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Chistmas was nearing.
No-Christmas was practically here.
The holiday season had swallowed the world whole. There were twinkling lights draped over every house, a constant stream of holiday music blasting from speakers in every store, and mistletoe hanging in random places like little green traps. Even if you didn't celebrate Christmas, you couldn't escape the warmth it brought. People seemed happier, cozier, and the air had this undeniable festive magic to it. A couple of snowflakes had even dared to fall the other day-just for a few seconds, but it was enough to remind everyone that winter was truly here.
Christmas was my favorite. The cozy sweaters, the lights, the holiday cheer-whether you bought into the hype or not, you couldn't deny the warmth. It was awesome, plain and simple.
And today was Saturday. Today was mall day.
Jaehyun and I had decided to make a trip to the mall to hunt for gifts for Mom and Dad. I'd spent the whole of November taking on nearly every shift at The Audio Corner, my part-time job. By the end of the month, my paycheck had been satisfying-worth the endless requests for the latest top-40 songs from shoppers who thought the store was a DJ booth.
Now, with bags slung over our arms, I felt a little proud of myself for using that hard-earned cash to get our parents the perfect gifts. Two bags each, one for Mom, one for Dad. Mission mostly accomplished.
Except now came the tricky part: Shopping for each other. Which, you know, is not easy when you're withthe person you're shopping for.
Jaehyun must've sensed my struggle because he looked over at me and said, "You know you don't have to buy me a gift, right?"
I raised an eyebrow at him but kept walking.
"I'm serious, Juli." He continued. "It's about time you spent your well-deserved money on yourself. No more helping with the rent, no more groceries, no more electricity bills or water bills. Anddefinitely no gifts for me. Use it on you."
I scoffed. "I'm buying you a gift whether you like it or not."
He rolled his eyes, trying to stifle a grin. "Fine. If you're going to be thatstubborn, at least make it cheap. A tub of hair gel, maybe. That'll do."
I chuckled at his ridiculousness. Of course, I wasn't getting him hair gel. I already had something in mind-a guitar. His old one had seen better days, strings frayed and the wood practically peeling. Sure, he was all about the office life now, working that 9-to-5 grind, but I knew he still missed playing sometimes. He never said it out loud, but I could see it. A new guitar would remind him of the musician in him that hadn't completely faded away, even if the office work had taken over.
"I already know what I'm getting you," I teased, shooting him a sideways glance with a smirk. "But it's a secret."
Jaehyun gave me a half-smile, clearly amused. "Oh yeah? Keeping secrets now, are we?"
