I was amazed by the government’s usual efficiency in strange ways, and the end of the year in December was fast approaching.
By the end of November, the second and third graders were busy preparing for their second semester final exams.
I don’t know if this was communicated, but anyway, the time to part with my classmates and homeroom teacher was gradually nearing.
The bright first graders, whether the second and third graders were taking exams or not, were filled with excitement for the upcoming winter break.
That being said, there was still less than a month left to come to school.
The homeroom teacher also mentioned the upcoming exams for the second and third graders, making a plea that sounded like a request.
“I know you’re excited about winter break approaching, but the second and third graders need to study for their exams… So please, let’s play quietly during break, okay?”
“Yes-”
With a long-winded reply, I pulled out a pillow and blanket from my bag.
If someone asked if I came to school to sleep, I’d boldly shout “Ok.”
After many seat changes, I finally settled in the back row closest to the back door for the end of the semester.
This spot was uncomfortable in many ways.
If someone came back from outside and didn’t close the door properly, my back would feel so cold.
In summer, they’d close the door without fail since they were hot too, but in winter, that didn’t apply.
The one following in would just leave the door wide open, thinking someone else would close it…
And that door just dangled there, wide open and not closing.
“Ugh, damn.”
This made me wake up during break and blow off steam internally as I stood up and kicked the door shut.
Since it was the back door, I couldn’t lock it either.
The chilly air brushing my back and the sleepiness that fled away.
Drowsy-eyed, I stared blankly at the wall with my cheek resting on the pillow.
Classes for first-year middle school students, which had no exams and had progressed almost entirely through the syllabus.
It felt like I was all set for the break, and I could waste an hour in ‘study’ which was a form of resting.
The problem came after the first period History class, followed by the second period Physical Education.
Just like in summer, I disliked winter PE too.
Though we don’t really do anything outside, the principle is to go out and engage in physical activities unless it’s snowing or raining.
I put on my PE uniform but made sure to grab my padding, precariously hanging on the chair back, before heading outside.
“It’s really too cold.”
As a group of girls rushed out of the classroom, I muttered my complaints.
A group of boys changing in the restroom ahead heard my complaint, and Sunhyuk, who was mixing in with them, casually looked back and said.
“Hey, but at least it’s better for girls; we have to change in the restroom.”
“Real.”
“If you care so much, just be born a girl.”
“Truly the first-class citizen.”
Returning Sunhyuk’s complaint with a ‘if you care so much, fold’ level joke, he half-jokingly fired back with the label of ‘first-class citizen.’
After going outside, unlike the boys bouncing around, the girls sat quietly.
While the boys enjoyed themselves by bringing out a ball from the storehouse to play soccer, the girls would sit for about 50 minutes if they had enough space.
Regardless of whether they were close or not, if it wasn’t someone they hated, the sight of them huddling together to share warmth.
It was only natural that it got cold when they hardly moved outside.
Huddled together to ward off the chilling cold, they gathered jackets and blankets.
They piled the collected blankets and jackets into one big fluffy mess at the stairs of the playground, creating a colorful cocoon.
Seeing that ridiculous sight, the PE teacher who briefly entered the building to give instructions on autonomous PE let out a sigh.
“Such a foolish sight, such a foolish sight…”
“Teacher, it’s really cold.”
“It’s because you’re not moving, you guys.”
When someone poked their head out from the blanket in response to the teacher’s lament, the return answer was a cold fact derived from rational analysis.
Well, it wasn’t an incorrect statement.
Until the vacation starts, the school atmosphere remained similar.
Self-study, self-study, and more self-study along with autonomous PE.
At this time, some students were also preparing to study for next year, making it an important time for first graders without exams.
About the time I began to question, “Why do we have to come to school?”
On the much-anticipated day of the winter break ceremony, I ended up carrying a pile of homework assigned by various teachers.
An essential event that always occurs at the end of the semester, discarding textbooks.
The homeroom teacher stood in front of the podium, distinguishing which textbooks to discard from those not to be thrown away, calming down the excited students.
“Don’t throw away PE, Art, and Technology Home Economics textbooks; they’ll be used in second and third grades-”
“Yes-!!”
A far more vigorous cheer than the usual tired answers.
Of course, since the vacation was just around the corner, there might be an overflow of energy.
