Chapter 4: Christmas

The month passed without any incidents. We received no news from either the agents or Korn. The world continued on its course, and therefore, the Christmas season arrived. During that time, we spent our days working, training, and decorating the house. We decided to buy some ornaments made up of little red fabric boots and a few tiny hats hanging from the staircase.

I had never been a fan of the December holidays. Even during my childhood, I saw this season as something stressful, since we would gather for Christmas dinner with relatives who were just as successful as my parents. Their children would arrive with diplomas, awards, and all kinds of academic achievements. On top of that, the Atenas family usually held a small sorcery competition to show the progress every member had made throughout the year.

And as always, I came in last place.

Sometimes, they did not even let me participate.

I could not blame them.

When I was fourteen, I tried to compete against one of my cousins, and the result still frustrated me from time to time. She created a steel sculpture with nothing but a snap of her fingers, while I could barely change the texture of an object.

The difference in skill and talent was brutal.

What had taken me ten years to accomplish, she achieved in less than a week. As a result, she advanced in her sorcery studies, and now she could even manipulate two magical pistols at the same time. But even she fell short compared to Sergio, my little brother.

A true prodigy, not only in sorcery, but in life itself.

My parents never grew tired of praising his achievements to the rest of our relatives, as if they were presenting a pile of gold. By the time I was fifteen, I had the feeling I would be disinherited someday. And that was exactly what happened on my sixteenth birthday. Instead of singing Las Mañanitas to me as they always had, they called me to the dining room to discuss the matter.

“You no longer have to train your sorcery, Lucio.”

That was what my father told me. His face showed a pain that was difficult for me to summarize. In the end, they blamed themselves for my failure. As the good parents they were, they took responsibility for their mistakes with me and apologized for not having educated me well enough.

There was no contempt.

No hatred.

Only disappointment.

And I did not hate them either.

How could I hate them?

They were my family. They took care of me until I became an adult, paid for all my studies, and made sure I lived a decent life.

How could I hate such good people?

As a disinherited son, the following Christmas was hard. My family did not invite me to dinner and decided to leave me at home with a generous amount of money. I always understood their reasons. The image of the Atenas family had to remain dignified, especially because of the history we carried since the viceroyalty era. Staining the name of a great family over one failed son was absurd.

Even so…

Not having to train sorcery anymore, and living without the chains that had been suffocating me, was relaxing. For the first time, I was able to enjoy life as a teenager.

I tried sports.

I went to the movies, attended parties, and tried to make a name for myself in society.

But I failed there too.

And finally, once my school life ended, my parents kicked me out of the house and never spoke to me again. We did not even say goodbye. I simply took my things and left.

Did they miss me?

Nah.

Impossible.

“Lucio, are you ready?”

Once again, Aria’s voice pulled me out of my depressing thoughts.

“Yes. Everything’s ready.”

Today was Christmas Eve.

The restaurant closed at 3:00 PM, since most of the employees were students from the local university or young people who still lived with their families. Because of that, the manager decided to give us the day off. After all, couples did not go to family restaurants on Christmas Eve.

Aria was dressed in a red coat, very similar to Santa’s. All she was missing was the Christmas hat to fully disguise herself as Mrs. Claus.

“It’s my first Christmas Eve!” Aria exclaimed, completely happy because of the Christmas atmosphere.

“Luckily, we already bought the presents and the turkey. I wouldn’t want to be those people over there.”

I pointed at a gigantic line inside the shopping mall. Like any good Mexicans, they had left their shopping until the last minute. Most of them were parents who had not bought their children’s gifts on time.

“You were right, Lucio. That line is huge!”

The Christmas season surprised my adorable companion quite a lot. From the very beginning, she did not take long to pull out her phone camera and take plenty of pictures, especially of the decorations full of lights that painted the night with a great palette of colors. Unfortunately for her, it was still daytime.

