UNKNOWN GUEST

#51 Early Christmas

I held the bat firmly in my hands and showed Cooper how to position himself, "Swing it like this," I instructed, demonstrating the correct posture. "Keep your front elbow high, and make sure the end of the bat is lower than your shoulder." With a smooth motion, I swung the bat, letting it cut through the air with a satisfying whoosh. Cooper watched closely, his eyes wide with concentration. He then mimicked my stance, gripping his mini baseball bat with determination.

He gave it his best shot, swinging the bat with all his might. I nodded in approval, though I could see room for improvement. "The swing is good, but try to keep it steady, alright?" I offered, my tone encouraging. Cooper nodded obediently, his face set in serious concentration. I tossed the ball gently toward him for a demo. He swung the bat, making contact, but the ball only rolled a few feet away.

I smiled, knowing it was all part of the learning process. "Eye contact was perfect. Now, just apply a bit more force, and you'll be hitting it out of the park in no time." Cooper beamed, his confidence growing with each small success.

As we practiced, Uncle Clint and Aunt Laura strolled up to us, their presence adding warmth to the crisp afternoon. Uncle Clint chuckled, his voice filled with pride, "Looks like Cooper Barton is getting his first contract signed next year!" Cooper, delighted by the praise, raised his bat triumphantly, his small face glowing with excitement. In the distance, Lila was chasing a squirrel, her laughter echoing around the farm. The sight was heartwarming—this family, so full of life and joy, was a beacon of light in a world that often felt too dark.

Cooper, having had enough of baseball practice for the moment, dropped the bat and ran toward his mother. I watched them, taking in the scene with a mix of emotions. Aunt Laura smiled down at Cooper as he reached her, ruffling his hair while he giggled. There was so much love in this little corner of the world. Soon, they would have another member joining them, and the thought brought a smile to my face, but it was bittersweet.

As I stood there, I couldn't help but recall the darker times, the memories that haunted me—the image of this very family being crushed under the merciless feet of a red giant. The contrast between then and now was stark, and it was hard to shake the sense of dread that lingered, even in these moments of peace.

Uncle Clint must have noticed the shift in my demeanor because he came up beside me and draped his arm over my shoulder, offering silent support. "You okay, boy?" he asked softly, his voice tinged with concern.

I nodded, though the sigh that escaped my lips betrayed my inner turmoil. "Yeah, just...try not to let too much public light fall on them. I mean, sooner or later, the outside world will find a way in, but...delay it as much as possible, Uncle. The outside world is scary."

He sighed too, clearly sharing my concerns. "It is," he agreed, the weight of the world evident in those two simple words.

Uncle Clint chuckled softly as we both watched Lila and Cooper chase after the squirrel, their laughter filling the air. Cooper, in his enthusiastic pursuit, stumbled and tumbled onto the grass, but he was up on his feet in no time, determined as ever. Aunt Laura, keeping a watchful eye from the side, called out a gentle warning, "Be careful, you two!" But they were too caught up in their game to pay much attention.

Clint sighed contentedly, his gaze following the kids as they darted around. Then he turned to me with a thoughtful look. "What should we do tomorrow? It's Christmas week."

A smile crept onto my face. "Christmas already?" It felt like the year had flown by. "As usual, Dad and Mom aren't here."

He patted me on the back, offering reassurance. "Don't worry. We're here. Come on, let's get a tree."

I returned his smile, feeling a bit of that holiday cheer start to seep in. Together, we headed back toward the house, the prospect of Christmas brightening the evening.

Later that night, after we had finished making dinner—well, more accurately, after I had tried to help a bit while Uncle Clint did most of the hard work—I suddenly remembered something. I pulled out my phone, the date flashing on the screen: December 18th. My heart skipped a beat as I realized there were only four days left until the MAMA Awards.

Curiosity piqued, I quickly checked the voting poll. The moment the results loaded on the screen, I couldn't believe my eyes. My excitement bubbled over, and I let out an involuntary scream of delight. Everyone in the room turned to look at me, confusion written on their faces, but I didn't care.

"It's 24%!" I exclaimed, my voice full of enthusiasm. "EXO got 24% of the votes! They're already in third place on the list!"

I could barely contain my excitement. With four days left, if they could push that number up to at least 43%, they'd be solid favorites to win. The thought of it made my heart race. Dr. Cho would have to eat her words after mocking my prediction. I could almost see the look on her face—probably as stunned as I was right now.

As the others went back to what they were doing, I couldn't wipe the grin off my face. The holiday season was looking brighter by the minute.

Author's POV-

Helen Cho sat at her desk, staring blankly at the laptop screen, the soft glow of the monitor casting shadows across her tired face. It was the middle of the night, the silence in her apartment broken only by the occasional hum of traffic outside. Her thoughts were heavy, tangled with frustration and a growing sense of despair. Losing her title of doctor had felt like the ground had been pulled out from under her. Since then, every attempt to rebuild her career had been met with closed doors and rejection.

No one would hire her, despite her qualifications, despite her spotless record. She had never heard a single complaint from her patients. It didn't make sense. She had always been so confident in her skills, but now she was questioning everything. The only explanation she could cling to was bad luck. How else could she explain the string of rejections that had followed her like a curse?

But then, there was Jason Roberts. He was an odd one, a patient who had come into her life when she was at her lowest. He wasn't like the others—there was something about him that she couldn't quite put her finger on. He had told her, almost casually, that he would help bring her good luck. At the time, she had brushed it off as nonsense, something to make her feel better in the moment.

He had mentioned something about her favorite band, EXO, winning the 'Fans' Favorite' award. Helen had laughed it off. There was no way they could pull off a win like that. At the time, the group had been struggling, stuck at a measly 9% in the polls. It seemed impossible.

But now, as she sat there, staring at the result on her laptop, she was in disbelief. 49%. EXO had won with 49% of the vote. She couldn't believe it. The group she had supported for years had not just climbed out of the pit—they had soared to the top.

Helen blinked, her heart pounding as the reality of it sank in. How had this happened? Was it just a fluke, or was there something more to it? Could this really be the sign of her luck turning around? She didn't know what to think. All she knew was that Jason Roberts, in his quiet, mysterious way, had been right. The boys had done it—they had won. And in that victory, she felt a flicker of hope, a tiny spark that maybe, just maybe, her fortunes were about to change too.

As she closed her laptop and leaned back in her chair, Helen couldn't help but smile. Maybe it wasn't just bad luck after all. Maybe there was still some good left for her.