Siwoo, holding a small glass filled with strong liquor, leaned against the window and looked outside.
Darkness had fallen.
Soft lighting illuminated the garden, and snow that had been falling since morning was piling up gently on top of it.
Warm light flowed from the fireplace filled with logs, and beneath the enormous tree over 2 meters tall right in front of it, gift boxes were piled high.
The gentle carol flowing from the audio system filled the space where Siwoo was.
As he gulped down the amber liquid in the glass in one go, his esophagus and stomach warmed with the unique taste. How many glasses was this now? Siwoo’s lips drooped downward as he drank the liquor straight, one glass after another, without even adding ice.
“9… 45… minutes.”
Siwoo shook his head slightly to check the clock hanging on the wall that was hard to see, closed his eyes a bit longer than usual, then opened them and slowly read the hands the clock was pointing to.
[Wait just a little longer. The roads are really blocked because of the snow. I love you.]
When he turned on his phone, a message Evan had sent a little while ago appeared. He had said he was going out briefly for something in the afternoon, but he still hadn’t returned.
December 24th, Christmas Eve.
A day where just the name alone made you excited and happy, a day when it felt like something would happen.
Siwoo was left all alone in the large house.
Moreover, today was a white Christmas that you couldn’t easily see.
“I’m bored.”
It would be nice if Rush or Roxy were here, but they were at Evan’s parents’ house. The people who took care of the housework had all left for vacation too.
Setting down the liquor glass on the table and fiddling with his phone while sitting in front of the fireplace, the corners of Siwoo’s mouth turned up slightly. Games were boring and it was early morning in Korea so there was no one appropriate to contact, but something suitable for passing the time came to mind.
Twenty-five years old.
Ocean, in their 6th year since debut, was currently more focused on their individual lives. Although they hadn’t officially disbanded, everyone was steadily doing the work they had chosen.
As expected, Chan was making a name for himself as an actor, and Yechan showed excellence in all fields. Sangjun was firmly establishing himself as a director.
Evan was spending busy time to take over the family business. And he himself…
He had appeared on variety shows and broadcasts, but right now he was just idling around. After saying he would think about it in response to Evan’s intention to respect his opinion whether it was studying or whatever, he had already been idling in England for 3 months.
Always going around the same time, it felt strange that he wasn’t going back even now as twenty-five was ending. Would he stop at this time period now? He had declared he would rest until the end of the year with the excuse that he might regress again, but if the year passed, he had to decide on something.
Anyway, having decided what to do from now on, Siwoo moved busily.
Soon, Siwoo, who had settled in under the beautifully decorated tree, smiled brightly and boldly pressed the button.
“Merry Christmas, Nimo.”
Although his words were drawn out, Siwoo greeted them and sang along to the carol flowing out while watching the rapidly rising numbers. What Siwoo had chosen now was a live broadcast.
Those who rose by live broadcast might fall by live broadcast, but anyway, right now it was incredibly fun that there were Nimo he could communicate with. Along with the tipsy feeling, his depressed mood improved quickly. Although Evan wasn’t by his side, there were Nimo who stayed with him even during this time.
“Wow. The sun hasn’t even risen in Korea right now.”
Watching the Korean text rapidly scrolling up, Siwoo smiled softly with his sleeve covering his lower face. Bringing his face close to the screen, Siwoo’s eyes curved up freshly as he confirmed questions asking if he was in England again and where Evan was.
“Evanie went out during the day earlier, but he hasn’t come back yet. You can see the snow falling outside, right? White Christmas. Is everyone having a good Christmas Eve? Are you receiving lots of presents too?”
Siwoo faithfully answered the Nimo’s questions about the countless boxes piled under the tree and the snow falling beyond the large window.
“Anyway, it’s almost 10 PM here… Ah…! I drank just a teeny tiny bit of alcohol.”
Siwoo turned his body slightly and picked up one of the gift boxes piled behind him and brought it forward.
“There’s nothing to do, so I’ll open the presents here one by one until Evanie comes. The reason there are so many of these is because from December 1st or so, Evanie kept bringing boxes here. Then he said I could only open them after Christmas Eve passed, so I just kept them piled up. Unboxing… it’s opening boxes, so it’s unboxing, right?”
Untying the ribbon and carefully dismantling the wrapping paper, Siwoo took out a dusty pink knit sweater from inside the box. After showing the knit to the screen, he brought another box forward.
“They’re all clothes and accessories.”
Following the knit, an ivory-colored coat came out, and several earrings, bracelets, and rings that Siwoo liked also came out.
Siwoo’s cheeks were flushed as he opened the boxes, and although he occasionally fumbled while opening boxes, he was precariously continuing the live broadcast.
“I’m resting until this year and thinking about what to do from next year.”
Siwoo, who had been concentrating on looking at the screen for a moment and blinking his large eyes, suddenly turned his head at the sound of his familiar phone ringtone.
“Now, I’m not answering Evanie’s call. You should hurry up and come home.”
