I am an elf. Yes, an elf. You know, the dwarf that helps Santa during Christmas time, making presents for kids? Yeah, I'm that mythical creature. Not for real though.

 

My church has this event where they get some of the adults to roleplay as Santa and elves. I am one of the elves. I used to be the 'Santa' one christmas, but it turned out I wasn't comfortable with handling restless kids, so an elf I was. 

 

I pick up my costume and run my finger across the smooth velvety material I have worn for 3 years now. It seems so long since I have been asked to participate in this event that I barely remember my initial hesitation.

 

After changing into the costume, I greet my friends who were coming into the washroom to change, before heading to help set up the platform for the Santa and put up some other decoration. The other helpers smile at me.

 

"Carmen, you're an elf again this year?"

 

I nod my head, curving my lips slightly into a smile before replying, "Yeah."

 

"Where're your pointy ears?" 

 

I turn my head to give a sharp look at the young teenager who grins cheekily at me. 

 

"Carmen, you know he's like that. Ignore him." an older man interjects.

 

I sigh and roll my eyes. The man chuckles and shake his head. 

 

 

 

We manage to get the chair up on the platform and most of the decorations up before someone calls for me to go aside. I straighten and head towards the person. A pastor gestures at me to come quicker and I half-jog to him. A tall man is standing at his side, with brown ruffled hair, lean jaw and body, wearing a turtleneck sweater, jeans and a shy smile. Awfully handsome to be not be unnoticed before around here. I guess the man is a stranger around here. 

 

"This is...?" 

 

The pastor gestures to me and beams at the man. "This is Carmen. She's been one of the helpers for the kids event."

 

He continues, this time gesturing to the man and addressing me,"This is Cho Kyuhyun. He's over here in our country for a short while to settle something. He was invited to our church for christmas and he insisted on helping us, so I suggested letting him be the Santa this year, since Max isn't very willing to be the Santa. Can you help me tell him what to do?"

 

I part my lips and nod knowingly. I look up at the man. Our eyes meet and I feel something bolt through me. My heart starts to beat faster for some strange reason.

 

"Sure, I'll... do my best." I look back at the pastor with a smile. He pats both of our shoulders and leaves the place. 

 

 

 

"So...." I start, averting my eyes from him. "You're not chinese, right?"

 

"No... K-Korean."

 

I shoot my eyes up to look at him briefly. He is smiling awkwardly.

 

"Oh... Korean? Do you understand english?"

 

He shrugs and holds up a hand with his forefinger and thumb put close together, "A little...  This much."

 

I laugh and ask in chinese instead, "How about chinese?"

 

He grins boyishly at me. "I'm better at chinese," he says in chinese.

 

I nod. And remain standing at the same spot, trying to ignore the handsomeness emanating from the tall man beside me. He blinks at me and tilt his head sideways. 

 

"Er... Do we start now?"

 

I mentally smack my head in embarrassment. "Oh, yes. Sorry."

 

He chuckles softly. My stomach flutters.

 

We walk towards the almost completed platform, and I explain everything the best I can in chinese. He seems to understand my not-so-good chinese explanation, and I feel relieved. I don't know why I feel so tense around him. It feels like I want to impress him. But why?

 

 

 

"I think we're done. There's only the costume left. It's free size, so I guess you should be able to fit into it." I reach into the cabinet and take out the santa costume. He take the red furry costume from my hands and our skin comes in contact briefly. Sparks seem to fly at the contact and I jump. I immediately blush and look down at my feet. What's happening to me?

 

"It must be the... static. Don't worry about it."

 

He then leaves me alone beside the cabinet in the storage room, warmth spreading across my face. He noticed! Oh god no. It's so embarrassing.

 

 

 

When Kyuhyun emerges from the mens, I cover my mouth to stifle my laugh. He looks so adorable, yet ridiculous with that red costume and half bulging sponge stomach.  He narrows his eyes at me and says warningly, "Do not laugh."

 

I continue to plaster my hand over my mouth and nod furiously, eyes closing in a bid of trying not to laugh. 

 

"Carmen! There you are! We've been looking for you- oh! Who's this?"

 

I whirl around to see my gaping friend. It is clear she is awestruck with the way she almost "undressed" him with her eyes.

 

"Wow, since when does our church has such hotties?" she comments in English.

 

Kyuhyun raises one of his eyebrow, and the corner of his lips upturn into a half-smirk. I laugh, trying to cover the awkwardness. "Jill, you're awfully frank. Why are you looking for me anyway?"

