episode_0068

Finally… the day has arrived.

Christmas.

A joyful and merry day for everyone.

“Dad, how do I look in this?”

Jiho was dressed up as a Christmas tree, proudly showing off to me.

With a slightly puzzled expression, I simply complimented him and moved on.

Then Jiyeon, dressed as Rudolph alongside Jiho, asked me how they looked together.

Unknowingly, a smile crept onto my face.

As Jiyeon pressed Rudolph’s nose and it started to sparkle, she came closer to me and asked for a kiss.

“What the–”

Damn it, I could die happy today!!!!!!!!

My daughter just kissed my cheek!!! She actually kissed me!!!!!!!

In shock, I held both my cheeks, going into a frenzy for a while.

I could die now! No, this is surely a promotion in life.

Looking at me in my frenzy, Jiwoon gave me a pitiful glance, as if saying, “What’s wrong with you.”

Why can’t I act like this sometimes?

“But why is our daughter being so nice to Dad today..?”

“Everyone needs to be nice! That way Santa Claus will give presents!”

Ah… Jiyeon still believed in Santa’s existence.

“Dad, I asked Santa for a Mimmy construction set. Will Santa really give it to me?”

I assured her that if she behaved well today, she would likely get it.

“Sister, do you still believe in Santa?”

At Jiho’s question, Jiwoon chuckled and asked what he meant.

“Oh, brother, Santa exists. Mom, right?”

“Uh… Yes, of course! Is he in the North Pole now? Drinking cocoa and leaving tonight.”

Upon hearing this, Jiyeon’s eyes sparkled.

“Little sister… that’s a well-intentioned lie…”

Just as Jiho was finishing his sentence, Jiwoon grabbed his head and playfully twisted his neck.

Crack-

Jiho made a silly face and said, “Santa winks in front of me. Life is Illuminati…”

“Oh… Santa does exist. He knows who’s been good or bad.”

I wondered what my son did to deserve this, but for now… the biggest crisis seems to have passed.

So we prepared for the Christmas party again.

Jiwoon laid out chicken and pizza, prepared cola and beer, and put on a movie.

But… he’s really going all out with the preparations.

When Jiwoon and I lived together, Christmas was just a day for drinking soju. I didn’t expect all this fuss.

As we were busy preparing, Jiho started eating chicken with a silly expression.

Well… he’s eating something after twisting his neck earlier.

Thinking this, we ate chicken and pizza for a while.

“Oh… and there’s cake.”

Jiwoon started taking out a cake from the fridge.

On top, there was a Santa climbing into a chimney made of cream.

“It’s a custom-made cake…”

I complimented how delicious it looked and tried to remove the model on top.

But as I lifted my finger, the red coating on Santa’s nose peeled off, and his suit started turning black.

I was momentarily startled, but thought it must be just the coating coming off. It should be fine, I thought.

Jiho, standing nearby, pointed at the cake and said, “Dad, Santa looks like a thief.”

Jiho… pay attention to the situation.

Their innocence is shattered.

Quickly removing Santa and leaving the strawberries on top, we decided to eat the cake together.

We cut it into four pieces.

“Brother, your piece looks bigger.”

Jiyeon, perhaps feeling greedy, said Jiho’s piece looked bigger.

I’m pretty sure I cut it accurately.

“Little sister… It seems almost the same, so why are you like this?”

In response to Jiho’s words, Jiyeon spoke angrily.

“No! Oppa’s cake has a little more cream!”

With just a slight difference in cream, Jiyeon was upset.

Who does she take after, and why is she so greedy!

So they changed the cake again.

“I think Mom’s cake looks tastier after all!”

Saying that, Jiwoon immediately shared her cake with Jiyeon.

This time, as I approached, Jiyeon spoke.

“Dad, give me your cake!”

I’m not going to switch; I’m just saying I’ll be strong.

Momentarily taken aback, I said she could have it because she wanted it.

Thinking this way, I placed the cake in front of my daughter.

“Yay!”

Seeing Jiyeon happy, I just smiled.

This must be good.

