December 12, 1899—It was raining snow outside in the morning, and clouds shrouded the sky.
Mion and Naomi were dozing, sharing the same bed, beneath the only comfortable blanket they had. Their chests pressed close, arms draped on each other's waists, hands close to their hips, and legs entwined, leaving no space for the cold air to seep in.
While from the kitchen, Futaba called out repeatedly. It was a quarter past twelve in the afternoon (12:15 p.m.), and they were still groggy and hungry.
Futaba yelled, "You both have been waking late, haven't you?! Wake up at this instant!"
Naomi was so exhausted that she didn't care to respond. Mion was no different; they both poked each other and pinched each other's waist, hoping the other would respond, but neither of them felt like speaking. Futaba's patience had reached its limit, and he was unbearably angry. He yelled again, and louder, "I'm done with you two! Mion! Get out of bed right now, or I'm going to beat you both!"
Mion couldn't bear Futaba's interrupting noise during her sweet dozing. Suddenly, Naomi pinched her waist so hard that she yelped, clutching her side in pain. Naomi hid under the blanket, covering her head.
Meanwhile, Futaba yelled continuously, and Mion retorted back at Futaba, "Father! Stop yelling at me! What's wrong with you? I was studying last night."
Naomi crawled out from the blanket and plucked Mion's ponytail. In retaliation, Mion grabbed her pillow and pressed it onto Naomi's face, snapping, "You're a bitch!"
Suddenly, the telephone on the hallway wall began ringing loudly—an incoming call from an unknown caller. Futaba was washing the dishes from yesterday, so with wet hands, he entered their room and gestured for them to pick up the call.
Mion's dizziness faded after the scuffle, so she got up and picked up the phone and dragged the receiver, tethered by its long, coiled cord, back to her room. She flopped onto the bed on her chest, yawned, and mumbled, "Who is it?"
It was Manabu calling from Taiju's home telephone, wondering if they'd join them for a hangout this instant. Mion perked up, since they would otherwise spend the day bored at home. Mion passed the message to Naomi, and both agreed.
Futaba, all ears, intervened immediately, saying, "No! You don't get to say yes to him. It's yes when I say yes! I hope you didn't forget about today's shopping plans, Ms. Yes-ma'am."
Mion's eyes flashed open as she glanced at today's date, December 20th, realizing they had planned to go Christmas shopping. Mion and Naomi had been insisting for days, pleading with Futaba to take them Christmas shopping, which wasn't possible for Futaba until December due to his demanding job. He had finally managed to carve out time for his daughters.
Futaba entered the room, took the phone from Mion's hand, and said, "Hello, Manabu, we're going out today. They've been saying for days that they wanted to watch a movie, and since Christmas is near, we have to finish our winter shopping. Sorry, kid! They won't be able to make it today."
How unfortunate. Still, Manabu apologized for bothering them and didn't press it any further, kindly wishing him a great day.
Futaba insisted he call him 'Uncle' when not on the school campus. Manabu promised, taking the request as an order, and respectfully ended the call.
"What a good kid," Futaba thought. As he turned around, Mion and Naomi were still rolling on their bed.
"That's enough!" Futaba snatched their blanket, yanked it away, tossed them both off the bed, opened the windows wide, and removed the curtains, letting the cold, snowy breeze in. They shivered like frightened squirrels, squealing and rushing out of the room. In her haste, Naomi slipped and fell on her ass. 'Ouch, my ass...'
They both took warm baths together and changed their clothes. Mion wore a white sweater over a collared blue shirt with a white muffler tied around her neck. She shampooed, washed, and dried her pink hair, and donned a black knit beanie to warm her head and ears. Her teeth were still chattering, and her hands were freezing due to the cold. It was 8 degrees Celsius today.
Naomi wore a long, thick jacket-style dress with heavy clothing underneath and a muffler around her neck, along with red-woolen earmuffs.
They spent hours primping in front of the mirror, much to Futaba's annoyance—they had wasted over an hour just getting ready. It was nearly 2:00 p.m.
They finally 'claimed ' to be ready. Futaba, relieved, vowed this would be his last outing with them. They cleaned up together and locked all the doors before leaving. They lived on the seventh floor of the apartment; there were apparently two scheduled guards for the apartment. Security had been tight ever since an incident involving Futaba happened a few years ago. Futaba met the guard at the entrance of the building. The guard was kind-mannered. Futaba was well-liked by everyone, too.
Futaba drove his car; Mion and Naomi sat in the back seat. Their initial plan was to catch the first showing of Daisies Diary, which they missed because of how late they went. The next show was two hours later, so they decided to complete their clothing and other shopping to kill time.