 

"Huh? What," she breathes, before snapping back to reality and facing me. "Oh! Yes yes. The others want to get the presents out now, but only you have the key to the storage room with the gifts."

 

"Oh... Ok," I reply, turning to Kyuhyun. "Erm... Kyuhyun, I have to settle something. There's nothing else to do, so is it ok if I leave you here..?"

 

He gives me that breathtaking smile of his and nods. "Go ahead. Thank you for guiding me just now."

 

I bow slightly with a flustered grin and he bows back with that smile on his face. Jill starts to talk to him, and well, it was normal. She likes talking to men, especially the good-looking ones. But then again, who would be in their right mind to leave Kyuhyun, the tall, charming, and handsome guy, unattended? Even if he is dressed in the floppy, bright red santa costume, it is easy to tell that he has a lean and firm physique. A body to die for.

 

With a sinking feeling in my chest, I head for the storage, helping the others get the packs of christmas goodies for the children coming at noon.

 

 

 

I watch him pull over the cotton beard over the lower part of his face, trying not to feel like a creep. Though I probably is. Jill is still staring at him, just like me. And like the other female elves. But he is oblivious to the number of agape mouth directed at him. We follow him up to the platform, and he greets the hyper active children with a wave. The children scream and starts shoving their way to the man, either eager to get their presents or to get closer to the handsome santa. I grin to myself, curious to see how he handles the children. He laughs like the typical santa and in a commanding voice, he speaks in slighty broken english. 

 

"Everyone queue. Please! If you obediently... for present, I will give you... better one."

 

The elves chuckle at his statement, and surprisingly, the children understand him perfectly. Every single one of them runs into a straight line, bursting with excitement. Out of the corner of my eyes, the parents standing at the side start to smile approvingly. Wow.

 

We help him with the handing out of presents and it is truly amazing at how he seems to connect with the children properly and make them listen to him. Even the usually boisterous ones seem to calm down after a word or two from the patient santa. It must be something... something weird? Amazing? Well, just something about him that make children behave that way.

 

As we watch the gleeful children leave with their parents, I realise that my legs are aching. There is a christmas party for the adults later in the evening, but I'm not in the mood for a party. It is quite strange to not look forward to it now, since the party has always been the highlight of the whole christmas celebration for me. 

 

I am abruptly pulled away from my thoughts by a series of taps on my right shoulder. I turn towards the right to face a confused Kyuhyun. 

 

"What do we do now?" he asks in chinese, though his words are slightly muffled by by the beard. I giggle, unable to stop myself from tugging on his beard. He stare wide-eyed at me at my sudden gesture. His eyes... Warmth spreads all over my face once again and I look away, trying to shake off the intense feeling his eyes give me.

 

"Uh, we change out of the costume and clear the mess. You don't need to, though. I mean clean up with us."

 

He stays silent and I run away in embarrassment. I wish the ground would just swallow me whole there and then.

 

 

 

After cleaning up, I stay in the church with my group of friends, who are, predictably, talking about the korean man. Jill found out his name just now, and at the constant mention of his name makes my face burn even worse. Another friend, Karla, half-korean, half chinese, notices me not joining in the engaging conversation and asks me why I am behaving so strangely. Since the main reason of my strange behaviour is the main topic of their gossiping, I keep my mouth firmly shut. With a pressed smile, I reply that I am fine. Even though I am clearly feeling the opposite.

 

He won't be going to the party, I guess. I sigh, feeling depressed. It is the wrong occasion to feel that way, but I just can't shake off the dreadful emotion.

 

A few hours passes, and soon we head to the venue for the party. The church band is already there, doing soundcheck. I leave my friends to help out at the food stall, trying to distract myself from falling into the deep dark abyss of depression on a joyous occasion like this.

 

After about an hour, the venue is almost filled with people. The band has started to belt out christmas tunes with some church singers joining the stage to sing happily. I continue to hangout at the food counter, watching the band perform. Everyone is cheering, clapping, laughing. And me? Sulking at a corner, trying to avoid all forms of contact. Heh, some kind of christmas this is.

 

I let my eyes graze over the crowd and inadvertently, my eyes land on the tall figure with that familiar mop of hair. I gasp audibly, but thank goodness no one notices me.

 

He's here..?!

 

Without thinking, I edge towards a alcove, trying to make myself unnoticed. My eyes follow him as he walks across the room, greeted by many. He greets them back with a smile, but he seems to be intent on finding someone, with the way he scans the place by constantly turning his head sideways. Suddenly he stops, and with a smile , he waves at a group of girls, who are also waving at him eagerly. I squint at the girls, and with a start, I realise who they are.

 

My friends.