Students piled the textbooks to be discarded on their desks like a tower.
With that loud cheer, the homeroom teacher, seeming dumbfounded, recounted her usual tired responses with a short sigh.
“Ugh, only answer like this on days like today.”
“Yes-!”
“Uh-huh-huh.”
In response to the teacher’s lament, the students answered with even louder cheers as if to give her feedback.
After shouting such loud cheers, they all shared a mischievous laugh as if they found it amusing.
In that laughter-filled classroom, the teacher seemed amused too, chuckling as she spoke.
“Make sure to do this with your second-year teachers next year, okay?”
“Yes-!”
“Alright, everyone enjoy your break! Now, let’s go home!”
“Waaahhhh!!”
The teacher’s sarcasm about reminding the second-year teachers was met with another boisterous reply from our classmates.
As the teacher picked up the attendance book and cheerfully sent the students off, her footfalls heading towards the front door became a signal for standing attention and saluting.
In the last homeroom of the first years, welcoming the start of vacation, the sounds of enthusiastic students and clattering chairs overlapped chaotically.
Right, nowadays there’s no standing at attention and saluting.
Under the event of a vacation ceremony, school ended before lunch.
Somewhat boring, but just as any other day.
Our first-year life ended just like that.
It was the first winter break I’d ever experienced in middle school.
Considering my age, it wasn’t anything new, but it was natural that a much longer winter break compared to summer gave me psychological comfort.
The winter break itself is said to last until early February, but there’s almost immediately another spring break after that…
And right after winter break ends, there are simple things like class assignments and vacation homework checks.
After the vacation, December 25th was steadily approaching.
Christmas, the day of birth.
The world was filled with Santa and the white atmosphere, but our family didn’t do anything like gifts from Santa, just like when I was in elementary school.
The truth is, Siyeon realized a long time ago that Santa wasn’t real.
“Santa Grandma-! Give me a present!”
“Who calls me Grandma?”
Lazily sprawled on the sofa, welcoming the break and Christmas, I was watching various content on TV for Christmas Day.
At that moment, Siyeon turned over from the sofa toward me.
While I loosely rebutted the title Grandma that was casually attached to me, I swept her long hair with my palm.
Maybe because she had just woken up, her hair was all messy and stuck together.
Having realized that she was the one giving all the gifts received on the 25th, Siyeon began playfully sticking to me, calling me Santa like this every December 25th.
“Shall I buy a cake or something?”
“Uhhh, not really….”
With a focus on the penguin animation being aired for six hours straight for Christmas, I asked Siyeon, who was using me as her bed, this question.
In a voice that looked somewhat sleepy, she merely returned my question with a lackluster reply.
It felt lacking to do nothing, yet I couldn’t think of anything suitable to prepare for Christmas.
Usually, families don’t quite find the right things to do, and if they do, it’s more like they do stuff with their loved ones…
For Christmas, the only thing that typically comes to mind was eating a festive cake that was full of Christmas vibes.
We didn’t even bother bringing ridiculous things like Christmas trees into the house, and decorating was not our style either.
‘What do other people do for Christmas…’
Thinking about that, I considered my older sister Ji-eun and the classmates from the first grade one by one.
Was Ji-eun having couple-like events with Uncle Dae-han?
Or maybe she was pretending to be Santa, giving gifts to Juwon?
I heard Taehyun got up early to go to church for Christmas.
As for Sunhyuk, well, he’s either still sleeping or gaming, I guess.
Dongha, I wonder…
I don’t know, maybe he’s being dragged by his dad for some wrestling training or something.
Looking back at this holiday, there’s really nothing to do for Christmas.
Like other random holidays, it feels like Korea enjoys it in a much duller way compared to its worldwide scale, if I had to say.
“…”
As I steadily felt the pressure weighing down on me, I glanced towards Siyeon, who was covering me with her body.
With her eyes closed, she emitted faintly colored breaths.
How long had it been since she got off the bed, now she had already fallen asleep, using my chest and abdomen as her bed.
‘…Well, this is my gift.’
With the sight of Siyeon sleeping with her mouth agape and utterly defenseless, I thought of it as a Christmas present to be able to see it from the front row, and I lowered the TV volume, being careful not to raise my stomach too high while breathing.
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