Chapter 105
A snowy winter.
The dragon kids eagerly helped with household chores to receive gifts from Santa Claus.
"Dad, I'm a good child! I threw the trash in the garbage can!"
"That's just normal behavior."
"But I did well, didn't I! Praise me right now! Come on!"
Hwaryeon threw the trash in the garbage can.
"Dad, I made all the dirty clothes clean. I'm a good child."
"W-What? The white shirt looks like it was just bought..."
Suryeon showed off her amazing laundry skills.
"Father! I'm restoring this Earth to normal! Who else could be a good child if not me?"
Choryeon normalized the Earth.
The children moved busily, helping with various household chores to become good children.
'Choryeon's scale seems too big.'
Anyway. As a result of working hard to be good children,
The slightly tired children fell into deep contemplation while looking at the Christmas tree.
"What on earth is a good child!"
What is a good child?
In a way, it's a philosophical question, but also a materialistic one to receive gifts from Santa. The kids racked their brains to become good children.
I quietly watched them and secretly smiled.
"Do you want to receive gifts from Santa that badly by being good children?"
How cute.
Seeing them excited as Christmas approaches brings a warm smile to my face. Even though they're dragons, I thought that children are still children after all.
I ruffled the hair of the kids who were thinking unnecessarily deeply and said.
"Why are you kids, who aren't even that old, thinking so deeply?"
The kids each showed different reactions to this.
"Eek! Don't touch my hair!"
"Dad, let go of my hair."
"I don't mind if you do it more, Father!"
They all pretend to dislike it while secretly enjoying it. I simply said to the kids who were thinking too deeply.
"Hmm, I don't think you need to think about this so much?"
"You're not Santa, so what do you know, Dad!"
"Lee Hwaryeon, you little..."
"Hmph!"
Hwaryeon turned her head away, feigning anger.
'I know because I am Santa. Should I make only Hwaryeon a bad child?'
No, let's be patient for Christmas day.
Although the flow was slightly interrupted, I decided to continue speaking.
"Ahem, I think Santa would consider you good children at this point."
"So? What are you trying to say, Dad?"
"I think it's about time you start thinking about what gifts you want to ask Santa for... What do you think...?"
"!!!"
At this, the children seized the opportunity and poured out their words. Hwaryeon was the first to speak up.
"Me! I want that! A punching bag!"
"A punching bag? Why?"
"Because I can't hit you, Dad!"
"..."
Her intentions are impure. Should I just label her a bad child? But since her heart is good, I decided to let it slide this time too.
"What about Suryeon ?"
"I want an electronic device. It's hard to share a smartphone with Dad. So I'd like to get an A-pad. Though I'm not sure Santa exists."
Suryeon's expressionless face showed half doubt, half expectation. She seemed to be reluctantly expecting while doubting Santa's existence.
"An A-pad might be a bit expensive... Then, Choryeon?"
Choryeon said with stars in her eyes.
"Father, I have just one thing I want from Santa."
"I'm afraid to ask, but what is it?"
"It's to stop global warming! I want the Earth to return to its original state-"
Her environmental obsession has flared up again. I quickly interrupted Choryeon.
"Even dragons can't do that, Choryeon. Santa isn't a dragon."
"But you said he gives presents!"
"Even Santa would find too big a gift burdensome."
"I-Is that so. It's a shame, but I think a house for Mangmung would be fine."
Slump-
Choryeon was disappointed that she couldn't solve global warming. Still, I was relieved that she asked for a gift within a range I could manage.
'My wallet will hurt, and hurt again, but it's Christmas after all...'
It can't be helped. I handed the kids each a stocking and a piece of paper.
"Write the gift you want on the paper, put it in the stocking, and hang it on the tree. Then on Christmas morning, gifts will be prepared inside the tree. Everyone, give it a try."
Scribble scribble-
The children wrote down the items they wanted on the paper. Then, they stuffed the paper deep into the stockings and started decorating the tree.
Mostly using tiptoes.
"Nngh, I'll put mine in the highest place! Everyone, move aside!"
They worked hard on tiptoes, jumping to decorate in their preferred positions.
While the kids were decorating with stockings, I also wrote a wish on paper and put it in a stocking. Seeing this, Choryeon approached me and asked.
"Does Father also have something he wants from Santa?! What do you want?"
To this, I waved my hands and answered.
"I don't particularly want anything. I'm already past the age to receive gifts from Santa anyway."
"Then why did you write a wish in the stocking?"
"..."
It's embarrassing to say it myself. Feeling awkward, I pulled Choryeon's chubby cheeks.
"You don't need to know! You!"
"Owww- It hurts-"
I played with Choryeon's cheeks that stretched like mochi. Playing with Choryeon's white, mochi-like cheeks was always thrilling and fun.
'Still, I hope the wish in the stocking comes true.'
The paper deep inside the stocking. My wish written on it was for the children's happiness.
I thought Santa would have to work hard to give that gift.
***
Christmas evening. We gathered at the table and set off small firecrackers.
Pop-!
"Merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas!"
"Woof woof-!"
The dragon kids wore Santa hats and celebrated Christmas, which comes only once a year.
On the table sat a Christmas cake bought with great effort. I spoke to Hwaryeon, who was drooling at the sight of the cake.
"Ah-ah, be patient."
"Grrrr...!"