 

Jill beams prettily at him and gestures at him to join them. He seems to hesitate for a split second, before walking casually to join them. 

 

I debate with myself, whether to go over and join them. A strange tugging in my chest tells me to go over and join them, but my mind refuses to make my body budge. After all, it may still be awkward.

 

After a while of debating, I decide to leave the party. No one will miss me anyway. So I grab a bunch of snacks and make my way to the exit. 

 

"Carmen!"

 

. Who called me?

 

"Carmen! You're not leaving, right?"

 

I turn around slowly to face a confused Karla. 

 

"We've been wondering where you disappeared to. Come and join us, that cute korean is with us."

 

Before I could utter a single syllable of protest, she clasps my wrist and pull me away from the exit. Slightly furious, and ashamed, I shove one whole spring roll into my mouth and chew on it agitatedly. 

 

 

 

"H-Hi."

 

He looks down at me and smile in acknowledgement. I look away, and shove another snack into my mouth, chewing once again unglamorously.

 

It still feels awkward.

 

But whatever. After tonight, I won't be able to see him again. This... crush will go away. After tonight.

 

"Hey Kyuhyun, don't you like singing?" Jill says suddenly while we are listening to the band. 

 

Surprised, I glance at Kyuhyun, who is widening his eyes at Jill. I had met him earlier than Jill, but I guess it is no surprise that she knows him much more than I do. I try to ignore the sourness rising up from within.

 

"S-Sing?"

 

"Oh really? Kyuhyun, why don't you sing something for us?" Another friend suggests excitedly.

 

"Yeah," we all chorus together, making him smile shyly. It is so cute to see him doing that.

 

"I prepared. Some. Anyway. Ok." He struggles. Karla giggles, before speaking to him in korean. He replies to her, relief evident on his face.

 

"He says ok, he has prepared some english christmas songs for today anyway, so it would be a waste to not sing what he has specially practiced for the church." Karla tells all of us. 

 

We all clap and cheer for him as he bows slightly towards us with a confident smile and walks towards the stage. He waits for the band to finish their current track, before speaking to them. The lead vocalist gladly passed him the microphone and Kyuhyun got up the stage.

 

He seems to be familiar with this kind of thing, judging by the way he walks confidently to the centre and addresses the crowd with almost fluent english. Which he must have no doubt practiced as well.

 

"Good evening friends. It has been a pleasure spending christmas with all you wonderful people. I hope to show my gratitude for welcoming me here to this humble place, and this is how I will do it. Music, please."

 

The crowd cheers for him too, and I can hear Jill sigh, "What a perfect man."

 

I couldn't agree more.

 

 

 

He starts off the song with a refreshing "Joy to the world", making the crowd dance to the upbeat song. We all laugh and dance along. It is amazing how fast he made us get immersed in the music. Not to mention his angelic voice. He could have been a singer instead of doing whatever job he has now.

 

After another upbeat christmas track, he walks over the the lead guitarist and says something to him. The guitarist nods with a smirk and tells something to the rest of the band. Curious, everyone starts whispering among one another.

 

I smile to myself. Looks like it's going to be hard to forget about this crush.

 

 

 

"Before coming here, I promised myself to sing this song to the girl if I have found someone I like in this church. Coincidently, I have. Right now, this girl is somewhere here, in this great party. So please, enjoy."

 

He suddenly looks over at us and winks. My heart stops momentarily. 

 

No it can't be. He can't be winking at me. It can't be.

 

Beside me, Jill and Karla giggle and wave at him.

 

Yes, it must be one of them. They're gorgeous, funny, confident. And me? Pshh.

 

He closes his eyes and wait for his cue to start. The soulful music weaves through us and we all start moving to the slow instrumental.

 

He sings "All I Want for Christmas is You" like a ballad, and I think every female are entranced by his charismatic voice.  I close my eyes, sinking into the smooth music. 

 

 

 

"Thank you," he bows deeply at the audience, making everyone cheer loudly and happily as he passes back the microphone to the lead vocalist with a respectful bow. Somehow there are tears in my eyes, but I don't know why.

 

"Oh my god. That was simply fantastic! You have one new fan right here," Jill chirps, beaming brightly at Kyuhyun as he joins us. He grins at her, but it was quite apparent he didn't really understand her. Karla chuckles, before turning to Kyuhyun to translate Jill's words for him. He then registers the compliment and bows slightly. "Thank you."

 

We all chorus our praises, well, except me. I am still too stunned with his performance to utter a single word.

 

Karla turns to me and nudges me. "Well, Carmen, don't you think his voice is amazing?"

