[Special] A Meowy Little Christmas Part 1

The hospital lobby smelled of disinfectant and sterile vinyl flooring as Hale signed his discharge papers at the reception desk.

Beneath his coat, a thick bandage was clearly visible, and with every movement a dull, pulling pain reminded him that his body was far from fully recovered.

“Please take it easy for the next few days,” said the nurse, a snow-white RagaMuffin, with a slight nod of her head. “And avoid any strenuous physical activity, nya.”

Hale smiled thinly.

“Of course.”

The Round of Sixteen is in four days already… how am I supposed to be ready by then?

The sky hung low and gray over the city as the hospital’s automatic glass doors slid open with a hiss.

Cold wind swept fine snowflakes across the forecourt, making the strings of lights on the streetlamps flutter softly.

A dark car was already waiting by the curb, its engine idling quietly.

Hiro stood beside it.

“Otsukare, Heiru-san. Are you holding up all right?”

Hale attempted an awkward bow and let out a pained groan.

“Thanks… for picking me up.”

Hiro took half a step forward and raised a calming hand.

“Iye, iye. Don’t do that, you’ll only hurt yourself.”

He studied him for a moment, his gaze moving over the bandages, the pale face, the tired eyes.

“And you’re sure you can already go home?” he asked at last.

“Don’t worry, Hiro-san. The wound won’t heal any faster just because I’m lying in a hospital bed. Besides… I’d rather not spend Christmas Eve alone.”

“Hm.” Hiro nodded slowly, then added almost under his breath, “Don’t worry. You won’t.”

As Hale sank into the passenger seat, he closed his eyes for a moment.

And as they drove through wintry Tokyo, the day, despite everything, slowly began to feel like something good.

When they finally arrived at the apartment, the place was already brightly lit inside.

The moment Hiro unlocked the door, a collective shout rang out:

“WELCOME HOOOME!!”

As Hale stepped out of the genkan, Koori and Mitsuki stood in the middle of the room, arms thrown into the air.

Both were wearing red Christmas hats with white pom-poms, Koori’s sitting slightly crooked, while Mitsuki’s was perched neatly atop her tousled hair.

They were dressed in fluffy knit sweaters, plaid winter skirts, thick tights, and cozy slippers.

Hale blinked in surprise.

“…W-what is all this?” he asked, bewildered, glancing at Hiro, who merely pointed innocently at Mitsuki.

“Don’t look at me, this was Kawashima’s idea…”

Mitsuki planted her hands on her hips and grinned.

“Koori-chan and I thought that since you’re being discharged today of all days, we might as well celebrate a bit Christmassy!”

“You… did all this just for me?”

Both of them nodded.

Koori stepped closer, carefully examining the bandages around his abdomen.

“Does it still hurt a lot…?” she asked softly.

“Enough to know I’m still alive,” Hale replied with a crooked smile. “But less than I feared. I owe that to you. You saved me, Koori. Again.”

Their marks pulsed, and for a heartbeat their gazes were fixed only on each other.

“I…” Koori started slightly blushing.

Then Mitsuki suddenly grabbed Hale’s hand.

“Come on now, the cake’s waiting!”

“Cake?” Hale raised an eyebrow.

“Strawberry shortcake!” Mitsuki declared proudly. “It’s not a proper Christmas celebration without it!”

And as the four of them settled around the kotatsu, the scent of tea and cake filling the air, Hale’s pain seemed to fade away for a while.

***

Some time later, after the cake had been completely demolished, Mitsuki glanced at her phone, suddenly jumped up, and clapped her hands.

“Alright! I should get going.”

Hale blinked.

“You’re leaving already?”

Mitsuki grabbed her jacket and winked at Koori.

“We’ll see each other later with the others!”

Koori nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“Mhm.”

Hale nearly choked on his tea as Mitsuki was already halfway out the door.

“Merry Christmas! And get some rest, Amiteji-sensei!”

“Y-yeah... Merry Christmas...“

The door shut.

Silence.

“Do you… still have plans?” Hale asked cautiously, turning to Koori.

She nodded.

“Mitsuki invited me. And a few others from class. We’re going to celebrate Christmas together. Japanese Christmas!”

A brief pause.

“Oh, so just a few girls from your class…”

But Koori shook her head.

“There’ll be some boys too. From other classes as well.”

Hale forced a smile.

“I see. And… what exactly are you planning to do?”

Koori thought for a moment, then began counting on her fingers.

“…First we wanted to visit the Christmas market in Roppongi. Mitsuki mentioned something about an arcade, but I don’t really know what that is… and after that, Kitty’s Fried Chicken.”

She shrugged.