Confirming it was Evan’s call, Siwoo spoke toward the screen and brought another box. As Siwoo was opening the box, he tilted his head when the chat window, which had been stably scrolling up until now, suddenly started going wild.
Normally he would have paid attention, but Siwoo, who had fallen under the influence of alcohol, didn’t think deeply about it.
[Ocean Evan: Coco… turn off the live right now.]
[Ocean Evan: Kim Siwoo, look at the screen!]
[Ocean Evan: You’ll regret it again tomorrow. Please… then at least stop opening the presents, Siwoo-ya.]
Unlike Siwoo, who didn’t care about the chat window and kept opening boxes one by one to show the contents, the Nimo who were watching the chat window were in an uproar. Who would have thought Evan would suddenly appear in the chat? And right now he was pleading with Siwoo.
When the phone kept ringing, Siwoo, who seemed really annoyed, pressed the power button to turn it off completely, and the only way for the frustrated Evan to communicate his intentions to him was through the chat.
Even though Evan worked hard to stop his rampage, his sincerity didn’t reach Siwoo, who had now completely forgotten about the chat window.
“Ah, it’s hot.”
Everyone watching the live broadcast couldn’t help but be shocked by Siwoo’s sudden action, but soon everyone breathed a sigh of relief when a white short-sleeved t-shirt appeared. Whether it was relief or disappointment, they didn’t know, but anyway, everyone watching this live broadcast could clearly tell that Siwoo was drunk.
[CocoAlwaysFilm: Siwoo-ya, please look at the chat room.]
[EcoPpoEver: Evanie’s silent screaming lololololol]
[EcoDanWishFulfillment: But what’s in that box??????? Huh?????????]
After Evan appeared, the atmosphere in the chat window changed completely, but again, that didn’t reach Siwoo.
“Oh! This is what Chan hyung gave me.”
Picking up a not-so-large box, Siwoo said with a bright smile.
[Ocean Evan: I definitely tried to stop him.]
At the same time as Evan, who had been quiet for a moment, left a comment, the chat window rippled. However, Siwoo’s face as he sang along to the carol and opened the box was filled with only a bright smile.
“What is this…”
Opening the box, Siwoo picked up a rabbit headband that was randomly inside. Why would he give something like this as a gift? Just the various animal headbands fans had given him were already difficult to deal with.
“A rabbit headband as a Christmas present? Did he send the wrong thing?”
Siwoo, who tossed the rabbit headband in his hand backward with a swoosh, this time took out something white and fluffy from inside that box.
“What’s this again? Pass…”
Although it wasn’t properly caught on screen, what was assumed to be a rabbit tail also flew through the air and disappeared behind Siwoo.
“I have lots of eye masks, you know?”
The cute eye mask was also coolly passed over by Siwoo, who finally took out toy handcuffs beautifully decorated with soft pink fabric.
“Is this hyung playing around…”
The pupils of everyone watching the live broadcast trembled uneasily, and the chat window stopped for a moment as they reconsidered whether what they were thinking was correct. Was this why Evan pleaded not to at least open the gift boxes?
Leaving those with various thoughts, Siwoo, still drunk with half his rationality gone, looked at the toy handcuffs, shook his head from side to side, and also threw them backward.
“If you’re going to give a present, you should give a proper one. I’ll have to give Chan hyung an earful later.”
Not knowing that something tremendous was happening, Siwoo brought another box slightly smaller than the previous one.
“This is what Yechan gave me.”
Regardless of the situation, the box also opened wide in Siwoo’s hands as he excitedly continued alone.
“Eh???”
After peeking inside for a moment and letting out a small sound, Siwoo just kept looking inside for a while.
“Kim Siwoo!”
At the point when everyone was curious about what Yechan had sent this time, the Nimo tensed up at Evan’s voice suddenly cutting in. The time had come for the live broadcast they had been enjoying to end.
It shouldn’t have been this late. He had left a bit early taking into account the falling snow, but due to a car accident that happened ahead, Evan was trapped helplessly inside the car.
He had explained the situation to Siwoo and apologized sufficiently, but at the sudden alarm sound announcing the start of the live broadcast, Evan finally understood what it meant to have your hair stand on end.
Fortunately, since the driver was there, Evan, who accessed the live broadcast on his phone, pressed his forehead with one hand.
His cheeks were flushed and seeing him say the same word twice, he must have had a drink alone. But there wouldn’t be soju or beer. Right now the only alcohol at home was liquor, wine, and champagne.
Which meant…
Siwoo had drunk liquor alone, and at his random statement about opening presents, Evan stopped the live and called him.
Seeing his call come in and committing the outrageous act of smiling brightly and even turning off the phone’s power, Chan’s voice seemed to echo in his ears at the sight of Siwoo.
‘Hyung sent something good, so have a hot Christmas Eve.’
On the day Chan and Yechan’s Christmas presents arrived, Chan had called him separately to convey those words.
The moment Siwoo opened Chan’s box among the boxes he was fearlessly tearing open, Evan gave up on everything.