Futaba was looking for a space outside the mall's parking area, while Mion and Naomi already alighted, with Futaba catching up later. They both browsed shops, reaching the third floor to the women's section, and split up. Naomi always gravitated toward bold, sexy things, while Mion was more reserved and simple. Mion admired a sleek black leather purse with eight pockets and intricate gold detailing. Undeniably elegant, but quite expensive. Meanwhile, Naomi was picking out a medium-size bra for herself.
Suddenly, out of the blue, a woman on the ground floor screamed loudly, attracting their attention. A thief had snatched that woman's purse, slicing its strap with a knife, and caused a serious injury to her elbow. He bolted through the crowd as the woman's fiancé chased him. Futaba, nearby, tried to block his way, while Mion and Naomi rushed to the ground floor, spotting Futaba.
Just as panic spread, a tall man over six feet, with a thick beard and slightly white hair from age, swiftly intervened. He grabbed the thief by the throat, twisting his arm, from carpus to radius, and slammed him to the tiled floor with practiced ease. The purse and knife slipped from the thief's grasp and was retrieved in seconds, returned to its owner.
Everyone around was stunned but quickly helped the man restrain the thief, pinning him down until the policemen arrived and apprehended the thief. The grateful woman admired him deeply; her fiancé thanked him profusely. Curiously, the woman asked his name. With a deep voice and commanding presence, he introduced himself, "I am Daima Leonhard."
The woman's fiancé rewarded him with a thousand Daz[1], which Daima reluctantly accepted after their insistence. Mion, clearly impressed, stepped forward and asked, "Uncle, how tall are you?"
Daima wasn't surprised at all, since it was the most common question he was asked. "I'm six feet two inches exactly,"
Which was very surprising. He didn't stand out just for his height, but his appearance was very attractive. He didn't look as old as he said; his genetics seemed to defy his age. His eyes were sharp and haunting, yet he seemed genuinely kind, not intimidating. Mion remarked that she'd never seen anyone this tall. Taiju, at five feet eleven inches, was the tallest she knew, but six feet two inches was rare in Feropia.
"What's your name, mature lady?" Daima asked her. Mion blushed and stated her name, but Naomi interrupted and said, "It's time for the movie, Mion. Let's go!"
Mion apologized to Daima, for she seemingly had to go now. Futaba also thanked him and wished him a great day.
"Alright, mature lady, have a great Christmas. Mr. Futaba, see you soon," Daima just said that and walked his own way. But something felt strange to Futaba.
After the movie, the trio left the theater chatting and discussing. It was a great film; it was about family. Almost everyone cried, including Futaba; he cried in remembrance of his wife. (Mrs. Futaba, Naomi's mother, had died years ago when Naomi and Mion were young).
They wandered the snowy streets, enjoying the chill of the winter night under the visible moon. Futaba, weighed down with the girls' shopping bags, trudged behind like a pack mule. Mion and Naomi walked far ahead, discussing plans for the upcoming winter days.
Curious, Naomi asked Mion, "Do you have any different plans for this winter?"
Mion thought for a moment. "Not really, just spending Christmas day with you, Manabu, and the others."
Such a hopeless girl! Naomi thought and sighed. She was seriously expecting something better. So she asked, "That's all, nothing else?"
Mion frowned, walking forward, unsure where this was going. Naomi sighed inwardly. Mion had liked Manabu since childhood but was stupidly shy to confess. Naomi had tried countless methods, but Mion was hopeless, making Naomi look stupid instead for trying. How could three simple words, like 'I love you,' be so hard for this half-baked ass! Just three words, that's all. Yet she manages to mess up.
But suddenly, a mischievous idea sparked in her criminal mind. She decided to push Mion's complexfeelings a little further. She stuck close to Mion, shoulder to shoulder, and said, "Actually, Mion, I have some plans." Naomi began, feigning shyness, "A really special plan set for Christmas."
Innocent Mion's interest was piqued. What kind of Special-Plan? she wondered. Naomi pretended to look shy, then blurted, "I can't hold myself anymore. I am planning on confessing to Manabu that I love him; I want him deeply."
Mion's steps froze in the air, her face paling. 'Eh?' was all she could manage.
Naomi smirked inwardly but tried to keep her expression poker-faced.
Mion stammered. "You like Manabu? Why did you never tell me before?! And what do you mean by you want him deeply!?"
Naomi shrugged, continuing to play coy. "Because I was embarrassed to tell anyone, and I meant 'so in love' by 'deeply,' bitch... But now I've finally made up my mind that this Christmas, I'm telling him and Dad about my feelings!"
Mion's stomach twisted into knots. She didn't know what to do. She looked at Naomi walking away; her thoughts were rapid. She was falling into the trap. After a few minutes, summoning all her courage, she finally admitted, "Listen, Naomi. Don't hate me for it, but I like Manabu too, and deeply want him. And I also mean 'Love' by that 'deeply'."
