SNIPPETS
CHRISTMAS BEFORE BEN JOINED KPT UNIVERSITY
Kai, Terrence, and Daniel
Christmas lights warmed the high ceilings of the Villarreal Villa (Kai Villarreal's house), a private residence designed to resemble a hanok-style hotel, blending traditional aesthetics with quiet, understated luxury. Soft lights traced the curved eaves, and inside, the scent of pine and citrus filled the air.
Kai stood atop a step stool, wrestling with a crooked star topper while Mirae circled the tree below him, arranging baubles with meticulous care. Terrence lingered nearby, holding a coil of silver tinsel with the detached patience of someone who had agreed to help purely out of obligation.
"Oppa," Mirae snapped, pouting as she tilted her head, "you're doing it wrong. It's lopsided."
"It's called artistic intention," Kai shot back, nudging the star again and somehow making it worse.
Mirae sighed and shook her head. Just then, her eyes landed on the perfectly arranged lights by Terrence, and her tone softened, "Terrence-oppa, you did a great job."
Terrence snorted. "Of course."
Mrs. Jiyoung Park, known professionally as LARA, observed the scene from the sofa, her hands folded around a cup of tea. There was a quiet authority to her presence, and when she occasionally rose to adjust an ornament or pass a ribbon, her movements were precise, as though even her domestic moments followed choreography.
Suddenly, the front door opened with a decisive click.
"Kai," Mr. Federico Villarreal's voice boomed. "¿Tomaste mi coche nuevo?" (Did you take my new car?)
Kai froze. "I just… quería probarlo." (I wanted to try it.)
Federico's jaw tightened. "¿Sin licencia? ¿Estás loco?" He switched to English, frustration sharpening every word. "You could have had an accident. What would I have said to your mom then?" (Without a license? Are you out of your mind?)
Kai puffed out his cheeks in a dramatic pout. "But nothing happened. Why are you overreacting?"
Federico scoffed. "¿Ves? How irresponsible." His gaze flicked toward Mirae. "You're eighteen, and somehow your twelve-year-old sister is more mature than you." (See?)
Mirae chuckled softly, just enough for Kai to hear. He shot her a glare. She stuck her tongue out at him playfully before turning to the tree with an expression of mock innocence.
"Federico-nim," Mrs. Park said gently as she stepped forward. "Today is Christmas Eve. Aideul-ege jom neomeogajuseyo." ( Please go easy on the kids.)
Federico exhaled and ran a hand through his hair. "Mianhamnida, Lara-nim." (I'm sorry.) He bowed his head slightly. "You're right. This is not how a host should behave."
She waved it off with a small smile. "Gwaenchanayo. I understand a parent's worry." (It's okay.)
Terrence cleared his throat. "Um… eomeonim, where's Daniel hyung?"
Mrs. Park's expression softened. She reached out and patted his head. "Danny should be done with his part-time job by now. He'll be here soon."
As if summoned by her words, the door burst open again.
"Did someone miss me?"
Daniel entered with a grin, arms full of cake boxes and wrapped gifts, cold air trailing in behind him. The room seemed to brighten all at once.
Federico laughed despite himself. "Perfect timing. Everyone, dinner. Let's eat before the tree collapses."
Kai climbed down, muttering under his breath, while Mirae slipped past him with a victorious look.
Ben
The market was alive in the soft, restless way Christmas Eve always brought with it. Strings of lights stretched overhead, glowing warmly against the winter dark, while vendors called out over the hiss of oil and steam. Ben walked beside Mika through the crowd, their shoulders brushing now and then as people passed.
She stopped at a tteokbokki stall, the red sauce bubbling thick and fragrant. While the vendor filled a paper cup, Mika spoke casually,
"My parents want me back in Japan after graduation," she said. "So… we should probably end this."
Ben blinked. "End what?"
She glanced at him sideways, amused. "You know. Us."
"There's still time before graduation," he said, a little too quickly.
