Date A Live Encore - Volume 3 - Chapter 6

Spirit Merry Christmas
Eyes are the window to the soul… just like this saying, there is power within sight, or to be specific, a stare.

 
The human eye is but an organ controlled by facial muscles. Though since the beginning of humanity, many thought the eye held incredible strength.

 
However, the power within the eye is not physical. It gives a slight tingling feeling when one’s being stared at. This feeling is, perhaps, a poetic form of detecting someone’s thoughts and wanting to understand they truly want to say.

 
But…

 
“…”

 
The power that Itsuka Shidou is feeling right now is so strong that he's beginning to wonder if someone is firing a beam at the back of his head.

 
The time is 6:30 p.m., Shidou stood at the kitchen as usual and was going to prepare dinner, but the stares are starting to be unbearable for him.

 
As sweat dripped down Shidou’s face, he glanced at his back.

 
6 pairs of eyes stared back at him.

 
From the right, Tohka, Yoshino, Natsumi, Miku, Kaguya and Yuzuru. Some have their backs against the sofa, while others are posing like they were going to pounce onto him; but all of them are staring at Shidou. It was as if they were sprinters waiting for the starting signal, or a predator waiting for its prey to show weakness.

 
“…Um…”

 
Shidou made a noise, unable to stand this awkward tension anymore.

 
“Maybe it’s time to tidy up that table over there…”

 
At that moment-

 
“‼ Umu! Leave it to me!”

 
“No way, this is solely my assigned responsibility!”

 
“Restraint. There is no need to dirty Kaguya’s hands. Yuzuru will work instead.”

 
“No, no, please let me do it‼”

 
“U-um… me too…”

 
“Come on～ let Natsumi help too～”

 
“I-It’s not like I wanted to…”

 
For some reason everyone was raising their hands at once. Then, as expected of the Spirits of the Winds, the Yamais were fast to start and were able to get the cloth first, but only to fight each other over cleaning the table soon after. Being only a step slower, Tohka held her fists tight with a look of regret as she made a “Kuu…” noise.

 
“Shidou! Is there anything else I can help with!? I will do anything!”

 
“Um… You, uh… I guess you can help me get the food to the table…?”

 
“Okay!”

 
Tohka's eyes sparkled as Shidou replied, carrying the plates of food lines up in the kitchen happily.

 
“Aann… This is so unfair!”

 
Next to voice her complaints was Miku. She spoke as if upset by her work being stolen by the Yamai sisters and Tohka. Next to her was Yoshino and Natsumi, who also didn’t manage to get anything to do.

 
“Is there nothing else for us to do, Darling?”

 
“Even if you say that, I…”

 
Troubled, Shidou furrowed his brows and scratched his head. However, striking the palm of her own hand, Miku seemed to have other ideas.

 
“Ah! How about this. We encourage everyone to work harder by singing a song～! Yoshino-chan and Natsumi-chan should join as well～”

 
“E…Eeeh!?”

 
“Hey… don’t just say things like that…!”

 
Yoshino and Natsumi’s eyes widened at her suggestion, though Miku paid them no mind. Not long, she closed her eyes and started singing with her beautiful voice.

 
“U-Umm…”

 
Yoshino’s eyes swum around indecisively, but she felt that she must do something to help Shidou. Now with her face fully reddened from embarrassment, she had no choice but to give in and joined Miku in her song.

 
“Hey—”

 
The shocked Natsumi choked on her words, as she soon realized that she was the only one not helping. Embarrassed and hiding behind Yoshino, she started singing as well, yet nobody could hear her voice― she’s only lip-syncing. Though whether she is doing it intentionally or not is another question.

 
This is such a strange and wonderful scene, Shidou thought, letting out a bitter smile.

 
While it’s not rare that Tohka and the others are volunteering to help Shidou like this, the level of enthusiasm today is just unusual― It’s almost as if it’s a dystopia where those who aren’t willing to work are sent to some sort of concentration camp.

 
Though their reasoning isn’t hard to understand― The Spirits just wanted to be “Good Girls”.

 
“Was it… a bit too much…?”

 
Shidou muttered as he recalled yesterday’s events.

◇

 
“Shi- Shidou! S-Some… bad… happen!”

 
20th of December. Tohka, the person that suddenly busted into the Itsuka living room shouted, seemingly out of breath.