Yeah… Today, my daughter gave me a kiss.

In a way, this is also a good thing.

If I think Jiyeon isn’t doing anything wrong, then it’s okay.

And seeing Jiyeon enjoy the cake is truly beautiful.

This is a good deed.

If I cry to Santa and ask for a gift…

Should I give him my cake?

Half crying, Jiwoon told me not to cry, handed over half of his cake, and said my life revolves around my wife.

Eating cake with Jiwoon, he told me it was okay to calm down.

Jiwoon cautiously whispered to me and started asking.

“Honey, did Jiyeon buy a gift?”

I gave a thumbs up and said it’s fine since I bought the perfect gift.

Having thought about it, I decided to tire Jiyeon out while waiting for her to sleep.

“Jiyeon, want to play a game together?”

Playing games to tire Jiyeon out.

Thinking of placing the gift in Jiyeon’s room around 11 p.m.

Jiho came over and said, “Dad, I think one game about Pink Fluffy Star would be enough.”

Ahaha… I didn’t buy the game for him. What should I do now if I say it…

Thinking this, I simply gave him a thumbs up.

Son, I understand my thumbs up means I got it, don’t insist on receiving it.

Next time… I’ll get it for you.

**

After playing with Jiyeon until she seemed tired and went to bed, I thought it was time. I waited a bit and planned to leave the gift in Jiyeon’s room.

“Dad… Is everything okay?”

Jiho approached and asked.

Is your game okay?

Smiling, I asked what he meant by that.

“I’m not sure if Jiyeon prepared a gift. She really wanted it. Rather than my gift, she might have prepared hers first…”

Listening to Jiho, I gazed at him.

Is she taking care of others first?

She must take after me; she’s so kind.

It’s fine even if it’s tomorrow; I should buy that game.

Quietly patting Jiho’s head, I said, “Hurry and sleep, Santa won’t come.”

“Santa won’t…”

Jiho turned back with a frown and went into his room.

Well… Now it’s my turn.

**

Entering the room, I picked up Jiyeon’s gift box.

Just thinking of placing it next to her would be enough, I thought, and opened Jiyeon’s room.

Carefully opening the door and stepping inside.

I saw Jiyeon sleeping like an angel.

Truly sleeping like an angel.

Thinking this, I was about to leave the gift and go, but then…

Thud… Thud…

Damn it.

I accidentally made a noise.

It’s okay; it was a small sound, Jiyeon probably didn’t wake up…

“Dad, what are you doing?”

She woke up…

“Uh… This… Well…”

Embarrassed, unsure of what to say.

I don’t know how to get out of this situation.

After being flustered for a while…

“Oh.. Dad!!! Jieun is trying to steal the present!!!!”

To let me know that it’s not Santa, Jiwon came in and said.

“Wha.. What?”

Looking at Ji-won in bewilderment,

Jiwon’s mouth formed the words ‘I’m sorry, honey.’

Is this… a big problem?

Looking at Jieun, there was no life in her eyes.

Not knowing what to say,

As Jieun moved, she quietly approached me.

“No!! Jieun! Today is Christmas! Santa is taking back the presents…”

Jieun quietly looked at her smartphone and said,

“It’s already midnight. Today is not Christmas.”

Saying that, Jieun showed me the smartphone screen and started approaching me.

“Do you have any last words, Father?”

“……..”

Not knowing what to say to Jieun’s words.

The only thing I can say right now is…

“Tsk… Dad also wanted the Mimi’s Family Conflict Set. Got caught.”

“Ohh…”

Saying that, Jieun began to grab my neck.

Thud—!!!

“Gyaaaaahhhhh!!!!!!!”

She immediately started twisting my neck all at once.

“Jihoo!!!!!!!!!”

Jieun yelled as if worried about me.

After about 30 minutes of having my neck grabbed by Jieun, I finally managed to calm down when I was about to collapse from exhaustion.

The next day, my neck was so sore that I went to the hospital.

At the hospital, I was diagnosed with a dislocated neck.

Should we just skip Santa this year…