 

"A-Ah? Oh, um, yes, of course," I reply distractedly, looking away from Kyuhyun and Karla's expectant gaze.

 

 

 

The party is winding down, as I move around, bidding farewell to some people as they leave. It is only ten at night, but almost everyone is exhausted. I feel tired too, but I want to stay back and help clean up the area. It has almost been like a habit, and I first started to help when some guys I'm not familiar with offer me a ride home. It isn't that I don't trust them, but I always felt uncomfortable alone in a car with a member of the opposite gender. So I used it as an excuse to turn down the offer, since the clean up would take close to an hour to finish, and they would just get tired of waiting. I usually got home alone with my own car, which not many knew about.

 

I pick up stray pieces of garbage on the floor, and peek occasionally at Kyuhyun and Karla, who are chatting with some remaining people. Jill and the others are gone already, I suppose. It has been a really long day for all of us. 

 

After a while, Karla leaves alone, to my surprise. I had thought she and Kyuhyun would leave together, since they could communicate so well and got along rather well too.

 

Kyuhyun is talking to someone alone, and they seem to be deeply immersed in their conversation. 

 

"Carmen, you've done a lot for today. Go home early, we can take over from here." An older church member says, while waving at me to leave.

 

"But there's still-"

 

The man chuckles and shake his head. "Go home and rest. You look like you are going to collapse any moment soon."

 

I lower my head sheepishly, acknowledging that my eyes feel like they are going to shut anytime. "I guess I'll go home first. Good night and Merry Christmas!"

 

"Merry Christmas to you too!"

 

I wave goodbye, and head towards the carpark sluggishly. I don't think I can manage to wake up for work tomorrow. I feel like I can sleep for days.

 

"Merry Christmas!" someone shouts with an accent, and my ears perk up at the voice.

 

It's his voice. 

 

He's behind me!

 

"Carmen?" He calls out. I keep my gaze away from him, but stop in my footsteps.

 

"You're leaving so late?" he asks in chinese.

 

I glance sideways at him and nod slightly. 

 

"Why?"

 

I sigh. He obviously hasn't seen me cleaning up. I start towards the carpark again. He follows me.

 

"To clean up."

 

"But... why?"

 

I look at him again and purse my lips. I don't know how to answer his question, since my reason for staying is well, kind of lame.

 

"Nothing. How about you? How are you going back to your house...?"

 

"I'm staying at a hotel," he chuckles. 

 

"Oh, right."

 

Talk about more embarrassing moments, ha.

 

"How about you?"

 

"I'm driving back home."

 

"Oh... If I'm not bothering you, can I get a lift from you? If you want to be paid it's fine."

 

I shake my head. "No, no. It's fine. You don't need to pay me. And I think it's quite hard to get a cab now, so..."

 

He beams gratefully at me, sending my foggy mind into a tangled mess of feelings. "Thanks."

 

".... Sure," I reply and walk over to the driver side of my car, while wondering why I so readily agreed to driving him back to his hotel when I didn't like being alone with an unfamiliar guy in a car. Not that he was unfamiliar, but...

 

 

I switch on the GPS device and type in the hotel's name. Honestly, with him being so close, it is really hard to concentrate on the road. But at least my mind seems more alert with him around. 

 

He seems to fiddle with his phone as I drive in silence. The awkwardness is overwhelming, but he doesn't seem to feel the same. Suddenly my phone rings, a sharp ringtone that cuts the silence like a razor-sharp knife, jolting me wide awake. 

 

"Your...phone," Kyuhyun says as if I didn't hear my phone.

 

"Yeah, just leave it. I'll check it later."

 

"I can help you check." He suggests with a slight curve of his lips.

 

".... Ok then."

 

"Password?"

 

I glance over briefly at him to see him squint at the screen. He's serious.

 

"Uh... Nine eight seven six five."

 

He doesn't comment, but continues squinting at the screen. "Uhm... there's a message. Do you want me to read it to you?"

 

"From who?"

 

"I don't know, there're just numbers..."

 

It could be someone I don't know. I have nothing to hide anyway, so I tell him to read the message aloud.

 

"Uh... Car...men. I... think you... look nice today. Sorry if this is... too sudden, but... can I ask you out for... a... date? From someone... in church."

 

Someone? Why not tell me his name?

 

"... Do you want to reply?" He asks in chinese.

 

"Just ignore it."

 

"Why? You're not going to answer his question?"

 

"I can reply him later."

 

"I can help you reply him now."

 

I glance at him suspiciously. "Why must I reply him now?"