 
It may have been because she was in a rush, but seeing her night-coloured hair stuck to her face with sweat, and her crystal-like eyes floating around in dismay, Shidou couldn’t help but widen his eyes in shock.

 
“W- What’s happening? Why are you in such a hurry?”

 
Shidou asked as Tohka tried to get her breathing in order.

 
“Com- Coming!”

 
“…Coming? What’s coming?”

 
“Some Santa guy‼”

 
“Huh…?”

 
Shidou stretched his neck to the side as Tohka blurted out the name.

 
“Santa… As in Santa Claus?”

 
“Umu, that guy! Ai-Mai-Mii told me about it, is that guy really going to come!?”

 
“Um… well, something like that, I guess?”

 
Unsure how to answer, Shidou scratched his cheek and furrowed his eyebrows in frustration.

 
“Santa…?”

 
Sapphire coloured eyes stared back from the sofa ― hearing Tohka, Yoshino and the rabbit puppet on her left hand tilted their heads simultaneously.

 
Seems like Yoshino doesn’t know Santa either. Makes sense. They’re Spirits, it’s only natural that they don’t know this world’s cultures and customs.

 
“Ah… Okay, where to start…”

 
“Fu… saying interesting things without me, Tohka?”

 
“Agreement. Please let us join your conversation.”

 
Shidou was trying to explain the concept of Christmas simply for the two, before being interrupted loudly.

 
From the source of the sound, two identical faces were found. The twins, who despite having indistinguishable faces have vastly different bodies, stood in a mysteriously cool pose. They are the Yamai sisters, Kaguya and Yuzuru. Like Tohka and Yoshino, they live in the Spirit Mansion next door.

 
“Umu, Kaguya and Yuzuru should listen too. We may need your powers after all.”

 
Increasingly confused as to what Tohka is thinking, Shidou’s head tilted, as if weighed down by the imaginary question mark above it.

 
But before Shidou even had a chance of asking what Tohka heard from her schoolmates, the excited voices of the Yamais and Yoshino overwhelmed him.

 
“Huh? Something that Your Ladyship requires our assistance with, seems like it’s a matter of seriousness.”

 
“Acceptance. Leave it to us Yamais.”

 
“So… What kind of person is that Santa guy?”

 
“Umu…”

 
Tohka nodded with a serious look on her face, and continued,

 
“Everyone, I’d like your attention. This man called Santa is said to come on the twenty-fourth this month, visiting children when all is quiet at night.”

 
“Huuhh…?”

 
Kaguya puckered her brows and pinched her chin from Tohka’s words.

 
“A suspicious person report? Sounds like a dangerous character.”

 
“Caution. This man has the nerve to foretell the date. Please describe his appearance in detail.”

 
“Umu… If I remember correctly, he’s said to be an old man with a long, white beard wearing a red coat and carrying a large bag.”

 
“…What a funky outfit.”

 
“Agreement. I don’t think he’s sane.”

 
“And, he flies in the sky riding a sleigh driven by reindeers.”

 
“He can FLY!?”

 
“Frightening. What a freaky monster.”

 
Hearing the Spirits of The Winds being afraid when they can fly freely themselves, Shidou could only chuckle in response. Despite making Santa out to be a complete weirdo, they aren’t completely incorrect― After all, if you pick out all the elements of Santa and analyse them one by one like this, he is definitely suspicious.

 
“So, um… that guy goes to children late at night when they’re alone, right? What does he do to them?”

 
Yoshino inquired with a worried expression. And then, with a serious expression, Kaguya and Yuzuru replied,

 
“I suspect that the large bag he carries has something to do with your question.”

 
“Affirmation. Since everyone is sleeping late at night, there can be only one possible reason. His bag must be full of kidnapped children.”

 
“W-wha…”

 
“Scary…”

 
Tohka and Yoshino’s voices started to shake. Though the Yamais kept their faces straight and continued,

 
“As expected, it’s a monster.”

 
“Agreement. Considering its similarity, the name ‘Santa’, is probably taken from ‘Satan’.”

 
“…”

 
After Yuzuru made such a conclusion, Shidou started to sweat profusely. By the way, “Santa” came from the word “Saint”, so what Yuzuru said was the complete opposite of its intended meaning. Even the great St. Nicholas will cry in his grave from being mistaken as Satan.

 
As much as Shidou would like to keep listening to this interesting conversation, the misunderstandings are starting to pile up. If this continues, the Spirit Mansion might be fitted with Anti-Santa Defensive Equipment in no time, and that would be dangerous for everyone.