Mika laughed, light and warm. When she turned fully toward him, amusement danced in her dark eyes. The dimple that appeared when she smiled made her heart-shaped face look especially cute, and Ben felt his lips curve up in response.
She leaned in with a cheeky tilt of her head. "If you like doing it with me that much, you shouldn't let me go."
Ben rolled his eyes. "That's not it. I was just curious why you're in such a hurry."
Her smile never faded as she accepted the cup of tteokbokki. "Finals are coming. I need to look into universities, entrance requirements, everything." She shrugged. "I don't want distractions."
Ben nodded. He understood what she meant, even if it left a faint tug in his chest. He hadn't exactly loved her, but he had enjoyed their time together more than he cared to admit.
They moved on, weaving through the market. Mika walked a few steps ahead, steam curling around her as she ate. When the crowd thinned and the noise softened, Ben called her.
"Mika."
She turned. Ben pulled a small box from his backpack and held it out.
"What's this?" she asked.
"Yeoreobwa." (Open it.)
Mika unwrapped it carefully. Inside were black jazz shoes, neatly packed. Ben scratched the back of his neck. "Your last pair was ruined."
She stood there for a long moment, staring at them, before her face brightened.
"Gamsahamnida," she said softly. (Thank you.)
She reached into her own bag and handed him a small, neatly wrapped box. "I got you something too. Open it later."
Ben hesitated, but nodded and tucked it away.
They wandered for a while longer, sharing hotteok and laughter, until he walked her back to her dorm. At the entrance, Mika hugged him and pulled back with a grin.
"Be careful," she said. "With a face like yours, you're going to make a lot of people jealous."
Ben scoffed. "Ah~jeongmal." (Seriously)
A brief silence settled between them. Mika leaned in and placed a soft kiss on his lips before smiling. "I really enjoyed my time with you."
"Me too," Ben replied, knowing she meant more than just tonight.
She waved and disappeared inside. Ben watched until she was gone before turning toward home.
Halfway down the street, he remembered her gift. He stopped, pulled it from his bag, and opened the box.
A Polaroid camera stared back at him.
Ben smiled despite himself, the market lights blurring softly as he closed the lid.
SEAN
Sean came home to the sound of hurried footsteps and a familiar voice.
"You're late," Mina, his elder sister, said the moment she saw him. "It's Christmas Eve. How do you even manage that?"
Sean paused in the doorway, shrugged once, and slipped out of his shoes. He didn't answer, as always when she started like this. Mina clicked her tongue but stepped aside to let him pass.
After washing up, Sean sank into the sofa, his shoulders loosening as the quiet of home settled over him. Mina returned from the kitchen and handed him a mug of hot coffee. He accepted it with a small nod, fingers curling around the warmth.
She didn't stop talking.
"I really don't understand you," she went on, pacing the living room. "Your dorm is freezing, your house is right here, and you still stay there all break. And you never bring friends. I'm starting to worry you're getting bullied."
Sean stared into his coffee, only half listening, until Mina set a bowl down on the table in front of him. The rich, familiar aroma of homemade kimchi jjigae filled the room. Sean looked up.
Mina stood there, hands on her hips. She was tall, like him, broad-shouldered and sturdy, her round face bright even when she was tired. She looked strong in a way that had nothing to do with muscle.
She dropped onto the sofa beside him with a huff and leaned back.
Sean's expression shifted slightly. "You okay?" he asked.
Mina waved him off. "I'm fine," but then she turned to him, studying him carefully. "What about you? College going well?"
Sean nodded.
She waited for him to say more, but he remained stubbornly silent.
Mina sighed. "You know," she said more quietly, "ever since that senior of yours moved to Busan, you've barely said a word." She hesitated, then added, "Were you upset she left without saying goodbye? You used to follow her around like a puppy in high school."
Sean didn't answer. Instead, he lifted his mug, took a careful sip, and met her gaze.
"Merry Christmas, noona," he said evenly.
Mina stared at him for a moment before shaking her head, exasperated but fond. "Honestly," she muttered with a smile tugged at her lips.
"Merry Christmas, Seannie."