Geun Young’s POV

Giving my arms a good stretch, I rubbed my sleepy eyes a little before fully emerging from the warm, cozy covers. Christmas Day was not all that bad after all. At least, I am pleased with the surprisingly good night sleep.

Well, I did have a weird dream...

Looking out of the full-length window, my heart skipped a beat at the recollection that fateful scenario before I shrugged it off with a little laugh at my own silliness. I was simply worrying too much. A dream would remain a dream.

“Today calls for panca-“, I stopped short in my soliloquy. There, leaning ever so innocently against my bedside drawers was my umbrella – the umbrella. It was the one I used for self-defense in that weird dream.  Gosh, that dream can’t be real, can it? Being the rational self I always am, I took a deep breath to calm my pulsating heartbeat before picking up the weapon and heading out of my room.

Please don’t let me see that weirdo, please don’t let me see that weirdo…

Living room. Checked.
Bathroom. Checked.
Kitchen. Checked.
Shin-Hye’s room. Checked.

Letting out a sigh of relief, I was about to put my umbrella back onto its organized racks when the door swung open. My happiness was to be short-lived.  “Oh hey you’re awake! Morning!” With the familiar cheeriness and upbeat attitude, the arrogant, golden-haired, delusional, psychopathic, Santa-Claus-pretender greeted me.

Jeremy’s POV

Satisfied with my morning dose of fresh air, I decided to head back into the house with the keys I found above the kitchen cupboards.  Upon opening the door, I came face-to-face with that silly, yet violent, girl from yesterday. She appeared to be less cranky than she was. A good night sleep I guess.

“Oh hey you’re awake! Morning!” I greeted her with my signature smile before heading to the kitchen to grab some more cookies.

“How- Wha- Who?”

“Gee-Ga-Gohhh?” I tried to reply in her alien language.

“What are you even saying?”

“I don’t know,” I replied, laughing while I shrugged my shoulders before continuing, “What were you saying then?”

“What- I-“, she stammered as her face blushed to a beetroot red but she quickly managed to recompose herself and regained the serious tone she used yesterday. “Why are you in my house? And how did you get the keys?”

“I was in your house since yesterday. Keys are above the kitchen cupboards. Not too innovative, are you?” I joked.

“You- you urgh! How did you get out of the chair?”

“Penknife.”

“From?”

“Table.”

“Did you steal anything?” With that, she started patting my tummy and searching me.

Laughing a little, I uttered, “That tickles! And it’s a little inappropriate for you to be doing that, don’t you think?” In a swift motion, she was back to being at least two metres away from me. That was when I realized how interesting a character she would be to mess around with. I decided to stick around. She was way too serious for her own good anyway. I am doing her a favour, no?

“Leave.”

“What?” Okay. It was my turn to be surprised.

“Leave my house. What are you even doing in a stranger’s home?”

“Well, I- I didn’t have a choice!” I defended myself. I fell off the sleigh right outside her house. Where else could I go?

“I do not even know how I ended up in your house to begin with. Do you not owe me an explanation too?” I was over-rationalizing my stand but I could not admit it then.

“I was saving your freaking life, for goodness sake. Now you’re fine so leave,” She said in such a resolute manner that it seemed impossible to persuade her otherwise.

“Santa would hateee you,” I had to try.

“I don’t care.”

“Well, I am Jeremy, the couch-surfing dude” I blurted out. I guess subconsciously I always knew that piece of information was going to be of use.

“Lea- What? You’re the couch-surfer?”

Phew. If she recognized that strange term then I must be on the right track.

“I am supposed to be able to uh- surf your uh- couch till the last day of Christmas,” I added, trying not to sound sheepish.

“You mean sleep on it.”

“Yeah! What you said,” I quickly agreed, nodding my head enthusiastically.

Muttering under her breath, she sighed and shook her head a few times, seemingly forgetting my presence before looking back at me in resignation. “Fine, fine. You can stay here. But don’t touch anything! And try not to talk to me,” With that, she was about to walk away when I added, “And you are?”

I thought I heard her sigh again. This girl sighs way too much for her age.

“Geun Young”

“Geum Young?”

“Geun Young!”

“Okay. Got it.”

On that note, she half-rushed into the bathroom, muttering something under her breath. As for me, with her gone, I took a bite out of the cookie, which I believed I was not supposed to ‘touch’ and savoured the sweet taste of success. This trip is going to be so much more interesting than I could have ever imagined.

---

Author's note:

I understand there are still unanswered questions but they would be answered in later chapters. (:

Please subscribe and/or comment. i really do appreciate any support I can get. Thanks!

---