“Apparently that’s a tradition,” she explained seriously. “Mitsuki said it’s very important.”

Hale rubbed his temples.

“Of course…”

He looked at her, she looked happy, but also somehow excited.

“And… do you know when you’ll be back?” he asked carefully.

Koori nodded and smiled at him.

“Before ten. I already promised Hiro-san.”

They exchanged a knowing look, and when Hale glanced questioningly at his friend, Hiro responded with an apologetic shrug.

Why am I even worrying so much? I’m not her father, and she’s not a teenager who needs supervision.

And yet…

Koori noticed Hale’s unease, though she seemed unable to make sense of it.

“Is… everything all right?”

I don’t want to spoil her fun. Maybe I really am being overprotective.

Hale forced a smile.

“No, no, everything’s fine. Just… please be careful.”

Koori nodded.

“Yes, of course!”

***

Later, long after Koori had left, Hale was still sitting at the kotatsu, staring absentmindedly at the closed door.

“She’s out with her classmates,” Hiro said calmly. “That’s a good thing.”

Hale’s mouth twisted.

“Yeah… of course.”

Hiro turned and studied him briefly.

“You don’t sound convinced.”

“What if that Tadamori ambushes her?” Hale said quickly. “Or one of those Neko gangs again?”

“Heiru-san,” Hiro interrupted gently. “No one would do that. Not with so many people around.”

Hale frowned.

“Do you really think so?”

Hiro nodded.

“And besides, they’re going to a classmate’s place later anyway. Tatsumoto-kun, I believe.”

Silence.

Hale slowly lifted his head.

“…They’re going to a boy’s place?!”

Hiro froze.

“Ah.”

A tiny hesitation.

“That… I may have forgotten to mention. But don’t worry, it’s just a classmate.”

Hale looked at him, eyes serious.

“They’re all just a bunch of teenagers. What if they start… giving her alcohol?!”

“In Japan that's not really...”

“She’s a goddess, Hiro!” Hale cut in. “Who knows what alcohol would do to her? Or what if they play spin the bottle?!”

Hiro opened his mouth, then closed it again, confused.

“…Spin… the bottle?”

Hale was already halfway to his feet.

“Or truth or dare! Or some other… nonsense!”

“Heiru-san...”

“I mean, what if one of the guys...”

He broke off, as if his mind had gone somewhere he didn’t want to finish thinking about, then grabbed his jacket.

“I’m following her.”

“What? You can barely walk!”

“I’ll go slowly.”

Hiro stood up as well.

“Heiru-san, please. You’re worrying too much.”

Hale hesitated, met Hiro’s gaze for a moment.

Then, resolutely, he pulled on his jacket.

“I’ll just check that everything’s okay.”

“You’re going to spy on her?”

“I’m just keeping an eye out, that’s all!”

Hiro sighed.

“That really isn’t necessary.”

Hale’s hand was already on the doorknob.

One last glance over his shoulder.

“I’ll see you later.”

And then he was gone.

Silence.

Hiro stood there for a moment, doing nothing at all.

Then he let his shoulders slump and sighed.

“Yare yare…”

***

Bright strings of lights stretched between the colorful stalls, their light reflecting off the thin layer of snow that covered the flat rooftops of the Roppongi Hills Christmas Market.

The scent of roasted nuts, sweet pastries, and grilled sausages hung in the air as Hale wandered through the crowd, his hands buried deep in the pockets of his coat.

What am I even doing here?

Maybe Hiro was right. Maybe I worry too much...

He let his gaze drift over the people around him, Nekos and humans packed closely together, moving past the market stalls with shining eyes.

Strange. There’s no sign of a two-class society here, like usually. It almost feels… harmonious.

A burst of laughter snapped him back to the present as he suddenly recognized familiar faces a little further ahead.

Hale froze.

Koori was walking in the middle, her red scarf wrapped tightly around her neck, her eyes gleaming as she listened to Mitsuki, who chatted animatedly beside her.

Both of them were holding skewers of chocolate-covered fruit, already half eaten.

Several other classmates surrounded them, shoulders brushing, everyone talking at once.

Hale’s heart skipped a beat.

“Oh crap!”

Before anyone could spot him, he quickly stepped aside and pressed himself against ther side of a nearby stall.

A moment later, the group passed by, completely unaware.

Hale let out a slow breath.

“That was close…”

He cautiously peeked around the corner and watched as they disappeared deeper into the market.

His gaze drifted onward.

Across the street, a brightly lit department store towered over the smaller market stalls.

Its display windows were crammed with Christmas goods, decorations, plush toys and costumes.

Hale stared at the building for a long moment.

Then he squared his shoulders and hurried inside.