Naomi tilted her forehead, trying to look annoyed. "Huh?! Why didn't you tell me that earlier?!"
Mion's face turned red. "I didn't know you liked him. And I was embarrassed too." She stammered excuses, but Naomi brushed all excuses aside. "You should have told me earlier," she said. "Now what?! You want me to sacrifice my love? Do you even know I have imagined my whole future with him?! My first time!"
. Mion's eyes reddened, tears welling up from embarrassment. "I don't know, Naomi, what should I do?!" She started hiccupping as she spoke.
"Stop crying like a baby; there's no point," Naomi said. She then pretended to think and proposed, "Here's an idea. How about both of us confess to Manabu on Christmas Day? Let's see who he accepts, deal?"
Mion, hesitant, found herself agreeing despite her uncertainty. "That's a deal," she muttered.They began walking again.
Naomi was hopping like a rabbit as she walked ahead, triumphant. Her thoughts were smug and victorious. It was decided they would confess together. Love is a complex emotion, and Naomi was a little frightened, hoping no sudden twist would ruin her plan.
At the end of the day, while Naomi and Mion strolled along the snowy path, engrossed in their banter and Christmas plans, Futaba lagged far behind, sprawled on the road under the weight of countless shopping bags. Passersby stopped to gawk, some whispering in confusion. One concerned man approached. "Are you okay, mister?" he asked, bending down, unsure whether to take him seriously. Futaba lifted his head and groaned, "Call an ambulance~"
But the man walked away, saying, "Nope, we're out."
After a few minutes, they were returning back to their car, then suddenly Mion and Naomi insisted on getting them a cotton candy from the cart nearby. Futaba stared at them like, "What the—"
At Taiju's house, Manabu and Mai were wrapping up their Christmas plans. The group had decided to gather on the 25th, including their families, for an evening of festivities and a visit to the Christmas Eve event in Christina Town, near Manabu's place.
Manabu left at 7:00 p.m. and returned back home. He took off his shoes and socks, shed his clothes, and collapsed onto the bed with a sigh. The room felt lonely, save for the picture of his grandmother on the desk beside him. He looked at her picture, memories of better days surfacing like echoes from a distant past. He could hear: "Manabu, dinner's ready!" "Manabu! Can you help me for a second?"
His grandmother's loud calls had turned into whispering memories. His head sank into the pillow. He remained still for a while and gradually fell asleep.
11:00 P.M. Feropian Investigation Units—
Investigator Kenzo, surrounded by paperwork and colleagues, each file adding weight to his already burdened shoulders, was in deep thought about a recent tragedy. Suddenly, the telephone rang; a call he was supposed to get hours ago. The call pulled him out of his thoughts. He went near the closest window from his desk and answered the call. "Hello? I am Kenzo, from Feropian Investigation Units!"
A voice on the other end whispered something. Kenzo's anxiety surged, sweat beading on his forehead. "Yes, sir, we are working on that right now. We just need a bit more time. Yes, sir!"
The staff, noticing his shift in demeanor, exchanged looks. Kenzo was always composed, but now tension radiated from him. They wondered who he was talking to.
"We will exterminate him; he won't be able to escape. Sir, are you sure it would be alright?—I sincerely apologize for asking this question!"
"Don't worry. Take your time, but the information shouldn't leak out there." Kenzo assured that they would manage everything precisely. The call abruptly ended.
Kenzo had never been so stressed before. He dialed a number, and after a few rings, the recipient answered.
"Hello, Leon? One of the members from CPUS-Units[2] had called just now! What's our next step?!" Kenzo spoke with urgency.
The voice on the other end, likely Leon, answered, "Erm… Did they? It will take a little longer than we expected. We've got a problem here, and we have to handle it first. There is unfortunate news. That girl didn't survive. I felt so sorry for her."
"I'm aware of that. Poor girl, she had to suffer for so long till she died. She lost her father too. I don't get it why would he do that? It's so messed up! Why did the organization have me doing it all in the first place! I wish someone else had to do it."
Leon responded, "I don't know either. Well, he's under the sight of the organization. And about the Santa things, we will handle it later. Take rest, I'll see what I can do."
Kenzo responded with a sigh, "I understand, the situation is getting out of hands. Have a good day." So the call ended. Kenzo returned to his chair and rest back on it. He rubbed his face; the day ended like that, as through the window, snowflakes drifted lazily down to the ground.
'The day had to end the way it wasn't supposed to,' Kenzo thought.
Mion and Naomi were trying the dresses they bought. Futaba was so exhausted that he had already fallen asleep. Taiju was engaged in a conversation with his mother about his Christmas plans with friends. Mai returned home before Manabu, taking a warm bath, combing and drying her shiny new hair.
The day had been full, and exhausting.
[1] Feropian Currency
[2] Centralized Political Unconventional Security Units