In most of the country, there were no snowfalls like in the United States, but it was cold enough to wear sweaters and coats out of necessity rather than style. Even so, the festive atmosphere was enormous. Stores filled their products with promotions, and events for the whole family crowded the main plaza.

There was even an ice rink!

I had never thought Christmas in this city could be so cheerful.

“And it’ll get worse once they announce that the toys have sold out.”

“I feel sorry for them,” Aria said while focusing her attention on a vendor selling Christmas hats. “Hey, sir, could you sell me two of those?”

“Of course, miss.”

The vendor handed my companion two little red hats made of simple fabric. They were not expensive at all, probably because many people used them for costumes or interior decorations. In any case, they cost only thirty pesos each.

“Thank you!”

And out of nowhere, Aria placed the second little hat on my head in one swift motion.

“There. Now I’m officially the new Miss Claus.”

“Don’t you mean Mrs. Claus?”

“No! Miss! Do I look like a married lady to you?”

“Uh… Look at those wax reindeer!”

To escape the situation, I had to point at an advertisement for a department store. It showed eight wax reindeer decorated with lights that had not been turned on yet. They were pulling a red sleigh with the brand logo on it, along with an inflatable Santa waving at the audience.

“Santa’s sleigh!” Aria exclaimed, paying no further attention to my lack of manners.

Suddenly, a little boy approached us with an embarrassed look on his face. A few seconds later, his older sister took him by the hand and looked us in the eyes.

“Excuse me, miss. Would you mind taking a picture with my little brother? He says you’re Santa Claus’s daughter. You know, b-because of the color of your hair.”

The girl must have been around sixteen. The little boy looked no older than five. His short height and mushroom-shaped haircut made me come up with that approximate number.

“Oh, of course!”

“M-Miss,” the little boy murmured. “Are you really Santa’s daughter?”

“Of course I am. My father gave me powers so I could see whether children have behaved well.”

“Really?”

The little boy’s eyes lit up. His innocence was truly adorable, so much so that his sister and I exchanged moved glances so we would not ruin the moment.

“Yes. I can see that you’ve been a very good boy. I’m sure you’ll receive wonderful presents this Christmas. You can count on it!”

Aria raised her right hand toward the sky and used her left to gently stroke the boy’s head.

“Thank you!”

The little boy showed a smile full of pure innocence. There was no malice, nor any hidden intention. Only a sincere joy that would probably disappear as the years went by.

Had I ever smiled like that in the past?

So full of hope and sweetness.

“Smile for the camera.”

His sister took the picture just as requested. In it, both Aria and the child looked happy. In the background, the district’s Christmas decorations could be seen, especially a huge tree covered in red and blue ornaments, the typical colors of Christmas.

“Thank you for your time. Have a merry Christmas.”

“Same to you!” Aria and I exclaimed as the siblings disappeared into the crowd.

“Santa Claus’s daughter,” I whispered. “In a way, maybe that child was drawn to your divinity. Don’t you think?”

“Maybe you’re right, Lucio. Children are a little more perceptive when it comes to understanding these things. Their minds haven’t fully developed yet, so they can sense the supernatural in a more subtle way.”

Aria sighed deeply. Then we continued our calm walk back home.

Before leaving, we had left the turkey almost ready to be baked. We had injected it with juice and seasoned it with spices, just like we saw online. Now all that was left was to put it in the oven so we could eat it.

Outside the shopping district, the streets looked calmer. The decorations were not as flashy, and at most, we could see the occasional door with Christmas stockings. It was only natural. Most people were already preparing their dinners or doing last-minute shopping.

“This is the first time I’ve made a turkey on my own. I haven’t had one for dinner since I left home.”

“Don’t worry. We followed every step from that online tutorial. Nothing should go wrong… In theory.”

“Yeah. In theory,” I said with a certain sarcasm in my voice. “I hope it turns out well. We spent a fortune on that damn giant chicken.”

“Have faith, Lucio! The power of Christmas will make us triumph over culinary inexperience!”

