as she lifted the warm cup near , blowing on the scalding fluid.   “Yah, you’re going out?”   The shouting behind her made her turn her body towards two women who were standing near the hallway out the door. Two young women her age were standing there, muttering something she couldn’t hear, until one of them gave up, telling the other to ‘go out already’ soon after. The one standing nearer to the door looked and smiled apologetically before going out with her purse and car keys.   The young woman standing near the hallway sighed, slowly making her way towards the couch, holding her white-furred pooch in her embrace. Their eyes met, and she smiled sadly. “I’m sorry, baby. I know you have to go back to your share-house soon, but Taeyeon said she had an errand to run to.”   Sunny smiled weakly, bringing her cup to the sofa as she sat beside her dorm-mate. “It’s okay, Tiff. I know she’s busy.”   Apparently that didn’t calm Tiffany down as she began complaining. “Seriously! The least she could do is spending more time with us! You’re a lot busier than she is! We both know that except Gayo Daejun, we have no other schedule as a group, at least not after the New Year!”   The white dog in Tiffany’s lap barked soon after, agreeing with its owner. Chuckling at how angry her roommate and her dog were, Sunny merely chuckled. “Why are you two complaining? Aren’t I supposed to be the one complaining here?” She then took a sip on her chocolate, feeling the warmth seeping throughout her body.   Tiffany pouted – disappointed that Sunny really was okay with Taeyeon going out when the former returned to the dorm, albeit for a brief time, before going back to record the New Year special at the Roommate sharehouse later that day. “Because I know how busy you are…and you have to return to that house soon today. We missed you, you know…?” she muttered.   Looking up at Tiffany’s sad eyes, Sunny knew she was earnest. She, too, missed spending her time talking and eating midnight snacks with Tiffany and Taeyeon, as they were the only members currently living permanently in the dorm after the other girls moved out to their apartments with their respective families. Tiffany and Taeyeon were her only family in Korea whilst her parents and older sisters were abroad, and only visited her every once in a while. But she had works to fulfill, with her daily radio broadcast and Roommate recording.   While Sunny was still lost in her thoughts, Prince slowly approached, her hand to get her attention. Sunny looked down at Tiffany’s dog, which had a sad expression on its face. She put her cup of chocolate down at the coffee table, taking the dog in her embrace and the latter happily her face, trying to cheer her up. Sunny chuckled at her “son’s” efforts. “Thank you, Prince,” she said, giving its nose a peck.   Sunny then looked at Tiffany, who still had the same sad expression on her face. She chuckled, thinking how similar a dog can be to its owner. “Yah, don’t be so gloomy. I still have…” she glanced at her watch, “three hours before I have to go to MBC. Shall we watch Frozen for the thousandth time? Maybe you’ll cheer up then.”   Tiffany smiled weakly. After all this time, Sunny was still the one to lift her mood up. She knew how heart-broken she had been recently, yet still managed to cheer her up, in her own way. “That sounds great.”   #   Taeyeon rushed inside the elevator and pushed the button impatiently, as if it would make the elevator move faster. Once the doors were closed, Taeyeon looked up as the little lamps above the door blinked, showing that she would arrive at the designated floor soon. She reached for her phone in her right pocket, reading the last message she received. The three words sent to her that afternoon made her dash out of the dorm as quickly as she could, even though she had to argue with Tiffany first. And Sunny…   The black-haired girl sighed, knowing that she had to make it up to Sunny soon, even though the latter didn’t say anything. She had called the younger girl a lot before, telling her to go home whenever she could, and when she finally did, she had to leave first thing in the morning. But she had to, before the chance slipped away again. If things went well, she would make it up to Sunny, and more. The elevator dinged open and she stepped out, tucking her phone inside her purse in the process. She walked past the rooms, silently counting in her mind before finally finding the right number.   Taeyeon stopped in front of the door, taking a few deep breaths, before taking her hand up and knocked on the door three times. She fidgeted in her position, and froze when she heard a familiar sound behind the door. The door opened, and she couldn’t help but breathed out in relief once she saw the person standing in front of her.   “Finally.”   #   Six young women were moving about the spacious apartment. They decided to celebrate Christmas Eve together since they had dance practice before their Gayo Daejun performance on 26th. They divided the tasks, as usual; some of them were busy decorating the tree, some were cooking Christmas dinner, and some were setting up the cutlery to eat.   “The stew will be ready soon and I don’t see Taeyeon-unnie anywhere. Where is she?” Yoona said, while stirring her pot of boiling stew.   “Fany said that she’s out getting the cake and will be back before dinner starts.” Yuri who was chopping the garnishes for their dishes answered, as she was the one standing near her.   “And I made sure that she’ll be here on time, or else.” Tiffany who passed by the kitchen added, reaching out to get some two bottles of wine from the wine rack. She then poured one bottle into the decanter, letting the wine breathe before they dine.   “I don’t see Sunny-unnie here either. She has finished her radio broadcast, hasn’t she?” the youngest asked with wine glasses in her hand to set up on the table.   “No, Sunny said she had to drop by somewhere, something about taking something for someone.”   “Just decorate the tree, Hyo. You can’t even speak properly while you’re busy tying up the ornaments to the tree.”   “I would finish it faster if you could just finish the higher parts of the tree instead of me trying to reach the top with this chair!”   The banter between Hyoyeon and Sooyoung brought smiles to their faces, making them feel the familiar Christmas atmosphere where they used to celebrate together every year. It would be complete if there were a high