AAE THE WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS
Author: Margie L


"We weesh you a merry Chistmas, we weesh you a merry Chistmas,
We weesh ............."

"Stop! Zhao Di, for the last time, it's WISH not 'weesh' and CHRISTMAS, not CHISTMAS! Oh, merciful heaven! Why do I have to be given this job? As if I don't enough to do – now I still have to give pronunciation lessons in English!"

The exasperated Sun Mi rubbed her forehead and tried to calm her frayed nerves. When she saw Zhao Di frowning, she decided to soften her approach.

"Come on, please try again. I know you can do it if you want to."

However, Zhao Di repudiated her opinion, "I do want to, but you also know very well, I can't pronounce English words. To me, English is spoken by people from another planet!" She added as an afterthought, "Anyway, you're the Public Relations Manager; you can easily get someone else to lead the caroling. It doesn't have to be me. You're good in English. Why don't you do it?"

"Don't you think I would if I could? But I can't be Santa Claus and lead the caroling at the same time!"

"I'll swap with you. I will be Santa Claus and you be the one to sing. How's that?"

Sun Mi choked, "You? Santa Claus?" Sun Mi found the idea so absurd, she doubled up in laughter. Zhao Di too, saw the funny side of her suggestion and joined in the laughter.

After a few minutes, both finally managed to compose themselves. "That was real funny. Thanks. I needed that."

"Hey, I really meant it!" Although she acknowledged that the idea seemed preposterous, all the same, Zhao Di had made the offer in good faith.

"Oh, sorry." Sun Mi put on a contrite face and hugged Zhao Di. "Well, I do appreciate your offer, but what are you.. 145cm, 152cm?" Sun Mi added, "We can solve the 'tummy' problem with the help of 5 pillows; but we won't be able to make you taller! Not unless we put you on stilts!"

Zhao Di shrugged, "Just don't say I didn't offer then. Give me something else to do but please don't ask me to sing, okay?"

Frustrated with the whole thing, she put the blame on the person who started it all.

"I think that 'man' is doing this deliberately! He knows how short-handed we are at this time of the year, yet he still dumps this whole affair on my lap!"

By 'that man', Sun Mi was referring to the hotel's Chief Executive Officer, Yun Hyun Chul. It seemed to her, that since she joined the hotel a year ago, he has gone out of his way to make life and work difficult for her.

Sun Mi had heard that he probably resented her because of her relationship with her uncle, the Chairman of Westin-Chosun. She also heard that Yun Hyun Chul had intended her post for his own brother. He must have been disappointed when Chairman Jin informed him that he had offered the post to his niece, Sun Mi.

Yun Hyun Chul's resentment towards her only made her more determined to prove her ability to him. She adopted a 'gung-ho, nothing is impossible' attitude towards her job.

He had called her into his office 2 weeks earlier to tell about this special Christmas Eve treat he would be sponsoring for an orphanage. He warned her that as Patron of the orphanage, the President's wife would be attending this event.

"I want everything to run like clockwork. There will be no room for any mistakes. If there are, believe me, heads will roll."

Sun Mi mumbled to herself, "Yeah, and I know it's my head he would like to roll!"

"What's that?" The CEO inquired with raised eyebrows.

Sitting in front of the CEO, Sun Mi was taken aback by the short notice. "Nothing. But Mr. CEO, 2 weeks is hardly sufficient notice to organize everything. As it is, my staff already have a full Christmas calendar, so I don't have anyone to help me."

He smiled slyly, "So? What does it matter if its 2 months, 2 weeks or no assistant to help you? 'Nothing is impossible', remember?"

Sun Mi's back straightened when he 'tossed' her favourite phrase at her. That's it! He is challenging her to a duel. What if she fails? She bet that he would be there standing over her - gloating. No way would she give him a chance to see her falter. She resolved she would make this event a success, even if she had to make the hotel her home for 2 weeks!

Without being dismissed, she stood up. Offering him a syrupy smile, she replied, "Well, if you have so much confidence in me, then I must not disappoint you. Seeing that I have a million things to do, I must not waste even a second. Good day, Mr. CEO."

Her back ramrod-straight, she headed towards the door.

After she left, Yun Hyun Chul released the chuckle he has had a hard time controlling.

Eyeing her retreating back appreciatively, he said to the empty room, "Miss Jin Sun Mi, don't you know, you could never disappoint me?"

