My Girlfriend Is Very Good To Me [EN]: Chapter 139

Ep. 138

A few days later, it was Christmas.

As always, both families decided to gather at Heena’s house, which was relatively spacious. However, Dad, my father-in-law, Junghoo hyung [older brother/male friend], Sunhoo hyung, and Heesung hyung were said to be arriving separately due to prior engagements, so they hadn’t arrived yet.

Last year was relatively calm because Heena was pregnant, but this year, the atmosphere was lively from the moment we gathered. Everyone decorated the tree together, played with Sarang, and prepared food.

However, the one making the biggest fuss was none other than me.

“Sarang-ah! Want to say ‘appa’ [dad]? Here~”

“Awoo eee eee!!!”

“Ouch, please stop hitting Daddy’s face… Let’s try it just once. A. ppa.”

“Eomma [mom]!!!!!”

“Not ‘eomma,’ but ‘appa’ please…”

-Tap! Tap!

Despite my earnest request, Sarang just looked at me and smiled, lightly hitting my face with her hands. But I didn’t give up and kept chanting ‘appa’ to Sarang.

The reason I was doing this was because yesterday, she finally said ‘appa’ clearly, not ‘babba,’ which moved me so much. I wanted everyone to hear it, but as expected, she wasn’t making it easy for me.

After about ten minutes of this, suspicious glances started coming my way.

“This guy, did you dream that, Yeonhoo? Sarang doesn’t even say the ‘ah’ sound in ‘appa,’ does she?”

“No, she does!”

“She might say ‘big aunt’ before ‘appa’ at this rate? Sarang-ah~ should we try saying ‘big aunt’?”

“Eommaaaaa!!”

“This little one is facing Daddy but only calling for Mommy… Does she hear ‘eomma’ much more often?”

Sarang still adored her dad, but for some reason, she didn’t say ‘appa’ very well. These days, she often repeats what we say, so I thought if I kept saying ‘appa, appa,’ she might say it.

Such an expensive woman, our Sarang!

Anyway, that was that, and I felt like I was going to explode because Yoonjung noona [older sister/female friend] kept doubting me. So, I pleaded for help from Heena as if complaining.

“Haa… Heena, tell them. You heard it too. Sarang said ‘appa.'”

“Hmph, I don’t know anything?”

However, my wife, who had witnessed that historic moment yesterday, had a sulky look on her face for some reason.

“Why are you sulking again?”

“You’ve been stuck to Sarang since yesterday… I don’t know!”

“What else can I do when Sarang said ‘appa’ for the first time? I almost cried yesterday.”

“Whatever~”

She must not have liked that I had been focusing only on Sarang since yesterday, trying to hear ‘appa’ one more time.

Fortunately, Heena wasn’t genuinely upset, as she chuckled at my words and went to the kitchen to help Mom and my mother-in-law.

I tried to help too, but…

“It’s okay. You watch Sarang. I’m worried because she keeps trying to walk these days.”

Indeed, I was a little worried because if both of us were gone, Yoonjung noona would be the only one to watch Sarang. So, I immediately returned to the living room, where noona was holding Sarang’s hands and helping her practice walking.

‘Appa’ or whatever, Sarang was enjoying the touch of the hands holding her up.

“Awoo aaaaa!!”

“That’s right~ right foot. Left foot. You’re walking well~ Is walking fun, Sarang?”

“Heeyahahaaa!!!”

“Ahahah!! Look at her smile! You’re having fun!”

It was a little disappointing that she didn’t call me ‘appa,’ but seeing her laughing so happily, I wondered if it even mattered.

So, the mothers and Heena prepared the food, and Yoonjung noona and I played with Sarang.

As we spent time like that, the men started arriving one by one.

Starting with Heesung hyung, then my father-in-law, Junghoo hyung, Sunhoo hyung, and Dad in that order. It was almost at the same time, as if they had made a promise.

But.

“Wow. How many Santas are there?”

“……”

Surprisingly, everyone appeared wearing Santa outfits. I wanted to give them high marks for meticulously taking care of even the mustaches and beards.

But even if it was the others, I never imagined that even Junghoo hyung would wear one.

Moreover, they all brought large, square gift boxes that looked like they came straight out of an American drama, as if they had planned it together.

The five of them seemed dumbfounded as well, staring at each other in disbelief.

“Kkueuaaaa!!!”

-Clap! Clap!

Well, whatever, wouldn’t it be enough if Sarang clapped and liked seeing the Santas?

—

This Christmas gathering, which had become an annual event, became even more lively with each passing year, except for last year.

The tree that the mothers and Heena had worked hard to decorate, the Santas in bright red clothes holding gift boxes.

Sarang, smiling among the family members.

I captured all those scenes in photos and videos. I didn’t want to miss a single moment.

It felt like just yesterday that we gathered awkwardly four years ago, with the two of us wearing Santa outfits and looking at our families.

Before we knew it, they were more excited than us, making a fuss like that.

