SWAK

Dear Secret Santa,

I'm writing to you not because I believe you can do something about my situation, not at all. But because, after a long long time, I'm finally willing to let another soul in on my secret. I have a stupid crush on someone. Maybe not stupid, or maybe it's not a crush at all... Maybe I am a little bit sort of in love with that someone.

It's not that I can help it. Most people like me, especially here in school, also like that kind of person. Who wouldn't, anyway? But, there's one problem. That person doesn't probably know I exist. No. We hadn't had any kind of interaction. None. Zero. So I don't think I have any hope of even talking with this person I kinda sorta love.

This is getting awkward. So, I'm going to end this letter and make myself believe none of this ever happened: Me bumping on a Christmas pamphlet about you, Secret Santa, and me, obviously desperate enough to be encouraged to write to you. No offense. I can be anyone... but the person I like, I bet you know that person. Everyone does anyway.

Oh yeah, my wish. Since this letter would just be discarded without the wish. Well... my wish is for you to make something happen that would lead to an encounter with the person I love. I am a very very shy person, so you would have to be clever. I don't doubt your abilities, Secret Santa. I've heard of what you've done.

So, TTFN.

"Interesting," Secret Santa thought as he placed the letter down. He couldn't keep the grin off his face with the plan he was concocting in his head. Evil plan, but still a plan. This Holiday season is going to be interesting.

...

"YOU WROTE TO SECRET SANTA!" Jan Di screamed, disbelievingly, and obnoxiously that people in the room looked at them. Ga Eul hissed a "SShhh" at her. "I can't believe you would do such a thing!" Jan Di continued in a hushed whisper. "Not you, the mighty Chu Ga Eul who wouldn't even tell me the guy she likes!"

"In perfect time, Jan Di," Ga Eul said in between her teeth, grateful that the teacher hasn't come in the room yet. "I'll tell you when it's all over."

Jan Di crossed her arms. "I hate you," she said, not meaning it. "I can't believe you'd rather tell a nonexistent being who you like, rather than me, your best friend in the entire world!"

"I didn't tell him who I like!" Ga Eul countered. "Besides, Secret Santa might be able to do something about the situation. And unlike the Santa Claus we've been raised up to believe we have to be good girls, Secret Santa exists," Ga Eul said, to convince herself mostly.

Jan Di huffed but didn't say anything to argue. It's been three years since the rumored Secret Santa's been around the school. No one knew his real identity, but he's been granting wishes and dreams that are possible through human means. You'd write to him and tape your letter on your locker in a sealed envelope, first thing in the morning. The next time you went to your locker, it would be replaced by a note with the words "See your dreams come true, love Secret Santa."

Of course, some random person could just pretend to be Secret Santa and take the letters for his own amusement. But for some reason, all the people who tried doing that (there were three of them recorded in the past) were tracked down by Secret Santa and of course, got humiliated in public for lack of respect of privacy, and Secret Santa also sent them quote unquote presents. No one knew what presents those pranksters got, but they never did it again, and no one dared, either. Which worked best for those people desperate enough to need Secret Santa. Like Ga Eul was.

"Good morning class," said their teacher, wrapped in layers and layers of clothing. He still seemed to be shivering. "Since it's almost Christmas break, and a start of a new season next year, you'll be having new lab partners!" he announced merrily like it was the best Christmas present he could give his class.

There were mixed murmurs. A lot were already happy with their current pairings, some wanted to have a chance with other smarter people. Others just don't care.

"But before the mix and match," their teacher said, "we'll be having a class experiment."

Ga Eul subconsciously looked behind her, three seats back was him, where he was seated. He was there listening intently to the teacher, not bothering to pay attention to the girl who just stared at him for what felt like eternity. Actually it was only for half a second.

"... blood!" the teacher was saying.

Ga Eul wasn't pleased with whatever he said. She wasn't squeamish when it came to blood but some of the people in her class are.

"Just three drops for the sample would be enough," he said. Ah, a microscopy experiment, Ga Eul thought. They would be viewing the sample under a compound microscope. Blood samples. "Who'd like to volunteer?"

"Sir!" someone called from the back, by way of volunteering.

