I don’t want a lot for Christmas
난 크리스마스에 많은 걸 바라지 않아요.
There’s just one thing I need
내가 원하는 건 딱 한 가지죠.
I don’t care about presents underneath the Christmas tree
크리스마스 트리 아래에 있는 선물 따윈 관심없어요.
I just want you for my own more than you could ever know
난 단지 당신이 내 것이었으면 좋겠어요, 당신이 아는 것 이상으로요
Make my wish come true…
내 소원을 이뤄주세요..
All I want for Christmas is you…
내가 크리스마스에 원하는 건 당신 뿐이에요…
—
A letter, written neatly as if reflecting the writer’s heart, was mostly blurred, likely due to some liquid spilling on it.
Drop, drop.
That brand new letter was swollen with liquid seeping everywhere.
Every precious word was erased by something that poured down like rain, making it impossible to discern its original form.
Really, it was a sight that could only be described as sad.
The tragic appearance of that letter vividly revealed what the writer felt in that brief moment of writing, bringing tears to everyone who read it.
Family, friends, everyone.
Even in that messy state, you could feel her essence when she neatly tucked it into her favorite envelope, which she cherished above all else.
She always wanted to use good things for others.
She strived to never be rude or a burden to others, no matter what.
In everything she did, she acted for others.
That was her.
Yes, until her last breath, she was an overly good child who was loved by everyone and loved them back.
—
At the bottom of the letter, where it concludes, there was, miraculously, a single line free from tears and clear enough to read.
No fear of the imminent death.
No resentment toward those who pushed her to this point.
No gratitude, love, or anything for the family and friends who took care of her.
Just a line that delivered despair to the reader.
[I’m really sorry, Yeri. I’m sorry. Please forgive me for being like this.]
A plea for forgiveness to a friend who had hurled insults at her.
Only that one phrase existed.
Yes.
She faced her death without any salvation.
Lonely and desolate, she passed away.
In an empty classroom, all alone.
Fighting against the fear of death.
—
Crack, tap.
The teacher’s lounge, a place that could evoke nostalgia and memories for someone.
As all the students had left, the usual noise of the day faded away, with only the rhythmic tap of computer keys filling the silence.
No, aside from one voice.
“—Yeri, aren’t you going home soon?”
“……..Huh?”
That pleasant noise, which felt like a song, was abruptly interrupted by an uninvited guest.
Bang, the door creaked open as a woman teacher walked in with a worried tone directed at her colleague sorting through papers late.
The one called Yeri flinched slightly at the sound.
Seeing that, the entering teacher let out a small sigh.
“Looks like she’s dealing with a troublesome student,” she muttered softly, approaching Yeri.
It had become her little hobby to worry about her colleagues pressed for time, a pastime no one knew about.
Well, a few in the teacher’s lounge had already noticed.
Just like she guessed, there was indeed a colleague who hadn’t gone home late.
“…..Oh, is it already this late…”
“But tomorrow is Christmas, right? Stop working and get some rest!”
“……….”
“What’s the perk of being a teacher?
The answers vary for everyone, but she thought that punctual hours were the most beautiful rights of all.”
Besides, tomorrow was Christmas—precious time! The notion of going home early to meet her boyfriend, a colleague admired for her charm, puzzled her.
In reality, hearing that tomorrow was Christmas made Yeri’s face turn pale, as if she had just lost all color.
“As if she didn’t know tomorrow was Christmas…”
As if someone had overheard a forbidden secret.
“….Are you unwell?”
“……A-Ah, I’m fine, Se-Hee.”
Was it touching a nerve?
Se-Hee felt so, yet also began to think of the happy night awaiting them all tomorrow as she slowly packed her things and left the lounge.
She assumed nothing would happen.
Thus, the woman called Se-Hee walked towards the parking lot where her car was.
—
“………”
Unbeknownst to her, Yeri stood silently, staring into the empty air behind her.
—
Slowly, Yeri was walking down a snowy street.
On the trees, the stars began to twinkle, indicating Christmas Eve.
It was neither a serene nor a holy night.
Amidst the bright lights of shops and colorful neon signs, weaving through people with vibrant faces filled with hope, she threw herself into a narrow, dark alley where no one else tread.
Taking out a thin cigarette, she couldn’t bring herself to light it, merely leaning her cold back against the frigid wall.
Tap, tap. The useless lighter flickered weakly.
“………”
Phew.
A white puff of breath slowly rose into the sky, gradually fading until it disappeared seconds later.
Yet, Yeri kept indulging in such meaningless actions, watching the smoke dissipate.
That white breath, which she thought would float forever like clouds, easily scattered with the slightest breeze.
Born and vanished.
Created and discarded.
“—Yuna!! Look at this!!”
“Wow!! It’s sparkling so much!!”
“……..”
Soft, innocent voices broke through Yeri’s thoughts as she turned her hazy gaze to the alley’s entrance.
Two young girls were holding hands, gazing at products in front of a bright shop window.
They weren’t her students, but their age fit perfectly.
The girls, with their tiny hands clad in mittens, reached out to the items outside, sharing little conversations.
Their guileless conversation, so close they almost seemed to merge, resembled the purity unique to children.
It reminded her of her younger self, of Yeri—
“…….”
Yeri stared blankly at that scene, entranced.
In silence, where no one would witness, in the darkened alley.
Had they picked something, or did they just want to go into that warm shop?
The girls, blossoming in soft chatter, entered the store while sharing warmth through their gloves.
Through the frosted window, she saw the children ordering something from the jovial shopkeeper.
That sight was so radiant that Yeri averted her gaze slightly.
Minutes later, the girls came out of the shop with smiles, transformed from before.
Just in time, a cold yet refreshing winter breeze blew.
The matching sky-blue and pink scarves fluttered in the wind.
Beautifully.
Before her eyes.
Thud.
“….Haah….haah…”
The unlit cigarette she had in her mouth fell to the ground.
Yeri exhaled harshly, gripping her chest with her right hand.
Wrinkles formed on her neatly ironed white shirt, and the immaculate garment made a strange sound, as if it was screaming.
With her breath hastening and her mouth feeling as cold as ice, Yeri could no longer exhale vapor.
However, even after a few minutes, her breath showed no sign of calming down.
Instead, it escalated, becoming quicker and more erratic.
“…Ha, ha, ha, haah, haah.”
Yeri was sprawled on the cold floor, making her position increasingly difficult to recognize.
Lying on the frigid, snow-covered ground, she trembled, the body becoming numb, lips and eyelids twitching slightly.
It was evidently a serious situation, yet as time went by, rather than seek help, Yeri began to slowly squeeze her own neck with her left hand.
As if to urge death.
Thus, she forced her disobedient hand to move.
Her eyes, now slackened, focused on the distant sight of the two fluttering scarves.
Hahaha.
A breathless chuckle echoed in the empty alley.
—
Make my wish come true…
내 소원을 이뤄주세요..
All I want for Christmas is you…
내가 크리스마스에 원하는 건 당신 뿐이에요…
