The massager, taken out of its box after tearing off the wrapping paper, has a slightly curved shape like a showerhead.
After reading the instructions a few times and explaining how to use it, Shiyeon urged me to sit in the living room while holding the massager tightly with both hands.
Following the instructions well, I pressed the button, and the massager started to vibrate loudly.
Dududududu, the vibration resonating throughout my body.
“Is it refreshing?”
“Uh-huh, it’s super refreshing!”
In response to Shiyeon’s question, I enjoyed the vibrations with a contented expression, like an old man.
There surely aren’t any muscles that hardened in a soft child’s body, but still, if I adjust the intensity of the vibration to be as weak as possible, it’s bearable.
The feeling of my head vibrating up and down is oddly fun, and I think it would be nice to just do this when I don’t want to think about anything…
Although it’s my money, Shiyeon, with pure childlike innocence, chose a gift for me.
Wondering if there’s something we could do to match Christmas, I asked, without turning my head, while maintaining a gaze directly ahead.
“Don’t you want anything else, Shiyeon?”
“Hmm… No!”
A bright and firm answer that came after a short moment of contemplation.
It’s a problem that the child is too good-natured and wishes for nothing.
Even if I were to force something into her hands when she doesn’t want anything, it would be an unwanted gift.
In the end, the thought that emerged from turning my head away from the toy-like object was simply food.
Still feeling the vibrations buzzing in my body, I turned my head back and asked.
“Then shall we go buy a Christmas cake?”
“Cake!”
Her eyes sparkled like snowflakes when she was asked if she wanted anything.
A cake that normally wouldn’t be bought unless it was someone’s birthday.
Let alone celebrating with cake on Christmas, which I usually just see as a holiday.
It’s something that never happened in my previous life, but since she reacted this way, I couldn’t refuse.
I felt a sense of pride and wanted to do something for her.
I also decided to think about the two mascots lying around in the room and gave a signal by nudging a cushion with my foot to hurry up and follow.
“If you guys want something to eat, come out quickly.”
“Really?”
“Are you buying it for us?”
“It’s Christmas, so I’m feeling generous.”
“Yay!”
As soon as the words of permission left my mouth, they quickly slipped into the pockets of their coats with short cheers.
I took out the thick coat hanging on the rack and helped Shiyeon put on her coat as well.
Turning off the house lights, we headed straight for the franchise bakery.
The prices are horrendously expensive, but there are no other bakeries around selling proper cakes, so we have no choice.
I’ve heard there’s still a place selling three bags of bread for 3,000 won somewhere, but…
It definitely isn’t around my house.
Anyway, as for franchises, there’s a bakery a couple of blocks away.
Upon entering the bakery, I looked at the familiar logo sign.
Near the checkout, there were cakes displayed in a fridge and a showcase from which white steam was wafting.
There were also plastic-wrapped breads that looked like they came from a factory, and some breads placed without any packaging in the center.
All around, it was nothing but breads.
Of course, if I looked around, I would find cookies, ice cream, and jams spread to put on breads.
For now, ordering the cake can wait until last.
Let’s pick out what the mascots want first and then handle the cake at the counter at the end.
“Japchae croquette, spicy chicken croquette, moist cheese bread, condensed milk cream sandwich, garlic baguette…”
“Chestnut bread, corn bread, brown rice bread…”
With the mascots held tightly in my pocket, I moved forward, seeing with my eyes and reciting the names of the breads alongside Shiyeon.
The reason we were suddenly reciting the names of the breads like this…
“Egg tart…”
As soon as the words ‘egg tart’ rang out, the gomtaengi in my pocket nudged my hand.
In response to that signal, I picked one egg tart from a small bag.
This is how we buy something for the mascots.
Since they can’t come out of the pocket and say, “Please buy this,” I made a bit of an effort to provide them with some welfare.
I still find it to be quite useful.
“Did you choose, Shiyeon?”
“Yeah!”
The gomtaengi chose the egg tart while Shiyeon’s mascot picked the soft cheese bread.
Both breads were soft kinds that reminded one of taking a sip of milk.
Anyway, having taken care of the snacks for the two mascots, it was time to head to the checkout to choose the cake.
A variety of cakes filling the display, fitting for the Christmas season.
