A brunette girl dress for the winter, rush up to her dark hair friend and co-worker working on a final gift in her red holiday sweater.

 

“Soojin, can you close today? I need to leave early.”  

 

“Miyeon unnie. You said you’ll help me close.” Stopping midway on wrapping a box, she gives Miyeon a disbelief look.

 

“I know but Haku and Mata need to be fed, Shuhua is still busy.” The older girl quickly explains as she rummages through her black purse.

 

“I’ll have to get you guys an automatic dog feeder as a gift.” Soojin nod in understanding and continue her wrapping after seeing Miyeon found her keys.

 

“There is only an hour left, I can come back in time to help.”

 

“It’s okay unnie, you had a long shift. I can handle closing myself.” Finishing up her wrapping, she looks up to give the other girl a reassurance smile. “Go home, plus tomorrow is our day off and Christmas.”

 

“Okay, thank you!” Miyeon smiles brightly at her friend and hugs her. 

 

Bidding each other goodbye, Miyeon leave Soojin to clean up the store. Looking around the shop, her eyes stop at the large front window, she sees the snow falling lightly through the dark night sky. Admiring how the street lights decoration gives it a more illuminate beauty. After inspecting her surrounding, Soojin notices the place is empty. Deciding to give it half-hour more before closing the door, she goes to grab the broom and clean up her ‘wrap a gift’ station. As she sweeps, she wonders what she should bring to her family dinner. Even more, if she should bring her friend and roommate Soyeon again to help avoid the topic of dating. Though she has to owe her big favor, or probably beg. Her family has been bugging her love life, she understands they don’t want her to be alone, but she doesn’t mind. Soojin believes finding your person should not be a quest, it should be something that happens naturally. She’ll never admit it out loud but she likes to believe it’ll be similar to romantic movies. One day a person enters your life and the two don’t realize that some sort of miracle had pushed them together.

Scooping up the pile of debris, she hears ‘Wish list’ by F(x) playing from the speaker. Staring to hum to the song, she starts to dance a little as she finishing up her station. Getting more into the song, she begins to sing.

 

Oh my my, when I open the door

Greet me with a face filled with smiles

You are the gift I’ve always waited for

Make my dreams come true

 

Finish with cleaning, she uses the broom as a microphone and continues to jam out. As the song slows down, indicating the song is about to come to an end, she sings as if she was performing for an audience.

 

Tick tock, tick tock, time please stop

Ding dong, who is it? It’s you and I from a dream

I’ve been waiting for tonight

All of my Christmas wishes come true

 

As she dances around just as the beat began to pick up, she suddenly yelps as she finally notices a bright girl is standing there with a big smile. She sees the other girl is bundled up with a thick dark coat, beanie, and a red scarf. To make her look cuter with her big eyes staring in admiration at Soojin, she is fully covered with fresh snow, obvious that the girl had walked. Suddenly very embarrass, Soojin just turn around and pretend to put the broom away as she tried to collect her cool. Taking a peek over her shoulder, she sees the girl still standing there but now looking around the store. Feeling less embarrass, she turns back to face the new customer. Getting the girl’s attention, Soojin greets her.

 

“Hello, good evening.” she bows. “Welcome to Winter Garden, how can I help you today?”

 

The girl smiles again and bows back, with an outstretched hand she greets back.  “Hello! I’m Yuqi. Born in 1999, how about you?”

 

“Oh uh…” taken back, Soojin hesitantly reaches her hand out. “Soojin, 1998.”

 

Soojin is a little slow for Yuqi, she reaches to takes Soojin’s hand and gives it a shake. “An unnie! Awesome, I’m great with unnie. Nice to meet you!”

 

“Ah, yes.” letting go of Yuqi’s hand, the older girl rub her neck to soothe her awkwardness. “Nice to meet you too.”

 

“Unnie, could you show me the Christmas trees?” Soojin nod.

 

“Yes, follow me.” leading the way to the back of the store she asks “What kind are you looking for?”

 

“I want a tree as beautiful as you unnie.” Though Yuqi was behind Soojin, she notices a slight falter in her step and her head had turned down.

 

Soojin’s pace began to take faster speed, Yuqi takes that as a confirmation that she was able to affect the pretty girl with her word. Smiling wide, she matches the shy girl’s speed with confidence.

 

    Yuqi is right. Soojin felt her face get hot at the unexpected compliment. She thought with her friend, Shuhua, who always give complement and flirty lines at every single moment. She would be unfazed. Maybe is because she found the younger girl to be attractive. She is pretty cute, Soojin thought. Making a turn around a shelf she sees the trees come to view, snapping out of her thought she turn around, only for Yuqi to bump into her.