While the turkey roasted, Aria and I decided to watch Christmas specials on television. Most of the episodes were reruns from previous years, but since Aria had never experienced these dates before, it was quite fitting.

First, we watched a movie about a single mother who wanted to buy the best gift for her son. Along the way, she met a toy seller, and in the end, they fell in love and shared Christmas as a family. The comedic scenes blended perfectly with the light drama it presented. It was not heavy or unrealistic. In fact, I thought it was pretty good.

How had I never seen it before?

The second movie was more fantastical.

It told the story of a twelve-year-old boy who was already too old to believe in Santa Claus. Then, out of nowhere, a magical portal opened in his room, and in less than a second, he was at the North Pole. His mission: to find Santa Claus and prove to everyone that he existed.

The message the movie left behind was more abstract, something strange for a children’s film. It told us that the spirit of Christmas remained present regardless of age or beliefs, especially because, in the end, Santa erased the boy’s memory and helped him mature, but not before giving him one final farewell gift: a toy sleigh.

In the story’s epilogue, the protagonist, now married and with three children, gives his sleigh to his youngest child while telling him that perhaps an adventure will be waiting for him when he turns twelve.

“What a beautiful movie!” Aria exclaimed, happy with the film’s ending.

“It was pretty cool, honestly.”

“Santa Claus is amazing! He gives presents to children!”

“Only to the ones who behave. Have you been a good girl, Aria?”

“Of course. I’m sure I’ll receive presents this year. But seriously, you have no idea how jealous I am of Santa Claus…”

For a moment, Aria’s face showed a sad expression.

“Jealous? Why?”

“Remember, Lucio. Every legend has a grain of truth. In the past, there must have been a man with a great love for people. His love was so great that he continued to be remembered across millennia and eras. Did he have powers? Was he a mage? Was he only a good man? We’ll never know. The truth sank with him, but the legend remained afloat. The tale of the cheerful old man who gives smiles to children and awakens in parents the need to prolong their innocence for as long as they possibly can.”

Aria fell silent for a moment. The young woman took the Christmas hat and pressed it against her chest.

“I used to be like Santa Claus, a mythical being whose existence could not be proven. But unlike him, I couldn’t remain in people’s memories. I disappeared like an ember fading after a great fire. I’m no longer a goddess, but just for a moment, I would have liked to be an existence like Santa. Someone whose presence could bring joy to people.”

“You’re not that far off,” I admitted.

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Last Christmas, I was locked inside an office working overtime because I didn’t want to be alone at home. Even so, the boss kicked me out, and I had to eat roasted chicken from a cheap shop. Everyone around me was smiling. People were having a wonderful time, and I was here, alone, inside these four walls I couldn’t call home. No one called me. The room looked gray, and my only happiness was that I didn’t have to work the next day.”

I hated remembering the past. Those images slowly returned to my mind like a negative torrent destroying my current happiness.

“And then you appeared in that park. Now the house is full of Christmas decorations, there’s a turkey in the oven, and above all else… I’m not alone anymore. You’re my Santa Claus, Aria. Thanks to you, I’ve been able to enjoy Christmas for the first time in my life.”

Suddenly, my eyes began filling with tears.

Of course…

How had I not realized it?

Aria was my Santa Claus.

Without her, there would be no Christmas for me.

“Lucio…”

The young woman was caught off guard. She had not expected my tears, and neither had I.

“S-Sorry. Crying on Christmas… There must be something wrong with me,” I whispered, my voice almost breaking from the tears.

“You have nothing to apologize for!”

Aria hugged me.

The girl wrapped her arms around me and pressed her body against mine, just like she had done back when I returned home.

“Huh?”

“You’ll never spend Christmas alone again. I’m here now. We’ll always be here to help each other!”

Aria’s embrace softened. I could tell she wanted to cry, but she managed to resist at the very last moment.

“It must have been hard, right?”

“Yes, it was.”