The teacher looked surprised. "Anyone else?" he asked, a bit unsure. "No? Ok, Yi Jeong-sshi, get the needle here."

Yi Jeong... Ga Eul's mind went blank. So Yi Jeong volunteered to get his blood sampled? No wonder the teacher asked for any other volunteers. It was surprising indeed.

Yi Jeong didn't even cast a glance at her when he passed by her table, not that she saw. She looked down at her hands, holding a neatly folded paper, Secret Santa's answer to her plea.

"Everyone, please gather around the microscope," the teacher said, pointing a gloved hand to the microscope on top of the table in front of the class. The whole class uneasily stood up from their seats and went to where the teacher and Yi Jeong were. Ga Eul made sure she was as far away from the front as possible, so she stayed near the sink, which had a good view of what's going on, and didn't really made it to So Yi Jeong's field of vision.

Ga Eul saw Yi Jeong poke his pointer finger with the needle, and laid it in just a few centimeters on top of the glass slide. He impatiently pressed his finger so that drops of his blood dripped messily to the slide.

The teacher cleared his throat. "That would be alright, Yi Jeong-sshi," he said and gingerly picked up the slide. "Go wash your hand at the sink."

Ga Eul's heart skipped a bit. Good going, brainless, she mentally chided. The class parted to make way for Yi Jeong to reach the sink. Cornered, Ga Eul could only stand there and pretend to be eagerly looking at what the teacher was doing. The teacher set a smaller glass on top of the slide and placed it under the microscope. He set his eyes just above the eyepiece and began adjusting the knobs.

Ga Eul heard the splash of water in the sink and forced herself not to look. The teacher was now making the students line in front of the microscope so everyone would have a chance to see what was going on.

She was about to move to the line when a hand grabbed her arm. She looked to see Yi Jeong, with the water running, using the sink and her arm to balance himself. She couldn't help it and placed her hand on his. "Yi Jeong-sshi," she said. "What? What happened?"

He didn't answer her. Instead he looked at her, his face showing nothing but panic. Ga Eul saw his pupils dilate so large that the brown was just a thin ring around the black. She didn't know what to do. "Kim-songsangnim," she called their teacher in a shaky voice. "Kim-songsangnim," she tried again, this time more calmly than the first try.

The teacher reached them. "What happened?" he asked.

"Everything's black," Yi Jeong said in a breath of a whisper.

"Please lead Yi Jeong-sshi back to his seat," the teacher told Ga Eul. She nodded and carefully assisted Yi Jeong to his seat.

She sat beside him, still unsure of what to do. "Hey, hey, look at me," she said. He did, his pupils still large. "What do you see?"

"Your outline," he whispered. "Are you an angel? You're glowing."

Ga Eul exhaled a loud breath. "You're a bit sick. If you're like this with blood, you shouldn't have volunteered."

Before he could answer, the teacher was with them with a small bottle of ammonia, and a ball of cotton, both of which he handed to Ga Eul. "I expect you know what to do, Ga Eul-sshi," the teacher said, expecting nothing less from his star student. "The other students won't be able to handle themselves alone there," he pointed to the line of students who are pushing each other to get their turn.

"Yes, sir," she nodded and carefully opened the bottle. The teacher left them for themselves and Ga Eul, still with butterflies in her stomach, managed to pour a few drops of ammonia on the bottle. "Here," she told Yi Jeong as she wafted the scent of ammonia from the cotton to his nose.

Yi Jeong blinked. Ga Eul noticed the pupils of his eyes shrinking to its normal size. His eyes were dark brown, with no shade of hazel or lightness. Just hard brown. They were beautiful. She looked away shyly before he noticed what she was doing. "Are you okay now?" was the only thing she said.

He nodded, still blinking. "Thank you."

She exhaled in relief and stood up to get in line with the others. Yi Jeong's hand flew to her arm again. "I'm..." he started, a bit out of breath.

"Yi Jeong, yes, I know." When he raised his eyebrows in question, she added hastily, "The teacher called you that, right? Yi Jeong-sshi?"

He nodded again, his eyes closed. "You're Ga Eul, right? The teacher called you, too, a while ago."

