At that moment, back on Earth.
The instant the message was sent, a short alarm sound rang from Shiyeon’s smartphone, one that could probably be heard by Mary.
It seemed she hadn’t turned off the message notification.
Ignoring the sound as best as she could, Mary, wearing Santa’s mask, did not stop her fingers on the top bunk of the bed.
“Mary!”
A startled voice of Shiyeon came from the bottom bunk.
‘No, how can you say that?’
Startled herself, she quickly moved her fingers, thinking, ‘You shouldn’t come to say that.’
[Don’t tell anyone around you, but just let me know what you want for Christmas.]
As soon as she sent the message, the message notification rang from Shiyeon’s smartphone once again.
After holding her breath until Shiyeon checked the message, she casually opened her mouth after a while.
“Why?”
“…It’s nothing!”
The question of why was met with a response of nothing, and I let out a sigh of relief inwardly.
Fortunately, it seemed Shiyeon was hiding the fact that she received a message from Santa.
On this side, with various sound effects muted, Shiyeon’s message chimed in briefly.
[Santa grandfather knows, right?]
‘The spelling…’
Aside from the uncomfortable spelling, I decided to later ask her to write it down and tapped on my smartphone to reply.
To children, Santa Claus is a divine being that knows everything.
They think it’s abnormal for Santa not to know about the one gift they want.
It’s not a mistake by the omnipotent Santa; they turn the excuse to something else.
[The fairies accidentally forgot about Shiyeon’s gift.]
[So, can you tell me what gift you wanted?]
With each message sent, the number 1 next to the message disappeared. It meant she was paying attention.
Continuing to send messages, I tried to maneuver for a response.
No matter how much she wanted to keep it a secret from me, she wouldn’t keep it a secret from Santa.
What kind of gift could she want so badly that she kept it a secret even from me?
Feeling a bit hurt by that fact, I lay on the bed, waiting for the letters to fill the empty message window while shaking my legs up and down.
As the fluffed-up blanket shook along with my legs, the sound of air bursting rang in my ears.
Finally, a small message filled the screen.
[I want a massager.]
‘What kind of massager?’
I thought it would be something like a doll or clothes, toys, or a game console that she wouldn’t bother to ask for.
But the reply was a gift quite far removed from children’s expectations.
What’s hurting?
There’s no way a superior and physically vigorous little body needs a massager unless it’s in pain.
In any case, I need to place an order for shipping well before Christmas to give the gift.
I immediately searched for massagers online.
If it’s a massager that can be used by a small body, then for adults, it would be held with one hand.
For kids, it’s a massager that could be held even with both hands.
After ordering the delivery to the guard office, I moved back to the messenger app.
[I understand. Don’t tell anyone that you talked to Santa, okay?]
[Yes!]
Shortly thereafter, the account I had prepared to disguise as Santa was deleted.
That night, it exited the chatroom from Shiyeon’s smartphone while she was sleeping, completing a flawless plan with no room for error.
While the innocence lasts, will I have to prepare such excuses for Santa every year?
‘I’m not confident.’
I have a magical girl, but why isn’t there a Santa Claus?
If only there was a real Santa, and I could just wake up to find gifts at my bedside without having to worry about all this.
With that slight regret bottled inside, I already thought of an excuse Santa would give the next year.
An elementary school just before winter vacation is ordinarily busy.
Writing down the vacation plans, which would not be the same as the summer vacation, and one more.
The process of sending off one grade and preparing for the next grade.
“Now, don’t push, slowly to the playground—”
At the announcement from Teacher Seol-ah, there was the sound of chairs squeaking as they were pushed.
Our class lined up with textbooks clutched in our arms, heading out to the playground.
Textbooks planned to be used only during the first grade.
A truck to collect used books was parked dead center in the playground, and one class at a time tossed in the books they had shared for a year.
The Korean textbook with its cover transformed into “Starve.”
The math textbook that was effectively used as a diary.
The moral textbook corrected into “Thief.”
Meanwhile, there were textbooks with covers written so neatly that they looked practically new.
Without distinction, all of them were thrown into a pile that was already stacked high.
I could care less if they would be recycled or burned.
“You all have to do well in second grade, okay?”
“Yes!”
The bright responses from the class didn’t seem to have any worries or concerns.
Returning home with a light heart as if it were an empty backpack.
