Sunday morning….

Ga Eul had woken up early in the morning, finished with her mother’s morning chores, then finally got her time to enjoy a hot cup of coffee by the window, on her own. It was only a week to Christmas. All the houses in the neighbourhood had already put up their Christmas tree and decorations. The evenings were no longer dark in their alley, but brightly lit with numerous tiny lights and flashy lanterns. Her eyes landed on the glass window of the house facing theirs. There was a stuffed Santa hung with two reindeers. A small smile tugged at her face. The Christmas-y feel was indeed contagious. Despite all struggles and hardships that people had to endure all the time, they were transformed into a dreamlike happy state during this time of the year, as if a brief escape from the inevitable.

Her musings were interrupted by the ringing of her phone.

“Hello Eun Jae, good morning,” she greeted picking up the call.

“Hey Ga Eul-ah, what are you doing today?” asked Eun Jae in a chirpy voice.

“Me? Nothing, as such,” replied Ga Eul.

“Great! Then meet us for a picnic lunch at the Seonyudo Park. It is so bright and sunny today. Perfect day for an outdoor picnic. And, Young Jin has been missing you for quite some time now,” said Eun Jae.

Ga Eul stayed silent for a moment.

“Okay, I will come,” she responded.

After ending the call, Ga Eul looked back at the smiling Santa hanging from the window. She knew going to the picnic meant Yi Jung would be there. She assumed that the mere thought of him would bring a bitterness in her. But instead she felt a momentary pang, as his life-less, blood smeared face appeared in her mind. It was nothing but a delusion of her deranged mind, she told herself. Yet, she could not ignore the dull ache that slowly crept in her heart.

It was the strangest emotion she had felt for him, or anyone for that matter, since the exhibition night. She could not define it herself. Was it a feeling of being betrayed? Or a feeling of being proven that she was not meant to be happy in her life, ever? She had told her friends, and convinced herself that it was the former. But in her deepest core she knew it was not the feeling of betrayal. It was more the realisation of the latter, that it was her, whose existence itself was cursed, and vile. She did not deserve such happiness in her life.

Yet, she suddenly felt the urge to meet him again and talk to him, even if for the last time. Was it the Christmas-y vibe that was rubbing on her? Maybe, it was. It would be her brief escape, her Christmas.

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Woo Bin tiptoed into the dining room, with his hands behind him. The entire family was having a Sunday breakfast together, after a long time. His sisters pursed their lips, stopping themselves from bursting in laughter at his funny antic. He looked at his father briefly, who was busy perusing the business daily, completely missing his entry. Then, he hugged his mother tightly from behind.

“Happy birthday, Omma!!” he greeted, followed by his over-enthusiastic sisters.

“Here’s your gift,” he said and gave her a beautiful diamond necklace, followed by a kiss on the cheek.

“Thank you, my dear. Thank you,” she replied happily and hugged him back.

It was a cheerful moment in the Song Mansion after a long time. Following his refusal of the marriage proposal from the Park chaebols, a storm had raged between the father and son, with the mother and sisters being teary-eyed, dumb spectators.

“Oppaaaa… Oppaaaaa,” cried out Mi Jin.

“What? Why are you whining like a baby?” Woo Bin rebuked her affectionately.

“We are going for Omma’s birthday lunch at the farmhouse. Abeoji will also join us. Please come with us,” she replied with a puppy face, which she knew would do its charm on her nonchalant brother.

“Okay, will try to be there. I have to go to the site in the morning,” he replied while picking up his food.

“And please ask your battalion of bodyguards not to be there. They had spoiled our pool party last time,” huffed Mi Na.

“Don’t talk rubbish, Mi Na-ah. They have to be there, and especially around you two careless souls,” replied Woo Bin in a dismissive tone.

Both his sisters started creating a chaos over the dining table, vehemently protesting against their brother’s dictate. Their father just raised his eyes with a frown for a moment from his newspaper and again went back to it.

“Woo Bin-ah, it’s okay. Let it be. The farmhouse has its own security. We do not need too many guards there, anyway. Let the girls breathe freely. All the time the guards are following them in their college,” commented their mother gently.

“Yeah, breathing down our neck,” added in Min Ji.

Woo Bin rolled his eyes and sighed.

“Ok, fine. But my personal guard Jung-ie will be there with you all until I come and join you for the lunch,” he declared with finality.

“Yayyy,” cheered his two sisters.

He beamed widely seeing their happy faces.

Yes, he had given up on his yearning for a true love in his life. But such small tokens of joy from his family would make up for some of that void, he hoped fervently.

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Ha Jin hopped