One fluffy sheep, two fluffy sheeps-

“Dashing through the snow, in a one horse open-sleigh...” Rolling her eyes, Geun Young emerged from under the covers and sat back up on the bed as the familiar tune, though with a somewhat modern rock twist to it, invaded her religious act of sheep-counting. These otherwise melodious Christmas carols proved exceptionally irritating this Christmas. “This loud? Really?” She half-shouted in a sarcastic tone even though she was aware that it was hardly possible to be heard over such joyous celebrations taking place in every other household in my neighbourhood – in all except hers.

This is going to be a lonely Christmas, she thought as she pulled her knees close to her chest and stared out at the beautiful Christmas scene that did not seem to involve her.

The pretty lights on every house visible from her bedroom window only more explicitly juxtaposed with the bleakness of her situation, both metaphorically and literally. Not switching on the lights was part of her well-devised plan to avoid carolers. She firmly believed there was absolutely no need to highlight her pathetic state to the rest. Period.

“Even the grumpy old Marshall seems to be having a better time than me,” The Korean-American muttered sadly under her breath as she watched her neighbour, Marshall, a sixty-five year old man living across the street, play with his four-year old grandson. Christmas is a special and rare occasion when his children actually visit him. She could not help but let out a sigh.

“Shin Hye is probably enjoying herself too. I wonder-“

*THUD*

Before the sentence could be finished, a mysterious figure distracted her vision as it plopped down on the snow-layered lawn, in front of her window, right before her eyes. Staring at the seemingly lifeless body, her shock-frozen self was incapable of generating any response until a few seconds later when she finally let out a scream that was eventually still drowned in the all-too-familiar tune of "Jingle Bells” ringing in the air.