[Special] A Meowy Little Christmas Part 2

“I’m telling you guys, Team Stronghold is making it to the finals. I’m sure of it!” Kobayashi declared, her braids sticking out neatly from beneath her knit hat.

“I don’t think so,” replied a bespectacled classmate. “Team Shingeki Nazo won all their preliminary matches as well. Their shadow magic isn’t something you can just brute-force past, no matter how strong Torao-kun might be…”

Kobayashi answered with an unimpressed look.

“What do you think, Kawashima-san?” she asked curiously.

“Hm… well, if you ask me, I think Ice Knight & Lava Kitten are going to take it!” Mitsuki said.

The others shot her skeptical looks as she winked at Koori, her arms folded behind her head.

“Don’t you think so too, Koori-chan?”

When a few of them turned to Koori, waiting for her response, she looked away and blushed.

“Well… um… maybe… I think…”

“No way!” Sato laughed. “Sure, their early matches were impressive, but what was that last fight supposed to be?!”

“Exactly!” Kobayashi agreed. “A team that throws each other out of the ring can’t have good teamwork.”

The others nodded, and Mitsuki noticed Koori’s expression darken.

“I’m sorry…” she whispered apologetically. “I didn’t mean for them to...”

But Koori lifted her head, determination in her eyes.

“I still think they’re going to win!”

Heads turned back toward her.

“Huh? And why exactly?” Sato asked.

Koori hesitated, searching for the right words.

“Maybe they had problems,” she said slowly, “but relationships are valuable not despite the effort they take… but because of it. And that’s why I think they’ll only grow stronger from this.”

She said the last part with such conviction that the others fell silent, before she added softly, almost shyly,

“I… learned that from a book…”

“Well, maybe,” the boy with glasses began after a pause, “but since we don’t even know who they are, there’s really no point in...”

“EHHH!? That line is huge!” Kobayashi suddenly exclaimed.

Everyone turned toward the storefront with the red-and-white striped signs.

Above it loomed the logo: a white-furred Neko head with a pointed mustache and glasses.

“…Figures,” Sato muttered. “Kitty Fried Chicken is always popular on Christmas.”

“So what do we do?” Koori asked quietly.

Mitsuki grinned with resolve.

“We line up, obviously! Otherwise it’s not a real Christmas!”

No one objected, and soon they were standing in the long queue, stretching nearly all the way back to the first stalls of the Christmas market.

Half an hour later, the wind bit sharply at their faces.

The line had barely moved, and even Mitsuki’s enthusiasm was beginning to crack.

“My toes are frozen… can’t we just go to Tatsumoto-kun’s place and order something from CatExpress?” Sato complained.

“I wouldn’t mind…” Tatsumoto muttered, rubbing his hands.

“But KFC is part of the experience!” Mitsuki insisted. “Suffering and anticipation. That’s how it works.”

A collective sigh went through the boys, and just as Kobayashi was about to argue back, the sliding doors of Kitty Fried Chicken opened.

Warm air spilled out, followed by a group of Nekos laughing as they carried several large red-and-white striped buckets.

Rinji Torao walked at the front, his tournament partner Kurogane Seika beside him, followed by two other Neko girls, and last of all:

Kuroha Nyarin.

Her gaze swept over the line and stopped on Koori.

Her ears flattened, her pupils narrowing, but she said nothing.

Koori felt it immediately and instinctively lowered her eyes.

“Hey, Torao-kun!” Kobayashi called brightly, waving.

Torao smiled calmly and nodded.

“Hello, Kobayashi-san.”

He glanced at the human students standing in line with her.

“You’ve been waiting a long time, huh?”

Kobayashi’s eyes sparkled.

“Well… um… yeah, we’re not even halfway there…”

Torao didn’t hesitate.

“Then why don’t you come with us?” he said warmly. “We bought way too much anyway, and there’s plenty of space at my place.”

Kobayashi’s eyes lit up.

“Really!? Then yes, we’d love to!”