“I’m here, Lucio. With you… I’ll be your Santa Claus forever. You’ll never cry on Christmas again. I promise.”

Not even Aria’s self-control was enough, because she cried with me too as we hugged on the sofa.

Damn it.

How was I not supposed to fall in love with her?

I wanted to confess my feelings, take her into my arms, and give her a deep kiss on the lips.

But I could not do it.

Though I certainly wanted to.

“Thank you.”

That was all I could say.

After a few seconds, we let go of each other. My face was red, and Aria’s was the same. How could it not be? Less than a second ago, we had sworn eternal promises sealed with a tender embrace.

“I’ll go check on the turkey.”

We did not touch the subject again after that conversation. When I returned to the living room to set the cutlery, Aria’s expression had returned to normal. She smiled at me and invited me to sit on the sofa, since she was going to put on one last movie before dinner.

“Oh, The Nutcracker. A classic,” I said, without any trace of my earlier sadness.

“Yes! Let’s see what it’s about.”

We enjoyed the movie without any major complications. Once it ended, we went to the kitchen to take the turkey out of the oven and immediately started setting the plates. Since there were only two of us, the bird was barely larger than a whole chicken. It could not compare to the enormous birds my family used to order from one of our relatives.

But at least it would be enough to satisfy us.

“Let’s see how it turned out. This is my first turkey on my own.”

I followed that damn tutorial’s instructions. This thing should be edible!

“You try it first, Lucio.”

“No, you first, Aria.”

“No, no, you first. You did most of the work, so you have the right to taste it before me.”

“I’m a gentleman. Ladies first.”

“An equitable world. Merit over etiquette,” Aria replied nervously.

“Fine, let’s try the turkey at the same time…”

I could understand her insecurity. There was a risk the whole thing had been a complete disaster. If that was the case, we would have no choice but to fill ourselves with bread and spaghetti.

“Okay. One, two… Now!”

We placed a piece of soft turkey in our mouths.

And then…

And then…

And then!

Bah. It did not taste that bad.

It was edible.

I chewed the food without making a big deal out of it. Indeed, the flavor was not how I remembered it from my childhood dinners, but at least it passed as a decent meal.

“Not bad, Lucio. It’s the best turkey I’ve ever eaten!”

“Because it’s your first one,” I replied with a smile full of sarcasm.

Aria simply stuck her tongue out at me and continued eating pieces of turkey with spaghetti covered in white cream. The typical side dish they used to make back home.

Watching my companion eat seemed funny to me. Aria brought large amounts of bread stuffed with pieces of turkey to her mouth, completely lacking manners or education. A behavior that contrasted far too much with her elegant and graceful appearance.

“I want more bread. I need bread.”

“We bought plenty. I don’t think it’ll run out today. Still, let’s try to eat as much as we can. Later it gets hard and tastes bad.”

“At your command! I hope I don’t gain too much weight after this feast.”

“If you gain too much weight, you’ll have to buy a new uniform. Still, you don’t have to worry. The customers will like you anyway.”

“How are you so sure?” Aria asked with her cheeks full of food.

Well, someone should teach this girl some manners.

But it definitely would not be me.

“Uh…”

Ah, me and my big mouth.

“Because your charming smile will calm them down. Besides, they adore you because of your attitude, not your body.”

That was half a lie and half the truth. There were waitresses just as pretty as Aria, but she added to her attractiveness with a positive attitude and smiles full of affection. Anyone having a bad day only had to see her smile to feel relieved.

“U-Uh… Thank you…” Aria whispered, embarrassed by my comment.

In reality, what I had thought was: “Because maybe you’ll become more voluptuous and attract even more people.”

But it was better for her to keep my words and not my thoughts.

After dinner, we moved back to the main living room. The clock read 11:30 PM. There was half an hour left until Christmas, so we decided to go to our rooms to bring out our respective presents. Like any good administration employee, my gift for Aria was already wrapped, arranged, and only needed to be handed over. However, the adorable white-haired girl insisted on stepping away to get hers ready.