 

Yuqi tried to stop when she saw Soojin suddenly stop and turn around, but she was walking fast to catch up that she didn’t have time to stop properly. Bumping chest to chest, and finding there face close. Being aware of the intimate touch, Yuqi begins to blush and quickly took a step back.

 

“Sorry!”  Soojin surprise face turns to a smirking face when she sees how Yuqi is.

 

Yuqi is looking down in the hope to hide her red face, handclasp together in front. It reminds Soojin of a kid who believes is in trouble. Now smiling at the view, she fought back at the urge to . In return for the earlier incident she pretends that nothing had happened, she raises her hand to point to the variety of evergreen trees behind her.

 

“Here we are, we have both fake and real trees. We only have few real trees left, they’re all small as it’s more expensive and difficult to get. Take a-”

 

“Wait, you guys don’t have evergreen trees? In China, they’re everywhere! Oh, sorry.” Yuqi quickly apologizes after realizing she interrupted Soojin.

 

Not mad but interested, she asks. “You’re from China?”

 

“Yes! This is my 3rd year in Korea.” Soojin notices Yuqi’s eye doesn’t seem to match up with her smile.

 

Not knowing if she should ask if Yuqi is okay, as they are just strangers. Yuqi seems to snap out of her own feeling when she sees Soojin making a familiar face she seen before. Not wanting Soojin to ask the question, knowing herself as a bad liar, she claps her hand to distract Soojin.

 

“So what else were you gonna say about these trees?” 

 

Soojin slightly startles by the clap, blink before replying. “Oh, I was gonna say that you can take a look, there’s only about a half-hour before I have to close the door.”

 

“Oh, okay.” The sad hint of Yuqi’s voice made Soojin want to stay with the girl.

 

Knowing she can’t, she nod before walking away. Still conflicted, she takes a look back before she turns the corner. The sight had her concern, she sees for the first time, a serious face on the Chinese girl as she stares sadly at trees.

 

---

 

    Turning the open sign off, Soojin looks around but the girl is nowhere in sight. Grabbing her jacket, she put it on as she heads back to where she left the girl with the trees. I wonder if she left when I was busy, Soojin thought. Though deep down she wishing Yuqi is still here. Surprise with a hint of happiness, she finds Yuqi admiring one of the tree ornament. Hearing Soojin footstep, Yuqi look up with a smile.

 

“Have you chosen one yet?” Soojin finds herself asking softly, not realizing she already started to care for the girl in front of her.

 

“Well, none is as pretty as you but yes. I want the real tree. How much did you say it was?” Seeing Yuqi looking at her with big eyes she felt her stomach give a small flutter.

 

“Take it, it’ll be on me. Tomorrow the other staff is going to throw them away anyway, as we won’t be needing them anymore.”

 

“Trash? No, wait. I want them all then.”  Yuqi says as she stands in front of the remaining three real trees, arm spread as if she is protecting them from Soojin.

 

Smiling at the sight, she shakes her head a bit. “How are you going to carry all of them with you? They’re almost as tall as you.

“Did you bring a car?”

 

“...no?” Yuqi says as her arm slowly goes back to her side.

 

Seeing Yuqi begin to pout as she complains about how she needs to get a license and a car to save the trees. Soojin couldn’t hold back a chuckle. The pouting girl, pout even more in her direction when she heard her.

 

“Yuqi-ya.” The owner of the name stopped pouting when her unnie called her with a playful tone, which had made her feel the butterflies go wild.

 

Seeing Soojin looking at her the way she is now, and not just another customer. It has made Yuqi feel shy, and that is rare for the usually extrovert girl. 

 

“Y- Yes.” Soojin being intrigued by the cute girl’s sudden shyness, feeling bolder she takes a step toward Yuqi.

 

Teasingly leaning her head forward she asks. “Are feeling okay? Your face seems a little red.”

 

“Um, Yes. Mhm.” Yuqi tried to answer back, as she tries to avoid Soojin’s eyes that are close to hers.

 

Leaning back with a little sway to her shoulder, Soojin feels happy to have an effect on the girl.

 

“Okay, then let take the tree to my car, I’ll give you a ride.” Yuqi’s face light up and all previous shyness has disappeared.

 

“Really? Unnie, you’re the best!” Jumping like an excited kid, Yuqi goes to embrace the saved trees.

