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Emmie returns a moment later with a flat rectangular package.  She also wrapped her present in bright red paper.  Probably because she knows it’s Kookie’s favorite color.  Sheepishly, she hands it to him.

I’m chuckling because I can already tell that it’s a CD.  I’m laughing because of the difference in her gift-giving styles towards my two oldest children.  If this were a present for Janna, it would be wrapped in three boxes and each box would be full of crumpled-up plastic bags.  Making unearthing her actual gift nigh unto impossible.  These two girls usually spend many precious moments trying to find each other’s presents in piles of fluff and plastic.  And sometimes, buried beneath crushed balls of newspaper.

But for Kookie, Emmie has provided a simple presentation.  No mystery.  Just a straightforward gift.

He pulls the crimson paper off to reveal a Justin Bieber CD.  I start chuckling as Kookie’s face lights up.

“Thanks, Emmie!  You got it for me!”

“Of course,” she responds as though her buying him his favorite music is a foregone conclusion when she has not directly given him a Christmas present in the past five years.  

When they were little, she did.  But when they entered middle school, such an exchange ceased the year that he developed a crush on another girl.  Remembering that painful season, I wince.

“Kookie?”

“Hmm?” he murmurs as he studies the back cover of the CD case.

“It is the one you wanted, right?”

“Mm-hmm.”  He beams at her suddenly.  “It is.  I want to listen to it now.”

I can see that he’s torn between visiting his bedroom alone or staying out here with Emmie.

“Let’s play it on the DVD player out here,” I suggest as I gesture towards the TV.

Kookie grins at me.  “Duh!” he responds as he smacks himself in the head softly with his open palm.

He pops the CD in and Justin Bieber’s voice fills the living room.  Pretty soon, the twins and Janna wander upstairs with Lyric.

“Hey!” Janna rebukes her older brother, “only BTS is allowed to play in our house!”

I laugh, remembering our lives before BTS.  For a moment, I also remember Jungkook’s sweet vocals when I first discovered the Korean pop band.  I feel a pang as I realize how much I miss hearing him sing.  Especially my favorite songs.  Like Euphoria.

But then his clear, soft voice is the one filling my living room as he turns down the volume and sings over Justin’s voice.  And I smile.  Because Jungkook is my son now.  And he’s still filling up my house with his beautiful voice.  Only now, I can enjoy his presence too.  Definitely, the best of both worlds.

—

Soon everyone returns to the family room to finish watching the movie.  Except for Lyric and Janna.  They stay in the living room.  I run a bowl of popcorn downstairs and spy Emmie sitting in the curve of Kookie’s arm as she leans against his side and pillows her head against his chest.  She’s clad in his burgundy hoodie, his charm bracelet dangling from her wrist.  Now she has managed to wear both of his sweatshirts at once.  One in charm form; the other covering the top half of her body.  Her head is hidden within its hood, her honey hair spilling out at the bottom to pour over her chest in a straight cascade of golden locks.

Kookie appears extremely content.  So does Emmie.  I smile.  But now I’m going to have to keep an eye on these two.

However, there’s another couple awaiting my probing gaze upstairs.  I head that way.  A few moments later, I appear in the living room.  Just in time to see Janna give Lyric his Christmas present.  It’s also a CD.  But the subject is so different from Jungkook’s that I have to work very hard to stifle a giggle.

Janna has bought Lyric a compact disc of Turandot, starring the famous opera singer, Pavarotti.  Lyric begins to sing Nessun dorma in a voice that gives me chills.  It’s not just his face that’s reminiscent of Tae; Lyric’s voice could be a match for Tae’s deep one.  I stand staring in awe at Lyric as he opens his mouth and sings with all his heart.  

Move over, Pavarotti!  Here comes Lyric!

Janna is beaming.  I wouldn’t call her an opera lover.  But I have a feeling that may change if she continues to hang out with Lyric.  My husband will be thrilled.  He shares Lyric’s love of opera.  Once the man finds out, he’s sure to change his mind about the boy, I think jokingly.  Truthfully, he already likes Lyric; though, we both agreed that his sister, Melody, is too stern by half.  I think my husband was also relieved that Kookie decided to pursue Emmie instead.

After a few minutes of serenading Janna, Lyric grins at her, exclaiming, “Thanks, Nana!  You know I love it.  And I didn’t have the whole opera on CD.  This is great.”

I’m curious to see what he bought Janna for Christmas.  Did the boy bring her a gift tonight?

She smiles at him.  

He quirks a dark eyebrow.  “You’re probably wondering where your present is, huh?”

She gazes up at him with a blank expression wiping her countenance clean of all expectation.  “It’s okay.  You didn’t have to get me anything.”

His other eyebrow joins the dance now.  “What?  Of course, I had to get my girlfriend something!”

Her lips twitch again.  I know she loves being called Lyric’s girlfriend.

