The government’s approach to handling strange situations still amazes me, and December, the month that concludes the year, has suddenly approached.
At the end of November, the 2nd and 3rd graders were in the midst of preparing for their final exams of the semester.
I’m not sure if my friends and I have gotten used to it, but anyway, the time to part with my classmates and homeroom teacher was gradually drawing closer.
The bright-eyed 1st graders were filled with excitement for the upcoming winter break, regardless of whether the 2nd and 3rd graders were taking their tests.
That said, there was still less than a month left before the school days would end.
Our homeroom teacher also mentioned the exams of the 2nd and 3rd graders, leaving us a near pleading request.
“I know you’re excited about the winter break, but the 2nd and 3rd graders need to study for their exams… Please keep it down and play quietly during break, okay?”
“Yes—”
Along with a prolonged answer, I pulled out my arm cushion and blanket from my bag.
If someone asked if I came to school to sleep, I could confidently shout “OK!” with my supplies.
After several seat changes, I secured my spot at the very back, closest to the back door.
This seat was incredibly uncomfortable in many ways.
If someone came back from outside and didn’t close the door properly, my back felt so chilly.
In the summer, we ourselves feel hot, and since keeping the door closed would avoid complaints from my classmates, we made sure to close it; but in the winter, that thought was nonexistent.
The person coming in from behind would just assume the door would be closed, swinging it wide open…
And just like that, the door would stay ajar, not closing at all.
“Ugh, damn it.”
When that happened, I’d wake up from my nap during break, getting angry inside, and kick the door shut with my foot.
Since it was the back door, I couldn’t lock it.
The cold air brushing against my back was stealing my nap away.
Rubbing my sleepy eyes, I stared blankly at the wall with my cheek resting on the cushion.
There were no tests and almost all the material was covered in the middle school 1st-grade classes.
I felt as if I had already finished preparing for the break, able to kill an hour with what was called study time.
The problem was the first period History class followed by the second period PE class.
Like in summer, winter PE was no less disliked.
Although we didn’t do much during PE, it was a principle to go out for physical activities unless it was snowing or raining.
I went out after putting on my gym clothes, making sure to grab my jacket that was barely hanging on the chair’s backrest.
“It’s really so cold.”
As we rushed out of the classroom, a group of girls complained for no reason.
A group of boys who had just changed in the bathroom heard the complaint, and Seonhyuk, who happened to be part of that group, looked back and said.
“Hey, but girls have it a bit better. We have to change in the bathroom.”
“Really.”
“If you don’t like it, just be born a girl.”
“Indeed, first-class citizens.”
When I joked in response to Seonhyuk’s complaint, he half-jokingly accepted it, calling himself a first-class citizen.
Unlike the boys who went outside to play, the girls just sat quietly.
While the boys excitedly brought a ball from the storage to play soccer, the girls simply sat there, huddled together for about 50 minutes as long as there was enough space.
Regardless of friendships, as long as they were not enemies, it was a typical scene of them gathering together, sharing body heat.
Naturally, since they stayed outside without moving, it was no surprise that they got cold.
In the trembling cold, unified in a ball are their jackets and blankets.
When piled together like a big blanket, it created a colorful pupa on the stairs of the playground.
Seeing that, our PE teacher, who had just come back after giving us free time, sighed while placing his hands on his hips.
“Such a disgrace, such a disgrace…”
“Sir, it’s really cold.”
“You’re cold because you’re not moving, you guys.”
When someone poked their head out from the blanket in response to the teacher’s lament, the reply was a fact derived from a chilly analysis.
Well, it wasn’t wrong.
The atmosphere at school was similar until the break began.
Self-study, self-study, and more self-study along with free PE time.
At this time of year, there were also students preparing for next year’s studies, making it a very important time for the 1st graders who had no tests.
Just as I pondered why we needed to come to school.
On the eagerly awaited day of the winter break ceremony, I was loaded with a pile of winter homework handed out by the teachers in each subject.
The mandatory event that exists at the end of the semester, the disposal of textbooks.
Our homeroom teacher stood at the teacher’s desk, distinguishing between textbooks that should be thrown away and those that shouldn’t, calming the excited students.
“Don’t throw away the PE, art, and home economics textbooks; they’ll be used in the 2nd and 3rd grades.”