 

Laughing as she witnesses Yuqi hugging the trees. Soojin grabs the roll of plastic nearby and with Yuqi's help, they wrap trees. She fishes out her keys from her pocket as she tells Yuqi to start carrying a tree and she goes over to pick one up herself. Leading Yuqi to her car, she laid the trees in the back seat. As Yuqi runs back for the last one, Soojin stands by the door to lock up. Once Yuqi is out, Soojin turns off the light and sets the alarm. As she locks up, she smiles to herself to what a night. Maybe I can invite Yuqi to my family dinner if she free tomorrow, Soojin thinks.

 

---

 

“Now turn right on the upcoming street, there’s my apartment.” Following Yuqi’s direction, Soojin sees the apartment come into view.

 

Entering the underground parking lot, she part at the end of the corner for visiter. Parking in place, Soojin looks over to see Yuqi playing with the seat belt. Yuqi perks up when the car turns off, she sees Soojin taking off her belt. Opening the door, Soojin glance at Yuqi who still hasn’t move a muscle.

 

“Aren’t you going to show me your apartment? Should I just leave the tree?”

 

“No! Yes!” Scrambling to get her seat beat off, she smiles once she got it off. “ Yes, I’ll show you to my apartment!”

 

Opening the back door, Soojin takes out one. Noticing the fallen needles, she makes a mental note to vacuum them when she gets home. The remaining two trees get to pull out at the same time by Yuqi. Carrying its bridal style, she uses her hip to close the door. Soojin raising her brow at the confident Yuqi walking toward the entrance, then stop when she notice she won’t be able to open the door. Yuqi looking back with puppy eyes at Soojin, who now walking toward her with a little smile, the tree leaning against her shoulder and a hand at the base. Opening the door for Yuqi, they share a soft warm glace at each other. Unknowing to both, the increasing flutter they feel is mutual.

 

---

 

“Do you live here alone?” Soojin asks as she enters through the door.

 

“No, I live with my roommate Minnie. She back home in Thailand for the holiday.” Yuqi reply as she takes off her shoe with only using her foot.

 

Following Yuqi, she set the tree at a corner by the window where the younger girl had set hers and began unwrapping them.

 

“Doesn’t it look weird having all three trees in the corner? Shouldn't you spread them around the apartment?” Soojin express her opinion as she watches Yuqi unwrap the plastic on the last one,

 

“Trust me unnie, I’m a genius.” Rushing over to the kitchen counter and grab a stool.

 

Waddling with the stool, Yuqi places it in the corner, against the two walls. Picking up a tree, she places it on top. After balancing against the walls, Yuqi places the other two side by side in front of the stool. Once she satisfied she place her hand on her hip as she admires her work. Turning to Soojin who been watching her, she gestures at her work.

 

“Tada! Now it looks like one big tree!” 

 

“Wow, it actually does.” Admiring the makeshift big tree, she instinctively pats Yuqi’s head lightly.

 

She stops after a couple of pats when she realizes, this is not Shuhua. Though Yuqi's face had to light up at her slight affection. Now standing there in silence, Soojin believes this is her cue to leave. Though her stomach drop at the thought.

 

“So, I’ll be-”

 

“Do you want to help me decorate?” Yuqi suddenly interrupts with slight panic.

 

Soojin in her bottom lip before she made up her mind of the lingering question she had.

 

“I can’t stay.” Yuqi's face fell until Soojin took a hold of her hand before continuing. “But I would like to invite you to my family's dinner tomorrow. If you’re free?”

 

Yuqi blink at the unexpected question. Not hearing a quick response, Soojin believes she made a mistake. Looking at the floor, Soojin let go of Yuqi to pull and play with the edge of her jacket.

 

“I mean if the family is too awkward for you, I get it. We could- or you-”

 

“Yes.” Soojin stop looking around to make eye contact with a happy Yuqi.

 

“Yes?” 

 

Yuqi grabs Soojin’s hand back in hers.  “Yes, I would love to go to your family dinner.” 

 

Both smiling, they keep holding on to each other hands. Liking the way it feels, not wanting to let go. Knowing Soojin needs to go home, she forces herself to let go. Feeling another flutter when Yuqi kept hold for another few seconds before letting go. Soojin pulls out her phone and Yuqi follows. Exchanging phone, they put in their number and return their phone. Yuqi follows Soojin to the door. Bidding each other goodbye, they still linger, trying to drag out the time. When Yuqi slowly opens the door, Soojin suddenly felt bold. Soojin leans in to give Yuqi’s cheek a peck, leaving a red lip shape mark.

 

“See you tomorrow!” Boldness now gone, Soojin rush out giggling.

 

Leaving a dazed girl looking after her with a goofy smile. Yuqi thank the trees for her wish for a Christmas tree became more than she expected.