The Christmas spirit clung in the chilly December breeze like the bright string lights illuminated the overly-decorated shops. Everyone has a smile on their faces and everything felt lighter. That's not the case for Jennie, though. She never liked Christmas. She never liked celebrating it alone. She never liked receiving calls from her parents who were on very important business events asking her to look at the expensive presents for her underneath the huge Christmas tree. Now, it just dawned to her that she wouldn't get to see Jisoo for almost three weeks during winter break.

"Jisoo-unnie, what are your plans for Christmas?" She asked while they were walking to the bus stop on the way home.

"We will just celebrate it the usual at home, my sister's family will come over and I will play with my nephews."

"That sounds fun." Jennie kicked a small rock on the sidewalk.

"You didn't sound like fun."

"Well, I always spend Christmasses alone." She sighed.

"Can I ask why?"

"My parents are always busy to attend those very important Christmas events for their investors and clients. I think I was eight when I last spent it with them." 

It was Jisoo's turn to sigh. "That was so long ago. I'm sorry, Jendeukie."

"I guess, I got used to it." She shrugged. "But! Jisoo unnie!" She jumped closer to Jisoo and wrapped her arm around the latter's arm. "I won't get to see you during winter break."

Jisoo giggled. "You're really a Jendeuk, you really like clinging on to me, huh?"

Jennie nodded like a puppy and Jisoo patted her head. Both of them giggled.

-

It was the first day of winter break and Jennie was just not having it. She missed Jisoo. She felt like a needy lovesick teenager until she realized that she is indeed a needy lovesick teenager. She rolled out of bed after checking her phone multiple times. She sent Jisoo a good morning text three hours ago, it's almost lunchtime, and Jisoo still hasn't replied. She dejectedly went to her bathroom for a shower, maybe she'll feel better.

After a while of sulking, she decided to just go out and look for presents. She tried to get hold of Lisa, but the girl went back home for winter break of course. She just realized that she spent a whole semester clinging onto Jisoo, and now she has no other friends. With a sigh, she called for her driver to bring her to the nearest mall. 

The humongous shopping mall was too crowded for her liking, but she didn't mind it, retail therapy always worked for her. She silently thanked her mom for giving her a supplementary black card. They always made up to her using material things for the lack of their own presence.

She went inside a toy store and found a stuffed mandu. She silently giggled at the thought of Jisoo calling her Jendeukie. "I will give this to Jisoo unnie so she can have Jendeukie even though we're not together." she mumbled to herself before taking the stuffed mandu to the cashier. Hours passed and the paper bags on her arm grew in number. She was about to enter another shop when a familiar voice called out to her.

"Jisoo unnie?" Jennie's heart wanted to jump at the sight of her. I missed you.

"Ya Jendeukie what are you doing here? Are you buying me presents?" 

Jennie giggled but didn't answer. "I was glad to see you."

"Me too!" Jisoo turned around and motioned for a girl coming out of the shop to go to her. "This is Soojoo, my best friend. Soojoo, this is Jennie, the one I'm talking to you about!"

"Oh! You're friend at school!" Jennie's ears twitched at the last sentence. "Hi, Jennie!" The girl enthusiastically held her hand out.

Jennie was taken aback. The girl was really pretty and she seemed really close to Jisoo. "H-Hi, Soojoo!" She shook the hand offered to her.

"Do you want to have dinner with us? My treat!" Jisoo offered. How can she decline that beautiful face, though?

"Sure, Jisoo unnie." Jennie slapped herself for being so whipped for Jisoo.

-

"Soojoo's gonna spend Christmas with us!" Jisoo said and Jennie felt a pang on her chest. She wanted to leave and just curl up on her bed and cry. Life is unfair. How can this girl spend Christmas with her Jisoo?! She swallowed the lump on and smiled. "I hope you have fun."

"Oh, we will! I really missed her family. We used to spend a lot of time together back then." Soojoo was too eager that Jennie wanted to slap her. The impression of her being snob and stingy can sometimes be true.

The dinner continued and her eyes burned whenever Soojoo would touch Jisoo and vice versa. I am the clingy Jendeukie and not you!, she thought. She felt uncomfortable the whole time, she wanted the ground to swallow her whole. She was jealous and life is unfair.

Jennie went home that night crying. She slumped on her bed and cried and cried. She turned off her phone. She didn't want to hear from Jisoo. 

Jennie was jealous and she realized that she has no right to.