“I’ll be right back,” Lyric promises as he suddenly heads towards the hallway.  He makes a beeline for Kookie’s bedroom.

I lean against the doorframe.  I have the distinct impression that I don’t want to miss this.

Lyric returns several moments later with a beautiful guitar in his hand.  A very happy feeling overwhelms me.  Is he going to serenade my lovely daughter?

He leads her over to the couch.  He sits down on a chair across from her and sets the guitar over his thigh.  He begins to strum the strings.  He plays a few chords.  He glances sheepishly at Janna who is gazing at him with rapt attention.  Then he clears his throat before he unleashes that stunning voice of his.

“There is a golden girl 

Filling up my whole world

With all the joy her smile brings 

And all her love of simple things.

“There are eyes of fire 

Lighting up my desire 

With all the warmth her friendship brings.

Now I’m soaring on angel’s wings.”

Janna is glowing under the influence of Lyric’s deep and melodious voice.  He plucks a few strings in a series of happy chords before singing the chorus through.

“In your presence, I wanna be.

In your presence, forever free.

In your presence, I wanna be.

In your presence, I’ll find the key

“To your heart of pure gold.

Tis a tale should be told.

Full of life and delight.

Wanna hold you so tight.

“And never let you go.

Wanna flow with your flow.

Wanna stick by your side.

And in your soul confide.”

I know I’m not the only one whose heart is melting as Lyric plays another sweet interlude before singing the second verse.  Janna is riveted to this boy whom she’s come to adore over the last couple of months.  I feel some affection for him myself.  Especially as I suspect that he wrote this lovely song for my daughter.  His fathomless voice fills our ears with wonder once more.

“There is a special friend

On whom I can depend,

Who always holds my hand each day

And always makes me want to stay.

“There are eyes of green jade.

Their delights never fade.

With all the joy her laughter brings,

My beating heart forever sings.”

Did I hear Janna audibly sigh as Lyric began to play the last interlude before singing a different chorus this time?

“In your presence, I wanna be.

In your presence, I can be me.

In your presence, I wanna be.

In your presence, I wanna see

“The light of your smile

And your lovely green eyes

Shining their light on me.

Making me realize.

“The light of your laughter,

The joys of your sweet voice,

Lifting my heart higher,

You make my soul rejoice.”

One more time he sings the opening lines of the first chorus.

“In your presence, I wanna be.

In your presence, forever free.”

Then Lyric plays a few ending chords as his voice fades away.  Janna sits as one stunned.  Especially as he opens his mouth to admit what I’ve been anticipating.

“Nana, I wrote this song for you.  About you.  Merry Christmas.”

She blinks as her eyes linger on his face.  “You wrote this song for me?”

Of course, she noticed his mention of her jade eyes.  And golden girl obviously alludes to her dark gold hair.  But this is new territory.  No boy has ever written her a song before. 

He nods, and I can hear the smile in his voice.  “I wanted to give you something special.  I thought about it for a really long time.  But nothing I saw at the store was good enough, so I decided to put down into words all the things I feel in my heart for you.”

At this point, I’m wondering how my daughter is processing all of this.  She’s not used to anyone expressing their feelings for her so openly.  Will she even think to thank him, or is she too stunned for her good manners to flow?

“It’s beautiful, Lyric.  Just beautiful,” she whispers. 

I see an odd light enter her eye.  And I realize that my older set of twins have more in common than even they know.  For Janna has completely forgotten my presence.  She slips off the couch, taking a step towards Lyric before kneeling on the ground in front of him.  Only his guitar separates them from each other now. 

A moment later, he seems to fathom her intent, for he sets the guitar down on the floor to his right.  Then he leans towards her as she lifts her face to his.  Their lips brush in a very sweet yet innocent kiss.  I smile at the touching tableau the two of them are creating.

A moment later, she draws back.  He follows suit. 

Her eyes catch mine, and she blushes.  I grin at her.  I actually got to witness the first kisses of my two eldest children.  On the same night.  What are the chances of that happening?

I slip into the kitchen and grab two mugs.  As I fill them with milk, I call out to my daughter and her boyfriend, “Would you two like some hot chocolate?”

Lyric clears his throat.  “Yes, Mrs. Franklin.  Thank you.”

I stick my head out into the living room a moment later.  “I think, Lyric, that from now on, you can call me Mom,” I tease him.

This time he’s the one blushing as his eyes connect with mine.

“Just remember, son, Janna is my most precious girl.  Treat her right, please.”

Then I return to the kitchen to finish making their drinks.

“Lyric, will you play it for me again?” I hear Janna ask him. 

I smile, for I know she is going to record his song on her phone this time.

As the beautiful strains of In Your Presence begin to fill my living room once more, I catch my own reflection in the microwave door.  I see a very satisfied mother standing there.  Wondering how on earth her eldest children are old enough to each be receiving their first kiss on a snowy Christmas Eve spent at home with close friends.  This will be a Christmas to remember for sure.