"Yes," she agreed. His hand was hot on her bare skin. He could have just held her where her hand warmers were, but he had to hold her where her skin was exposed. She felt tingly where he held her, but she felt determined not to show him. She hoped she didn't show him, anyway.

"Can you be my lab partner?" he asked softly, like he was asking him something that involved his life.

"I'm not sure if the teacher would allow us to pick our own..." she stopped when she saw the look in his eyes, now open. "Ok," she said finally. He let go of her arm and she went to the line to see red dots flying over the slide that meant nothing to her.

It turned out that they would have the privilege to choose their lab partners and Jan Di was ultimately furious, even more than she was before, that Ga Eul's partner had already been decided. She calmly explained what happened, although she still wasn't sure why Yi Jeong wanted to be her lab partner, or how he knew they would be choosing their own. Jan Di shrugged and demanded they had lunch together before Yi Jeong can steal Ga Eul from her totally. Ga Eul laughed and said that would never happen.

...

Dear Secret Santa,

What did you do? How did you make this happen? That was so uncalled for! I hadn't expected that. How did it happen?

I still can't use the word 'coincidence' to describe what happened a while ago. And surely, you had something to do with it. You used my wish to play with fate. And I still wonder how fate can come and go at your command.

Still, if you had something to do with it, I thank you. There's nothing else I want to say. And of course, for this letter to be valid, I need a wish, am I correct? Because you said there won't be a better way to thank you but to wish again. So, here it is...

A date, with the person I love.

Make it happen. I trust you.

TTFN.

Secret Santa had to cover his mouth to keep himself from laughing. So, his subjects enjoyed his first gift so much that they came for more, didn't they? Well, he was about to keep their gifts coming.

...

"You wrote to Secret Santa, again?" Jan Di asked in gritted teeth. Unable to help herself, she stabbed the eggroll and pushed it in her mouth to make a point. "And you haven't even told me who you like, yet!" she complained.

Ga Eul let out a defeated sigh and cupped her mouth near Jan Di's ear to whisper just two syllables.

Jan Di covered her mouth full of eggrolls to keep herself from screaming. She chewed as quickly as she can, gulped, took some orange juice to drink and said, "YOU ARE SO PREDICTABLE!"

"It's not what it looks like..."

"But I'm glad Secret Santa came through," Jan Di said, her eyes thankful, and gulped down the rest of her lunch. Ga Eul smiled and finished hers off, too.

"Tell me about it later," Ga Eul told her, glancing at her wristwatch. Jan Di nodded.

"Kim-songsangnim said he wanted us to see his office door, right? He posted something for the winter break," Jan Di said as both of them went to their lockers.

Sure enough, there was Secret Santa's reply to Ga Eul's letter. Ga Eul snatched it before Jan Di had a thought of getting it. But Jan Di was too busy rummaging something inside her own locker. Ga Eul peeked at the note. Yes, it was Secret Santa's letter, indeed.

After a while, they found themselves walking to their teacher's office door, and saw that no one was as interested as they were to find out what the winter break homework was about. There they found, and Ga Eul almost fainted right there and then: "Discuss the following with your lab partners over the winter break..."

The rest of what was written was lost to her. She and So Yi Jeong discussing biology items during the winter break... It wasn't her definition of a date, but it was close enough, close enough to hear the blood pounding in her ears and not realize he was already standing beside her.

"Oh," he said after he read the note. "I'm sorry I had to ruin your winter break."

Jan Di had to elbow her to get a response out of her mouth. "Ah, no, not at all," she cleared her throat. "Let's just finish it as soon as we can so we won't be disturbing each other's winter break."

Yi Jeong shrugged. "Sure. Does this afternoon sound good?" Then he hesitated. "But you have your bake sale, don't you? For the charity the school is supporting?"

Ga Eul nodded slowly, wondering how had he known about that. Then she remembered that she plastered a hundred of posters all over the school about the bake sale. He couldn't have missed it. "That's take care of," she said, carefully choosing her words. "After classes," she said, finally getting her voice back. "Let's meet at the lobby."

"Can we go somewhere not at school? Like the nearest cafe or something?"

Again, Ga Eul lost her voice.

Yi Jeong just laughed. "Just to get the Christmas air. And I admit I'm getting tired of the view," he said and left.