“She hasn’t even wrapped it,” I thought.

I walked to my room to take out the decorated box I had prepared in advance. Then I looked toward the dresser and saw the smile I was wearing. For the love of God, how long had it been since I gave someone a Christmas present? My mind could not remember. Maybe it had been during the mandatory gift exchange in my last year of university, or maybe much earlier. I no longer knew. Those memories meant so little to me that I could barely recall forgotten passages, sad dreams that no longer had any influence today.

“It is better to give than to receive.”

That was what the spirit of Christmas dictated.

And for the first time, I agreed. I already wanted to see Aria’s face after giving her my gift.

“I’m sure she’ll like it,” I whispered.

I lay down on the bed for a few moments to kill some time.

Last year, I had been in this same room, staring at the ceiling and waiting for the moment I could sleep. There were no decorations, no presents in my hands, only a crushing silence that, until recently, we had managed to drive out of these four walls.

“Things change, whether for better or worse.”

The minutes passed quickly. Before I realized it, it was already time to go down to the main living room and exchange gifts.

Christmas was just about to begin.

“Just as I thought,” I whispered again. “Crafts.”

“I’m coming, Lucio…”

Aria came down the stairs carrying a poorly wrapped box. The paper was dirty and wrinkled, but my companion’s face showed brutal pride, as if it had been the greatest achievement of her life. Just this once, I would not say anything about it.

“Right on time. Come on, the Christmas countdown is about to start.”

We sat in front of the Christmas tree we had decorated together. It was small, with few ornaments and only a handful of lights coloring it. But it looked nice in our living room. It was the first time I had ever put one up. We had to buy it on sale right after I returned home.

The final ten seconds passed.

Nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one…

“Merry Christmas!” we exclaimed at the same time.

“Here. My gift for you…”

I handed her a medium-sized box. I had covered it with red paper full of Christmas decorations and a white bow on top. It looked quite flashy.

“Thank you. Let’s see.”

Aria was careful not to break the box with her fingers. Thanks to my wrapping, she had no need to make a mess or tear the paper too much. Then my dear companion’s face filled with stars, and afterward, a sweet blush appeared on her white cheeks.

“T-This is…”

“Yes, it is,” I nodded.

“A professional camera.”

The girl stared at the box for a few moments. Her eyes could not believe it.

“I-It must have cost you a fortune.”

“I know. I saved a lot to be able to buy it. Merry Christmas, Aria.”

“Thank you so much, Lucio. I’ll take beautiful pictures with this camera. You can be sure of that. Now it’s my turn…”

Aria handed me a slightly smaller box with fewer decorations, clearly made in a hurry. Even so, when I opened it, I was surprised as well.

“I-It’s… a new cell phone…” I whispered.

“Yes. The one you have is way too old. I saved a lot to be able to buy it. Merry Christmas, Lucio.”

“Thank you. Merry Christmas…”

The model was recent, a high-end one filled with very useful accessories. Aria had heard that I wanted to buy a new one for my birthday. However, she had beaten me to it.

Suddenly, fireworks filled the sky with colors.

The clock struck 12:00 AM.

It was Christmas.

“Let’s watch the fireworks!” Aria exclaimed, leaving the camera safely on the main table.

I did the same with the phone.

“They look beautiful,” I murmured.

I had always hated fireworks.

They were so colorful, and people gathered happily to watch them.

But I had no one. I hated watching them alone. It felt like a reminder of the bright world I had been denied since childhood.

“Not anymore.”

“Aria… I-I have an extra gift for you.”

“An extra gift?” Aria asked after watching the last firework explode in the sky.

“B-But I’ll only give it to you if you want it,” I murmured, my cheeks growing redder by the second.

“Just tell me already. What is it? I want it! I like presents!”

“All right.”

I took a deep breath.

I did not want to do it. My subconscious told me I should stop this farce at once.