Having already eaten chocolate cake last time, I wanted to avoid a second chocolate cake…
But the decision was entirely Shiyeon’s, so I asked, passing all the decision-making power to her.
“What kind of cake do you want?”
“Hmm…”
Her contemplative sound lingered for much longer than her thoughts about items she wants.
Rudolph-shaped cake, a white cake decorated with Santa riding a sleigh.
There were also tree-shaped cakes and various other cakes themed around Christmas.
It must be difficult to choose just one cake from these flashy options.
“What cake would you like?”
“This one! Sweet potato cake!”
When asked by the staff while Shiyeon was deep in thought, her bright answer finally emerged.
‘Was there a sweet potato cake?’
That was when I finally noticed the cake covered in a light yellow powder.
Amidst the Christmas cakes that seemed to consist only of white cream cakes and black chocolate cakes, it stood out with its unique yellow color.
Since Shiyeon loves sweet potatoes so much, it seems that was her straightforward choice.
In general, it has a clean sweetness that parents who dislike overly sweet things would like.
Anyway, since she chose it because she likes it, let’s go with that.
The staff skillfully packed the cake into a special box.
“That’ll be 35,000 won in total.”
I pulled out my card from my wallet and placed it at the checkout to complete the transaction.
After handing Shiyeon the relatively light cheese bread and egg tart, I picked up the cake.
Although Shiyeon’s hand was shaking, clutching on to mine, the other hand holding the cake remained steady and calm.
We returned home with the cake, placing it immediately on the low desk that also serves as our dining table.
The egg tart and cheese bread pulled out from the coat were also placed on the table, and since this was not a birthday cake, there’s no need for any celebrations, so we started tasting it right away.
‘Sweet potato cake…’
Looking at the cake, which is familiar to me, I lifted the plastic bread knife.
I pushed it into the center of the cake, and with a slight movement of my wrist, I cut off a piece.
The golden cake flour that was covering the cake scattered around, spilling messily into the dish that the cake was resting on.
It wasn’t a particularly large cake, so with the mascots included, it was a quantity that could easily be eaten within a day.
This smaller cake, the size of three combined children’s palms, costing 25,000 won—is the world ending?
Anyway, as I cautiously inserted the knife under the cut piece of cake and moved it to the plate, I offered it to Shiyeon.
One piece, another piece, and yet another piece.
So, after plating four pieces, half of the cake that had been cut into eight pieces had already disappeared.
With skilled hands, the small table was soon filled with plates.
I clapped twice briefly, awkwardly indicating the beginning of our cake tasting.
“Alright, let’s eat!”
“Thank you for the meal!”
The cake, which was easily cut with a plastic knife, naturally had no problem being cut with a metal fork.
Ignoring the crumbs of sponge cake falling, I took a mouthful of the yellow cake.
While there wasn’t an overdose of bread in the proportion, the sliding cream and the sweet potato mousse on the edge mixed quite nicely in my mouth.
It wasn’t excessively sweet like chocolate nor was it overloaded with cream like a cream cake—it had a pleasant, moderate sweetness.
I was satisfied, but what about Shiyeon?
I raised my head to check…
“Delicious!”
Without even being asked, Shiyeon smiled in satisfaction as soon as our eyes met, happily forked for more.
Yeah, if you think it’s delicious, then that’s what matters…
Warily, a big smile crept onto my face, and just by watching her actions and expressions, I didn’t need to ask, but I did so anyway.
“Is it delicious?”
“Yeah! It really tastes like sweet potato!”
Even the mascots, who usually wouldn’t share a meal, gathered around the same table to enjoy the sweet potato cake.
Nevertheless, two pieces were left, and the cake was packed back into the box, heading straight for the refrigerator.
The leftovers could be enjoyed as a snack after a meal tomorrow or the day after.
Having filled up on cake, on the afternoon of the 25th when I wanted to do nothing,
I yawned briefly and pulled back the curtains, revealing snowflakes that hadn’t fallen until we went to the bakery and were now softly covering the world.
“It’s snowing.”
“Snow?!”
As I called out to the rare sight of a white Christmas, Shiyeon jumped up from the floor where she had been sitting, flustered.
To me, whose innocence had long vanished, the sight of the snow falling from the sky looked like nothing more than pure waste, but to Shiyeon, it still seemed like a fun thing to play with.