“Yes-!!”
The answer was a loud cheer, quite different from the usual lackluster responses.
Of course, excitement over the approaching break would bring forth that kind of energy.
Students piled the textbooks they would throw away atop their desks like towers.
Our homeroom teacher seemed astonished by the loud responses, letting out a short sigh as if recalling the usual lethargic answers.
“Oh my, you only answer like this at times like these.”
“Yes-!”
“Eheh.”
In response to that lament, students responded with an even louder cheer as if to make sure they were heard.
After such a loud uproar, it seemed they found it amusing, and a mischievous laughter rang through the whole classroom.
The teacher also seemed entertained by the laughter, smiling as she continued.
“Make sure to do this with the 2nd grade teachers next year, okay?”
“Yes-!”
“Alright, have a good break everyone! Let’s go home now!”
“Waaaaaah!!”
Our classmates responded enthusiastically to the teacher’s sarcastic remark about making sure to do the same for the 2nd-grade teachers.
Picking up the attendance book, the teacher elegantly sent us off as she exited through the front door.
During the last closing ceremony of the 1st grade, the cheers of some energetic students and the clattering of chairs overlapped chaotically.
Yes, these days, there’s no standing at attention or saluting.
Under the event of the break ceremony, the school day ended just before lunch.
A bit uneventfully, yet not drastically different from usual.
Our 1st-grade life concluded like that.
The first winter break in middle school.
Considering my age, it wasn’t exactly my first, but the longer winter break compared to summer surely offered psychological comfort.
Although the winter break itself lasts until early February, there’s also a spring break right after that…
Once winter vacation ends, we only have minor tasks like class assignments or homework checks.
Right after the vacation, I am reminded that December 25th is approaching.
Christmas, the holy day.
While the world is bathed in Santa and white ambiance, our home doesn’t have those elementary school-esque Santa gift events any longer.
It’s no wonder; Shiyeon has long realized that Santa does not exist.
“Santa Grandmother—! Give me a present!”
“Who’s a grandmother?”
While lazily lounging on the sofa to welcome the break and Christmas, I was watching various contents broadcasted for the 25th.
Shiyeon turned over from her position on the sofa toward me.
Responding loosely to the title of grandmother thrown at her, she swept her long hair back with her palm.
Perhaps just having woken up, her hair felt sticky and tangled.
Once she understood that all the gifts received on the 25th had been given by me, she began to jokingly call me Santa like this every December 25th.
“Should we buy a cake or something?”
“Nah, not really…”
I asked the question while my body was once again used as Shiyeon’s pillow, focusing on the six-hour continuous penguin animation aired to commemorate Christmas.
With an oddly sleepy voice, her response was simply ‘not really.’
Doing nothing felt a bit empty, and nothing seemed appropriate to prepare for Christmas.
Usually, families would have something to do, but we’d be left with doing something akin to couple activities…
In terms of our traditional Christmas, the only thing that came to mind was eating a cake brimming with Christmas vibes.
We hadn’t brought any unnecessary decorations like trees into our home, and anything that would be considered decorations just didn’t match our style.
“What do others do on Christmas…?”
I started to think about Jiun and my classmates from the 1st grade, contemplating everyone around me one by one.
Is Jiun having a couple-like event with Uncle Dae Han?
Or is she posing as Santa and giving gifts to Juwon?
Taehyun mentioned he went to church early for Christmas.
As for Seonhyuk… he’s probably still asleep or playing games.
As for Dongha…
I have no idea; maybe he’s training for a wrestling event led by his dad.
Thinking about it, Christmas really doesn’t offer much to do.
Other unrelated holidays give off that same vibe, yet it seems that Korea celebrates in a rather bland manner compared to the international scale.
“……”
As I began to find it hard to endure, I glanced over at Shiyeon, who was resting on my body.
Her eyes were closed, and she emitted only soft breaths.
It hadn’t been long since she got out of bed, yet here she was using my chest and belly as her new mattress, seemingly having fallen asleep.
‘…Well, this is a gift.’
Seeing Shiyeon in a defenseless sleep, her mouth slightly open, I considered it a Christmas gift to witness her sleeping so peacefully from the front row seat, and I carefully lowered the TV’s volume so as not to disturb her.