She turned to the others.

“Right, everyone?”

A brief silence followed.

Koori and Mitsuki exchanged uneasy glances, and the boys didn’t look thrilled either.

“Wait… we’re going with them?” Sato muttered.

Murmurs rose among the Nekos as well.

“With… humans, nya? They’re kind of…” one of the Neko girls whispered.

Kuroha’s face tightened as she tapped Torao’s shoulder.

“Torao-senpai… is that really a good idea? Some of those humans haven’t exactly been kind to us Nekos…”

Her gaze lingered on Koori.

Torao raised an eyebrow.

“Christmas is a time for sharing and forgiveness, isn’t it? Besides, it’s originally a human holiday. I think it’s a good opportunity to get to know each other better.”

While uncertainty lingered among the others, Kobayashi had already nodded enthusiastically.

“Then it’s settled! You know, Torao-kun, I’ve watched every one of your tournament matches...”

Koori hesitated, then leaned toward Mitsuki.

“…Do you really think this is a good idea?” she whispered. “After everything that happened…”

Mitsuki lowered her voice.

“Don’t worry, Koori-chan. Torao-kun isn’t like the others. I think…”

“If you say so...”, Koori said softly.

And so the mixed group finally set off together.

As they walked, Mitsuki glanced back one more time.

A few stalls away, half-hidden behind a wooden facade, stood a Santa Claus with a long beard and cat ears, clearly watching them.

When he noticed her looking, he quickly ducked behind a stall.

Mitsuki blinked, then shook her head.

“…Weird guy. Probably a pervert,” she muttered, hurrying after the others.

Behind her, the Christmas market filled once more with voices, laughter, and music.

And a very nervous Santa followed the group at a safe distance.

***

When the group finally reached their destination, Hale stayed back, waiting until they disappeared inside the spacious estate.

Right… Torao-kun’s family is among the wealthiest at the school.

Warm light glowed behind the large windows, silhouettes moving, laughing, gesturing.

Hale crept along the shadow of the tall hedge, the fake beard slipping slightly from his chin.

Carefully, he peeked through one of the windows.

Inside, the groups were clearly divided.

Humans on one side.

Nekos on the other.

Everyone kept their distance, talking only among themselves.

Only Kobayashi-san and Torao-kun moved somewhat freely between both sides, trying to spark conversations that usually fizzled out after a few seconds.

Koori stood beside Mitsuki, hands wrapped around a cup.

Hale swallowed as he immediately sensed her discomfort.

Then someone clapped their hands.

Torao.

“Alright,” he said with a laugh. “This is stiffer than a parent-teacher meeting.”

A few awkward noises followed.

“Exactly!” Seika agreed. “Let’s play a game! Something physical!”

Murmurs spread through the room.

“With them?”

“They’re way too slow and clumsy, nya…”

“Come on, it’ll be fun,” Torao grinned. “We’ll draw teams, mixed ones!”

Reluctantly, everyone gathered and wrote their names down, dropping the slips into a container.

Hale felt his stomach tighten as two names were drawn in succession.

“Sakuya Koori… with… Kuroha Nyarin.”

Both froze.

Kuroha grimaced, Koori stared at the floor, but no one objected.

Hale held his breath.

After everything between those two... this could become very unpleasant...

Maybe I should do something. But what?

But before he could plan anything, they were already up next, facing another team.

The course was set: left and right legs tied together, raw eggs placed in spoons.

“On your marks… get set… GO!”

Chaos broke out after only a few meters.

Koori pulled left, Kuroha right.

“You’re going too fast,” Koori called carefully.

“You didn’t say you wanted me to wait, nya!” Kuroha snapped back.

“I did say...”

Too late.

Koori stumbled, yanking Kuroha by the tail.

“NYAAAAHHH!”

Kuroha yowled, flailing for balance.

They toppled sideways, straight off the course and into the table piled with food and drinks.

A cup tipped over, bowls flew through the air.