"I'll give you some soon, so wait!"
Hwaryeon stared at the cake as if she might pounce on it at any moment. With a Rudolph nose on, she looked more like Rudolph than a dragon.
'With the horns, she looks just like Rudolph.'
Well, I am Santa after all, so Hwaryeon could be seen as Rudolph.
Anyway. We enjoyed Christmas like that, eating cake with the kids and setting off firecrackers.
Then, in the early hours of the morning.
"...Are they all asleep?"
Get up-
I got up while the children were asleep. It was time to start preparing.
"Careful... careful..."
I carefully headed to the front door, making sure not to make any noise and being extra careful not to step on their tails on the way.
"It's good that they're tired from the Christmas party..."
Creak-
I carefully opened the door, went outside, and started putting on the Santa costume I had prepared.
"Santa hat. Santa beard. Santa suit."
And.
"Gifts for my daughters."
Damn. Seeing the wrapping paper reminds me of when I calculated the prices.
'The cost was much higher than I thought...'
Sob sob-
I held back the tears that were about to flow and went into the house with the gifts. Then, I carefully walked towards the Christmas tree where the kids had hung their stockings.
"Mmm... hmm... nyaaa..."
"They're not awake, right...? Just sleep-talking...?"
Phew-
To avoid being caught as much as possible, slowly, very slowly, I walked towards the tree like a thief.
Then.
"Woof...!"
"Hey, you...! Mangmung...! Go away...!"
"Woof...!"
"You dumb dog who can't even recognize your owner...!"
Growl-
Mangmung must have smelled me and started approaching with a growl. I waved my hand for him to go away, but Mangmung didn't seem to want to back off.
"This is why you shouldn't take in animals...! Mangmung...! I didn't bring you here to guard the house...!!"
"Woof...!!"
"Damn...!"
The other dragon kids started to sense Mangmung's presence too. Their eyes trembled and they tossed in their sleep.
At this rate, my identity might be exposed. I had to make a choice to complete Santa's mission.
"Oh, whatever!"
"Woof-!!"
"Take your presents!!"
Dash-!
I put the gifts under the tree and quickly ran to the front door. Hearing Mangmung's voice, the kids woke up and pointed at me in a half-asleep state, shouting.
"Huh... What...! That's Santa...!!"
"Santa... He really exists..."
"Mmm... Father... Mangmung is barking..."
Except for Choryeon who was sleep-talking, Hwaryeon and Suryeon ended up witnessing me.
To avoid suspicion, I cleared my throat and left a message in a kind grandfather's voice.
"Ho ho ho-! Merry Christmas-!"
"Santa! Where are you going! I can't let this happen! I'll catch you! Dragon Breath!"
Roar-!
Hot heat came from behind. I barely managed to close the front door and escape the house before my bottom caught fire.
"L-Lee Hwaryeon...! What are you thinking using breath inside the house...!! I almost got caught...!!"
Still. This much shouldn't have given me away, right?
I waited outside for about 10 minutes. Then I changed clothes, came back home, and said.
"Ah, I missed Santa. Did you kids see Santa?"
To this, Suryeon asked with suspicious eyes.
"He just left. Where were you, Dad?"
"Me? I ran out chasing Santa. Didn't you see me running?"
"I didn't see you."
"Really? Maybe you didn't see because you weren't fully awake, Suryeon ?"
"I don't think that's-"
"Well, we're all tired after seeing Santa, so let's just go to sleep. It's late. Too bad we couldn't catch Santa."
I made up an excuse to the kids and lay down in the living room to sleep.
Suryeon stared at me with suspicious eyes until I fell into a deep sleep, but I decided not to worry too much since I achieved my goal.
Even if it was a bit ambiguous, I did my best as Santa, after all.
***
Morning.
The silly dragon kids woke up and checked their presents. Those kids don't know exactly what happened last night.
"It's a present! A huge punching bag! Yah yah yah-!!"
Bang bang bang bang-!
Hwaryeon quickly punched the punching bag. She didn't seem to have any doubts about Santa.
"This is Mangmung's house! Mangmung has a house now! I'll assemble it for you!"
"Woof woof-!"
Choryeon and Mangmung smiled brightly while assembling the new house. Meanwhile, Lee Suryeon thought they looked quite foolish.
"Why isn't anyone questioning Santa's identity? It's full of suspicious points. He's an intruder in our nest."
I don't like it. I don't like those foolish faces that are unbecoming of dragons.
Suryeon thought this while unwrapping the fancy gift wrap to check her present.
"A familiar smell. The smell I caught yesterday. And a smell I always catch."
Swish-
Suryeon turned her gaze towards the kitchen. There, Dad was frowning while tasting the kimchi stew.
"As I thought, Santa doesn't exist."
Suryeon realized the red truth of the world. But on the other hand, Suryeon unwrapped the package and held the comfortable A-pad in her hands.
"It feels nice. It'll be good for gaming."
And she looked at herself reflected in the mirror. She realized she wasn't much different from those fools rejoicing over their gifts.
"...So this is Christmas. I understand now."
The truth isn't particularly important. It’s a day when families gather to enjoy each other's company, and children do good deeds and receive gifts.
"Christmas."
Hug-
Suryeon hugged the A-pad tightly and smiled at Dad in the kitchen.
"Silly Santa."
It was a winter day when spring was approaching.