Ga Eul wished the arms of the clock stopped. Well, sure, she was excited as hell to have a date with So Yi Jeong, but it would be her first. It's not a date! she reminded herself fiercely. It was just a pair discussion for biology. Nothing more. she tried to calm herself down as she went to the lobby to wait for Yi Jeong. As it turns out, he was already there.

"Uh... did you get a free pass in your last class?" she asked by way of greeting.

Yi Jeong just smiled, "No," he said and didn't explain anything else. "Come on," he offered his hand.

Ga Eul looked at his hand uncertainly. "Uh..."

Yi just laughed and took her hand from her sides. "We wouldn't want to waste some precious study time, would we?" he asked as he lead her to his car.

Of course he has a car. He's So Yi Jeong! F4 here at Shin Hwa! You're just a scholar.

"Get in," Yi Jeong said with a smile. He sure was in his Christmas spirits right now. Ga Eul jumped in the passenger seat and Yi Jeong closed the door.

Ga Eul calmed herself as Yi Jeong settled in the car and switched on the engine. He glanced at her with a smile before carefully driving off the corners of the school.

...

Dear Secret Santa,

That's it! I'm going to sign you off as the biggest stalker in the world! Or maybe not yet. The date was the best thing that's ever happened to me so far!

And yes, I have my final wish. I bet you already now what it is.

Secret Santa crumpled the letter before he was able to read the rest of the message. If this person wants that to happen, it will happen. He sighed and stood up from his seat.

...

There was a soft knock on the door. Strange, Ga Eul thought. Those who sang Christmas carols never really knock, but just sing. A visitor, perhaps. Ga Eul stood up to get the door.

"Yi Jeong-ah?" Ga Eul can't help but cry in surprise. Yi Jeong was in front of her doorstep. If the love of your life stood in front of your doorstep holding a bouquet of of roses and a present, wouldn't you be surprised? Ga Eul held the doorframe to keep herself from falling. She wasn't dreaming, was she?

Yi Jeong smiled brightly. "I wasn't sure if I'd be allowed here during Christmas so I came now," he said almost shyly. "Merry Christmas," he said and handed her the gifts.

"Thank you," she stared in wonder at what he gave her. Seconds of silence passed between them both seemed didn't want to interrupt. "Would you like to come in?" she asked, belatedly remembering her manners.

"Ah, no, oh no," Yi Jeong said, too quickly for comfort. Ga Eul had the feeling he was still hiding something.

He pointed up, and Ga Eul followed the direction of his finger. There was the mistletoe she wrestled with her father to place there. She mentally slapped herself for that.

Her explanation was just leaving her lips when it was closed by another pair. It was just a swift kiss, but a kiss nonetheless. "HEY!" Ga Eul cried.

Yi Jeong shrugged, still smiling. "I just had to do it. I'm sorry."

"You just stole my first kiss!" she cried, also smiling. "That was supposed to be the person I will marry!"

"Well, won't I do?" Yi Jeong asked ever so lightly that Ga Eul wasn't sure if he was joking or not. He looked at his watch. "He should be here by now. He'll probably get mad at me for keeping you to myself."

Ga Eul's head was spinning from the kiss. "Who?"

"You asked for him, didn't you? He said you wanted to know who he was."

Ga Eul's lips parted in realization. "I... I did."

Yi Jeong stood on his tiptoe to take off the mistletoe that she had to use a ladder to place where it was. It was just taped so he ripped it cleanly off the wall before stepping aside and revealing Ga Eul's wish.

She almost threw the bouquet of roses at Song Woo Bin. "I should have known!" she cried. "None but the F4 would have power to do what you can do!"

"I actually have no idea it was him," Yi Jeong said with such sincerity Ga Eul had to believe him.

Woo Bin nodded. "He sent me Secret Santa wishes as well," he said. "Did you get yours, Ga Eul-sshi? What were yours again? Jan Di having a moment with Jun Pyo and your bake sale becoming a success?"

Ga Eul nodded slowly.