Moments later, all kinds of dips and sauces were generously splattered over both of them.

Silence fell.

“Y-you idiot, nya!” Kuroha shouted as Koori stared at the sauce on her fingers and cautiously sniffed it.

Hale’s heart stopped.

Damn it, I have to do something right now, or...

But then:

one loud, unexpected laugh.

Torao.

Seika joined in, clutching his stomach.

“That… was honestly hilarious,” he wheezed.

A giggle followed.

Then more laughter.

Mitsuki, Kobayashi, the boys.

The Nekos laughed aswell.

Koori and Kuroha blinked, staring at each other in confusion.

Sauce on Koori’s nose.

Sour cream on Kuroha’s lynx-ears.

And finally, they laughed as well.

At first unsure.

Then genuinly.

The tension in the room seemed to melt away, replaced by warmth and noise and easy voices.

While a Neko with water magic helped rinse the sauce from their hair, while Mitsuki passed around towels and laughter spilled freely through the house, Hale remained at the window for a moment longer.

He watched Koori smile, really smile, and felt the tight knot in his chest slowly loosen.

Seems... like she’s okay.

A quiet breath left him, a crooked grin tugging at his lips as he shook his head.

Then, at last, he stepped back from the window, turned away from the house, and disappeared into the night.

***

The Christmas market had grown quieter by now.

Some stalls were already closed, others cast only dim light onto the packed snow.

Hale wandered aimlessly between them, hands buried in his pockets.

Eventually, he stopped in front of the large Christmas tree, its lights shimmering like stars in the glossy ornaments.

He sat down on the low edge surrounding it, let his shoulders slump, and sighed softly.

Let’s be honest…

His gaze drifted to the lights.

I didn’t follow her tonight because I’m responsible for her.

Not because I have to protect her.

He closed his eyes briefly.

But because I…

“There you are.”

Hale startled, snapping his head up.

Koori stood a few steps away, hands clasped behind her back, a gentle smile on her face.

“K–Koori?” he stammered. “How did you know where I...”

She lightly tapped her chest.

“Did you forget that we’re connected through our marks?” she said calmly. “Of course I know where you are.”

Hale swallowed as it sank in.

Of course.

All this time…

“So…” His voice dropped. “You knew I was nearby the whole time?”

Koori nodded.

“Mhm.”

He swallowed again.

“And… you’re not angry?” he asked carefully. “That I… followed you?”

She tilted her head, thinking.

“Why would I be?” she asked. “I know you just want to look out for me.”

A small smile.

“…Just like I look out for you.”

Hale found himself speechless.

“Koori…”

She suddenly pulled something out from behind her back.

A small, carefully wrapped gift.

“Merry Christmas, Hale.”

He stared at it as if she had handed him something impossible.

“For… me?”

He slowly opened the paper, revealing a small box.

Inside lay a pendant made of dark volcanic stone, smooth in places, rough in others, warm despite the cold, with a faint shimmer within.

Hale drew in a sharp breath.

“It’s…” he whispered.

Koori shifted shyly from one foot to the other.

“I was shopping with Mitsuki-chan,” she explained. “I wanted to find something right for you, but everything felt wrong…”

She smiled timidly.

“Then I overheard an older woman saying that handmade gifts are still the most beautiful.”

She looked at him, uncertain.

“So… I made this myself. With my power. The power of Fujisan.”

A brief pause.

“Do you like it?”

Hale’s vision blurred.

“It’s… wonderful. Thank you.”

Koori blinked in surprise.

“Oh! Then why are you crying?”

He laughed softly, wiping his eyes.

“Not all tears,” he said gently, “come from sadness, Koori…”

He put the necklace on, the cool stone resting reassuringly against his chest, and looked at her.

“We should head home soon. Otherwise Hiro-san will start worrying.”

Koori nodded.

“Yes.”

And together they made their way home, while behind them the Christmas tree continued to glow softly in the snow-covered streets of Tokyo.