Picking up the intercom, he told his secretary, "Ms. Kim, could you please ask Mr. Chui of Storage to see me? Thank you?"

********

After a hectic week of planning and ministrations, except for one other problem, Sun Mi finally managed to confirm everything. To her great relief, even the 'phonetics' problem with Zhao Di had been solved.

Sun Mi had offhandedly mentioned that she would just have to tell the CEO that she would need to replace Zhao Di for the caroling.

Zhao Di immediately sat up, "You mean it was Mr. CEO who wanted me to sing? Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"Huh?" Seeing the excited look in Zhao Di's face, Sun Mi quickly grasped the opportunity.

"What? Didn't I tell you?"

"You definitely did not!"

"In that case I'm sorry. Yes, Mr. CEO thought you would be perfect to lead the children since you're like a child yourself. He said you're so cute and pretty and has such a melodious voice, he was sure you could sing like an angel !"

Sun Mi felt a bit guilty at misleading Zhao Di. Yet, she felt if her 'whitewashed' remarks could get the result she wanted from her friend, surely, her dishonesty was justified? When Zhao Di finally sang all the Christmas carols faultlessly, Sun Mi's guilt vanished.

**********

"What do you mean you can't find the costume?" Sun Mi thought she was going to faint! "Oh, merciful heaven!" she repeated another one of her favourite adages.

"Even the heavens can't help you, Ms. Jin!" The store assistant replied unnecessarily. "As Christmas is just around the corner, I doubt you would be able to find it anywhere else either."

She shot him an exasperated look.

"There's no other way then, I just have to inform Mr. CEO."

She was downhearted that after all her efforts, she had to encounter this setback. Perhaps she should just concede defeat.

The Secretary had left for the day when she entered the CEO's sanctum and no wonder, it was already 8.00 p.m. She knocked softly on his door, heard his "Come in" and entered.

Tie loosened, sleeves rolled up and his hands behind his head, the CEO looked at her under half closed lids. Sun Mi thought he had never looked more handsome. She liked this image of him – at least he looked more approachable.

"What can I do for you, Ms. Jin?" He sat forward and waited for her to speak. When she didn't, he asked, "Do you have something to tell me?"

She placed the letter in front of him, "This is my resignation letter. You won." She turned to leave the room.

He immediately got up from his chair and stood in front of her.

"What you mean, your resignation letter?"

She shrank back a bit from the angry look on his face.

Her eyes misting, she replied unhappily, "I lost the challenge you threw at me. Although I had managed to arrange everything, I couldn't find a Santa Claus costume. There will be no Santa Claus at the children's party."

He merely looked at her and did not reply. Then he pulled her by her wrist, led her to his closet and told her to look inside.

Sun Mi was astounded to see the costume in his closet. She turned surprised eyes at Hyung Chul.

"But Storage said it was missing. What is this costume doing in your closet?"

"It's in my closet because I've booked this costume. I'M going to be Santa Claus!" He winked at her.

"What? But I'm Santa Claus! I mean, I'm going to dress up as Santa Claus, not you! Why are you fighting over this with me, anyway?"

"I'm not fighting with you. Didn't you complain you had no one to help you? So, I'm offering my assistance." He gave her another wink, "Besides my body is more 'Santa-Claus' shaped than yours!"

She was perplexed at his attitude. "I thought you had always resented me and wanted me to resign. So why are you doing this?"

"Correction! I have never resented you, never wanted you to resign and did not issue you this challenge. I gave you this task to do to boost your self confidence. I'm sorry about the short notice but I myself, received short notice from the President's office. However, I know you can do it because I have ample confidence in you. Any other questions?"

He moved closer to her.

She retreated but was trapped against his desk.

"I heard you wanted your brother for this job? Is it true?"

"Yes, it's true. However, when the Chairman informed me that he had offered the post to you, I didn't mind at all. My brother wanted to find a job on his own merit, without any help from me. He has found a good job and he's happy. I don't have to worry about him."

He pulled her into his arms and his dusky eyes traveled over every feature of her face, lingering on her mouth.

"What... what are you doing?" Sun Mi does not know why her knees suddenly felt weak.

"Sorry, I'm not taking any more questions. I have better things to do – such as this, which I have wanted to do for a long time!"

So saying, he lowered his mouth to capture hers.

THE END!!!