Thus, my second experience of being in first grade elementary school came to an end.
If I return to school again, the life in second grade will start.
Thinking about the upcoming increase in class hours, I really hate it.
Ah, but if you ask if there are no good points at all, that’s not true.
If there’s just one good point…
“Waaaaah!”
Finally escaping that annoying brat who had obsessively made fun of others.
With a loud scream as he escaped from school, I raised my middle finger towards him and walked slowly to the school gate, waiting for Shiyeon.
Since our classes were quite far apart, Shiyeon came out a bit late due to the time difference from throwing all the books away.
“Did you talk a lot with your friends?”
“Yep!”
In response to a question that parents would ask, Shiyeon vigorously nodded her head.
In fact, this winter vacation, even though it’s called a vacation, isn’t very long.
The period they were forced to take off due to the pandemic intruded on the vacation territory.
A short vacation of less than a month; perhaps because of that, there’s even less homework than during the summer.
It may not be as thick as the empty books, but several sheets of notices asking for money for the new academic year were already piled up inside her bag.
In a capitalist world, there are only expenses just for breathing.
Dressed in thick clothes and wearing mittens on hand to hold while going outside.
Shiyeon seemed oddly excited.
It could be because of the approaching Christmas, but no matter how I think about it, I have no idea why she needed a massager.
Regardless of my will, Shiyeon waved our linked arms like a Viking ride.
Thus, the last walk home from first grade, which will never come again, ended.
The feelings that the sentimental sentence brought were…
I feel like my arms will fall off.
“Shiyeon, are you not sleeping?”
In the end, I still don’t know why Shiyeon needs a massager, and December 24th arrived.
The massager I received from the guard office was awkwardly wrapped with green and red ribbons, and I waited for Shiyeon to fall asleep.
“I’ll wait for Santa Grandpa!”
However, Shiyeon firmly expressed her intention with a resolute tone, thinking he would come at the moment the clock struck twelve, so she was wide awake even late at night.
Unfortunately, you won’t come while you’re awake.
“Then I’ll sleep first.”
To help Shiyeon hurry to sleep, I turned off every light in the house and went upstairs to the top bunk first.
No matter how much kids try to resist sleep, if the lights are off and they’re under the blanket, they can’t possibly hold out.
I turned off all the lights and climbed onto the top bunk, lying down on the soft bed and fiddling with my smartphone to fight sleep.
The clock ticked past midnight, then 1 AM, 2 AM, creeping closer to 3 AM.
Peeking over the railing to check downstairs, I found that Shiyeon had finally dozed off after struggling.
I quietly made my way down the stairs without making a sound.
In the corners, beneath the computer desk.
Carefully stretching out my arms, I retrieved the wrapped gift.
Though adults say it’s a massager meant to be held with one hand, even for a small body, it’s somewhat heavy.
Setting it down gently, bending my waist and knees to be cautious, I placed it near the bottom bunk without making a sound.
After placing it, I stealthily returned to the top bunk.
Once I could sleep peacefully and wake up to check Shiyeon’s reaction, I could consider this year’s task almost complete.
The small light on my smartphone turned off too on the top bunk, and I gradually closed my eyes.
Since I hadn’t slept until 3 AM, I fell into a deep sleep.
“Mary! Mary!”
“Ugh, what…?”
“Santa grandfather’s gift has come! What did Mary get?!”
“U-uh?”
I groggily groaned in confusion as I was startled awake by Shiyeon’s question.
My gift?
Only after hearing Shiyeon’s words did I realize that I had forgotten to ask about mine while focusing on her gift.
Since it was bought with my own money, I never thought about the idea of receiving a gift.
“I completely forgot to ask…”
“Ugh! What should I do?”
“It’s okay. What did Shiyeon ask for?”
Ignoring Shiyeon’s panic over me, I playfully asked what she wanted to have, knowing full well.
When the wrapping paper was torn, of course, the massager came out.
Finally, I thought I’d hear her reason for wanting a massager, so I was ready to listen.
“Here!”
Suddenly, Shiyeon shoved her Christmas present towards me.
Eyes wide in surprise at the unexpected situation, I blinked between Shiyeon and the massager.
“Hmm?”
“It’s yours. You’re always asking me to massage your shoulders.”
An overwhelming surge of emotion filled me, as if water was suddenly welling up inside.
The unexpected touch of warmth struck me in that moment.