"And of course, meeting me, Secret Santa," Woo Bin said, bowing gracefully. "At least yours were plenty easy to grant. Jun Pyo agreed almost immediately to having a date with Jan Di, and a lot of people were eager to buy your goodies without my help. Unlike this guy's. This guy's wishes were so hard," Woo Bin pointed to Yi Jeong who still looked as happy as Christmas season.

"Wha..." Ga Eul never got to finish her sentence because Woo Bin was already walking away.

"I still have a lot of wishes to grant," Woo Bin said waving his hand at them. "TTFN, Yi Jeong-ah."

"TTFN, Woo Bin-ah," Yi Jeong said like it was their inside joke. Ga Eul decided not to ask. Then he turned to her and said, "I better go, too, Ga Eul-yang. Merry Christmas."

"Wait," Ga Eul said before she could stop herself. "You're leaving?"

For the first time, she saw a different expression in Yi Jeong's face. Surprise. "I… I am. Why?"

"Don't you see how confused you will leave me if you do?" she asked, not realizing the meaning of her words before they came out.

"I'm pretty confused myself. I never dreamed I could talk to you like this," he laughed.

Now Ga Eul was even more confused. "What?"

"Well, let's see." He paused. The silence was so long Ga Eul thought it would never end. Ga Eul realized later that it took Yi Jeong a lot of courage to say what he said next. "I've been in love with you ever since I entered high school," he said shyly. "Let's just say, it took me my guts and three Secret Santa wishes to get to you."

Ga Eul just stood there, looking at him that Yi Jeong shuffled his feet nervously, suddenly self-conscious. "Don't worry, Ga Eul-yang. It's just me, I know. I mean, it's ok if everything's one-sided," he laughed nervously. "Ah, how do I say this... I'm sorry for disturbing you and everything, and all the ruckus I made, and the trouble I put you through..." he was too busy talking to himself he didn't notice her come up to him.

"Just stop," she said. He did. "Do you still have the mistletoe?"

He nodded stiffly and raised his right hand which was holding the mistletoe.

She smiled. "Good. Keep it for me. I don't want random strangers getting anymore kisses from me," she joked. "Besides, my future husband would be pissed."

Yi Jeong sighed in relief. "He would be. I would be," Yi Jeong corrected himself.

"Merry Christmas, Yi Jeong."

...

"Merry Christmas, Secret Santa."

"Merry Christmas, Yi Jeong-ah."

"Hey, why did you let Ga Eul know who you are?"

"She asked for it in her wish."

"And what did you do to my breakfast to make me sick about the blood during biology class."

"I didn't! You didn't have breakfast, remember? I mean, I didn't let you eat breakfast."

"The second wish?"

"I had a sudden interest in Biology and asked the teacher a few stuff he also wasn't particularly sure about. I merely suggested to make his life easier by asking his students to do it for him."

"You're evil."

"You owe me."

"And the third wish?"

"I didn't do anything. That wish was practically impossible if you hadn't had your guts."

"I thought that was the easiest though, getting Ga Eul to answer her door when I knocked."

"Sometimes I wonder who is dumber between you and Jun Pyo."

"Hey, do you need help getting Jae Kyung. I want to pay you back."

"No thank you. I'm doing pretty well myself."

"Yeah, right."

"Ok, ok. I'll tell you about it later. First, tell me, how was it?"

"What?"

"Your mistletoe encounter."

"You saw the mistletoe?"

"Answer the question!"

"SWAK."

"I really have to get a dictionary when talking to you. I have to google TTFN to find out it meant Tata For Now. What is it this time?"

"Sealed with a Kiss."

"Oh. Ok, then. I guess it was a mission success, then."

"It was."

(a/n: Advance Merry Christmas! I'm sorry I haven't been able to update Complicated Reality. I have to admit, it's so hard to put to words what i want to happen. I'm really sorry. Especially to my best friend Marjorie Anne Sagun Co, who'd bugged me to update ever since she finished reading what was up there. Jorie! I've read the capsule-messages and I would love to have a word with you about it. ;) haha. THANK YOU!

To all of you dear readers, Merry merry Christmas. Hope your dreams come true, too. ;) Thanks for reading and have a wonderful weekend ahead. Oh yeah, to those who believed the Dec 21, 2012 Doomsday thing, well... Surprise?

-sweetheartbreaker)