 

"Can't you imagine the other party waiting for your reply? Anxious about your reply? He has gathered his courage to ask you out, but you ignore his efforts?"

 

"Ok, ok. Geez. Calm down," I chuckle, shaking my head slightly at his serious expression.

 

"Then ask him who he is."

 

"Ok."

 

Silence ensues once again.

 

Then my phone rings again shortly after.

 

"He says: Meet me later and you will know."

 

Gosh, that mystery guy sounds creepier by the minute.

 

"Tell him that we can meet next week at church."

 

"Mmm."

 

Nothing happened much after that sms, and I drop him off at the hotel. He thanks me and waves goodbye, turning to enter the lobby. Just before I start to drive away, my phone rings. A message.

 

"Great, see you later at the hotel. Smiley face," I read aloud, dumbfounded. "What?! See me later?"

 

I read the previous messages and to my horror, that korean man has replied "Meet me later and you will know." with "Ok, where?" And then the venue was strangely, the hotel I had dropped Kyuhyun at. It's too much of a coincidence that I am at the hotel the person asked me to meet. Something is seriously wrong. 

 

Nevertheless, I park my car at the side of the driveway to the hotel, before entering the hotel cautiously. 

 

 

 

The person asked me to wait for him at the hotel lobby, so I stay at the lobby, feeling slightly safe with the presence of some staff at the lobby. At least nothing funny would happen.

 

After a few minutes, I heard the pattering of running footsteps. I turn towards to the noise to see the korean man.

 

"Kyuhyun?" I whisper, approaching him. Did he forget something on my car? Why is he in such a rush?

 

He is holding something long in his hands, and he is gripping on to it as if his life depended on it. He looks around madly, and when his eyes land on me, he slows down to a brisk pace. 

 

"Kyuhyun?" I repeat, only that this time it was louder.

 

He smiles breathlessly at me, and takes my breath away at the same time.

 

"So, you decided to meet him anyway?" He says, still panting, without faltering in his grin.

 

"Wha- How did you-" I stutter, but he cuts me off by placing his finger on my lips. 

 

"I... Was the one who sent you that message."

 

I blink at him, surprised. Yet I keep quiet because his finger is still on my lips.

 

"I... do think you look nice. Especially in that elf's costume."

 

"And I... think, I like you. A lot." he breathes, looking at me with that intense gaze on me.

 

I couldn't think. Nothing went through my foggy brain, and the world starts to spin slowly....

 

 

 

I barely register that I had fallen until Kyuhyun caught me in his arms. 

 

"Wha...?" I manage to mumble, my mind still at a loss.

 

Did he just confess... to me?

 

"You almost fainted! ... Do you want to rest in my room?" 

 

His room.... Wait what? His hotel room?

 

"Ahh, no! I'm fine. Just... exhausted."

 

He chuckles and helps me straighten up. "I won't do anything to you. But whatever suits you."

 

I blush, hiding my face from his gaze, feeling awkward.

 

"So... Do you like me too?"

 

"Huh?" Did I hear him correctly?

 

"Do I really need to repeat my question?"

 

"... No..."

 

His face falls. "You don't like me?"

 

"No no! I mean... Ugh. Yes! Yes, I like you!"

 

"Really? Are you serious, Carmen?"

 

I cover my reddening face with my hands and nod repeatedly. He laughs and take one of my hand away from my face to place something in my hand. I look at the object in my hand. A stalk of sunflower.

 

"I took it from the hotel room... I know it's really stupid, but I hope you like it. If I had known I would meet the person I like today, I would have prepared more."

 

I giggle and look at the sunflower more carefully. I don't know whether I like sunflowers or not, but I guess I'm going to take a liking to it from now on. And the cheekiness of him "stealing" it from the hotel is so adorable. How can I not like him?

 

"It's wrong to steal, you know." I smile and hand him back the flower. 

 

He pouts. "The hotel won't miss it. Anyway, if you take it, it means you accept me."

 

"Accept you? Who says I accepted you?" I laugh.

 

"You did... Don't go back on your word!"

 

I laugh and bring the flower back towards me to hug it. "But.. how did you know my number?"

 

He scratches his head and smiles, his face turning slightly pink. "I asked your friend. The one who could speak korean."

 

"Oh? Karla?"

 

"Err... Yeah. Anyway, do you want to go out together tomorrow?"

 

"Are you asking me on a date?" I grin at him.

 

He pretends to wonder for a moment, and then he smirks cheekily at me.

 

 

 

"Would you rather I asked you to marry me right now?"

 

 

 

I was right. After that night, the crush went away. But love came to replace it.

 

 

 

THE END.