But the opportunity was too perfect not to take advantage of it.

“Better to ask forgiveness than permission.”

Well, not really.

I quickly took the girl by the hips and positioned her in front of my face. Needless to say, her cheeks turned red faster than a volcano about to erupt. Mine were the same.

As a safety measure, I let two seconds pass in case Aria wanted to push me away or resist.

But she did not.

On the contrary, she became much softer and gentler.

I brought my lips closer to hers, little by little, slowly, just in case she decided to reject me and push me aside.

And again, she did not.

Time froze in that magical instant, full of joy and tension.

I kissed her.

I gave her a kiss on the lips worthy of a romantic movie.

My mind stopped thinking. The memory of Korn, the paladin, the agents, my job, society, wealth, poverty, life, death, existence—everything disappeared. The only thing I could feel was the taste of her fresh lips on this Christmas night.

Yes.

There was definitely no mistake.

None at all.

I could say it with all the certainty in the universe.

“This is the happiest moment of my life.”

When we separated, we both looked away. My heart was beating like a runaway truck going down a slope. Aria sighed deeply, then nervously played with her white hair.

“U-Uh…” she stammered.

“Huh?” I whispered, trying to get her attention.

“That was quite a gift you gave me,” Aria murmured, her cheeks burning.

“I like you, Aria… Will you be my girlfriend?”

Damn it. I sounded like an average guy confessing to a girl for the first time in his life. There were no grand poems, no philosophical phrases, and much less romantic music to accompany the moment.

Nothing.

Just her and me, standing beside the great transparent door that led to the backyard.

Although it was not the first time I had confessed to a woman…

No one had ever said yes to me!

Even in romance, I was a failure.

Five seconds of silence passed. I wanted to know her answer right away, but I could not pressure her either. It had been sudden. Her mind was probably a mess. Organizing her thoughts quickly was too much, even for her.

I sighed deeply.

She was definitely going to reject me.

I could already feel it, that uncomfortable sensation running down my back like a poisonous snake. Damn it. I should not have confessed. That kiss had been an impulse born from my desperation. I loved this former goddess like I had never loved anyone in my short life, but forcing my feelings on her did not feel right.

But had it really been forced?

I had given her several chances to push me away.

I had not even held her tightly.

Why had Aria not rejected me?

Was she considering my feelings?

Of course not. Girls like her would never accept failures like me. That was a truth anyone knew. I felt ashamed for having even a little hope. Once she had money of her own, she would surely follow her own path, without being tied to the first person she had met in that lonely park.

“What nonsense.”

“I-I…” Aria murmured, looking away.

That was not a good sign.

Her hands trembled, and her legs seemed to lose strength with every passing second.

Was rejecting me really that painful for her?

“Yes. I want to be your girlfriend.”

Huh?

Huh? Huh?

Did I hear that right?

Did she say yes?

“S-S-Seriously… Really?”

I stammered like an idiot. Aria turned away, even more embarrassed than before.

“Don’t make me repeat it. It’s way too embarrassing.”

“A-Are you okay with me? I’m a failure.”

“So am I,” Aria replied with a melancholic smile. “A powerless goddess who becomes more human with every passing day. I failed too, Lucio. But I haven’t given up yet! I’m sure that if we’re together, both of us can become winners. Besides, t-there’s no one else in my heart but you. You picked me up when I had nothing, and you’ve given me everything: a home, a job, and a reason to smile every day… How could I not fall in love with you?”

“Then…”

“Yes. We’re officially boyfriend and girlfriend now!”

And suddenly, Aria took my hands and smiled in a way I had never seen before.

“That’s right. We’re going to become better people.”

I intertwined her fingers with mine, and we looked at each other.

The white-haired girl who had magically appeared before me had become my girlfriend.

Santa Claus exists. She’s right in front of me, with a big smile that makes me happy every day. Christmas was reborn in my heart. I will treasure this memory for the rest of my life.