“Honestly, aren’t I the top in quality? Han Sunhoo, take off the tag behind your neck and come back!”

“Yes, next uncle who doesn’t buy snacks for his niece.”

“…Ha, damn it. I can’t even say it… How much have I been eating that instead of my niece…”

Heesung hyung and Sunhoo hyung bickering.

“Wow, Han Junghoo is even wearing something like that. The power of a niece is amazing! But what about mine?”

“You have the one you bought before.”

“I gave that to Heena!! Are you doing it alone in such a stingy way!”

“Enough, take a picture. Han Sarang’s palms are hurting.”

“Awooeea!!”

“Pfft! Hold her! Hold her! I’ll take a picture now! One, two, three!”

Junghoo hyung and Yoonjung noona, who are always on good terms.

“What did hyungnim [term of respect for older male] buy? The size is unusual.”

“A block set. What about you, sadon [term for in-laws]?”

“I’m glad it doesn’t overlap. We have a playhouse set.”

“You chose well.”

“Oh my, you two are having fun wearing Santa outfits~ But it’s funny how well you match~”

“I know, right. Should we have worn them too?”

My parents, checking each other’s gifts in a friendly atmosphere.

I put down the phone I was filming with and leaned against the wall, watching the scene. Feeling a little sentimental in an atmosphere similar to that time.

After a while, Heena came next to me, holding Sarang. I wonder if our Sarang took a lot of commemorative photos with her uncles.

“Ppabua!”

“Sarang is looking for Appa so much, what are you doing here?”

“Just. Sarang-ah~ did you miss Appa?”

“Appappappa!”

“No, she’s calling me ‘appa’ at this timing?”

Everyone is talking among themselves and not paying attention to this side… Well, does it matter?

I took Sarang from Heena and hugged her dearly. Then she giggled and started playing, grabbing my clothes.

Looking at our small and warm daughter moving in my arms, I couldn’t help but smile.

“Again, again! You only look at Sarang like that!”

“Hey~ it’s not like that. Come here. I’ll give you a kiss while everyone is distracted.”

“Woong~”

-Chu!

I gave Heena, who quickly showed jealousy, a short kiss. And we both leaned against the wall and had a leisurely conversation.

“Do you remember? Our first Christmas.”

“The day you gave me the ring?”

“Yeah. I can’t believe that was already four years ago.”

“Time flies so fast~ There have been so many things happening during that time.”

So many things.

The two of us went to the sea.

Both families gathered and went too.

I did a good deed and broke my arm once, retook the college entrance exam.

Then we lived together.

We went to Japan and Sarang was born.

We studied hard and got accepted into Seoyeon University.

And the number of dates we had in between was countless.

Looking back, there were really many things that happened. And all those things were, in the end, all good things for me.

I retook the college entrance exam while saving my grandmother, but I was proud of myself that day, and in a way, that’s how I was able to come to Seoyeon University.

Sarang being born was a slightly immature act, and thanks to that, I had to ask for a lot of help from those around me. But no one could deny that Sarang’s birth made our family and Heena’s family even brighter.

It was truly a blessing that came down to us.

“Ababa!”

“Should I give Sarang a kiss too?”

“Awooeeeee!!!”

“Okay, okay~”

I lightly touched my lips to Sarang’s cheek as she waved her arms and struggled. Sarang probably feels that this is an expression of affection. Seeing her show such a pretty smile.

As I kept kissing her while looking at that, Heena leaned her head on my shoulder.

“I love things like this so much.”

“I know. Ah, didn’t we say the same thing before?”

“Hehe, did we?”

Heena smiled softly. Seeing that smile, I thought she was Sarang’s mother after all. Sarang’s smiling face is similar to mine, but the atmosphere resembles Heena.

“Eommaaaaa!”

“Sarang is calling for Mom?”

“Sarang-ah~ why? Does Mom need to hold you?”

“Abababa!!”

“I guess not.”

“Hmph, fine. I want to be held by you too.”

“I hold you every time we sleep.”

“You have to hold me when we’re not sleeping too.”

“I think I’m doing that pretty diligently…”

“Hold me even more diligently!”

I wrapped my arm around Heena’s shoulder and held Sarang in my arms using my other arm and knees. Trying to be as considerate as possible so that both of them could lean comfortably.

And I talked with Heena in a gentle voice, watching the noisy family with warm eyes. Unable to hide the feeling of happiness.

Sarang seemed to be assimilated into our atmosphere, wrapping her arms tightly around my neck and leaning her whole body against me.

Like that.

The stormy year of assignments, exams, and childcare was coming to an end.

Heena with good grades, me with so-so grades, we were able to receive scholarships, and our relationship was still so strong that my wife was burning with jealousy towards our daughter.

And I was so grateful that our Sarang was growing up healthy and beautifully. Sarang likes me so much as much as Heena, which makes me happy but also worried on the other hand.

Those happy times were passing by so quickly. I was a little sad about that, but it will soon become a memory and new happiness will be waiting for us.

Surely.