 
Shidou had no choice but to correct them.

 
“Maybe you all misunderstood him… Santa isn’t a bad person, you know?”

 
“Really…?”

 
Tohka glanced at Shidou, still clearly distressed by Yuzuru’s deduction.

 
“Yep! Santa is a jolly old man that brings presents to children.”

 
“Presents?”

 
“Yeah, presents. If you hang a sock at the side of your bed, there’ll be a present in the morning inside waiting for you.”

 
“Muu… but… why is he doing something like that? Doesn’t he have anything better to do?”

 
“Why does he do that… if you ask me…”

 
Before Shidou could come up with a reasonable answer, Yuzuru hit the palm of her hand as if she noticed something.

 
“Realization. Yuzuru understands Santa’s true identity.”

 
“Oh? What is it then, Yuzuru?”

 
“Explanation. The matter is actually really simple. Why does he come in the middle of the night? Why does he target children? The answer is simple… It's a story made up by the parents to warn their children to not stay up late, ‘You still haven’t slept at this hour? Santa will come find you ～’ Something like that.”

 
“Ah, I understand now!”

 
“…No, It’s not like that either…”

 
Still yet to have convinced them out of the “Santa is a scary existence” view, Shidou opened his mouth at another attempt to correct them―

 
Not before being interrupted again, this time, by Yoshino raising her wavering hand.

 
“But… why does he give presents to children…”

 
“That’s right, and in socks too? What’s the point of doing that?”

 
“Explanation. Think about why parents want their children to sleep early… if you know why, the answer is clear.”

 
“Mu… I don’t understand, why?”

 
As Tohka tilted her head in confusion, Yuzuru raised a finger and lowered her voice.

 
“Elementary. It’s simple, if the children are still awake at midnight, it’s hard to perform bedroom activities.”

 
“…Cough, cough!?”

 
Yuzuru’s assumption was so wrong that, Shidou reflectively coughed, though Yuzuru doesn’t appear to have noticed. She continued,

 
“So, to keep the children in bed early, the parents made up this existence named Santa. The so-called ‘presents’ is likely just a euphemism for ‘siblings’, and such the socks having presents is just a metaphor for pregnancy.”

 
“O-Oh…”

 
“Um…Uh…”

 
“Muuu?”

 
Expressing their agreement in a faint voice, Kaguya and Yoshino’s cheeks dyed crimson.

 
Meanwhile, Tohka furrowed her brows yet again, seemingly confused.

 
“S-Stop! Stop it‼”

 
This is getting out of hand, albeit in a different way. This version of Yuzuru’s explanation is just as dangerous as the one earlier. Shidou waved his arms around and shouted for attention.

 
“Confusion. What is it, Shidou?”

 
“Listen, Santa isn’t who you think he is…”

 
Shidou cleared his throat with a cough, and finally got a chance to explain the concepts of Santa Claus and Christmas to the Spirits― How fun it is to celebrate Christmas together with friends and family, and how much children across the world look forward to the coming of Santa.

 
And so, the Spirits, who were doubtful at first, started to get excited. Near the end of Shidou’s speech, their cheeks were already flooded with pink, and their eyes glowed with anticipation.

 
“Wow! Sounds like so much fun!”

 
“I’m… looking forward to it too…”

 
“Kuku… So that’s what he is. Some sort of Saint, huh.”

 
“Question. Shidou, will Santa come to us as well?”

 
“Huh? That…”

 
Yuzuru’s question also brought the attention of Tohka, Yoshino and Kaguya. All of them stared at Shidou with steadfast eyes, waiting for his answer.

 
“Um…”

 
Those puppy eyes… Shidou couldn’t bring himself to say it, the fact that Santa doesn’t exist.

 
“Y…Yeah, he will… If you all behave and be good girls.”

 
Hearing those words, the Spirits looked at each other―

 
“…”

 
Then, as if they all agreed on something, they nodded strongly.

◇

 
―Fast forward back to this moment.

 
Shidou sat on the sofa and sighed.

 
He already finished eating and is now resting in the living room but… while his body is relaxed, his mind just wouldn’t be at ease.

 
In the kitchen is Tohka and Yoshino, one of them washes the dishes and the other wipes them dry. The Yamais worked together to clean the rooms while Miku got Natsumi in a deadlock and tried to keep everyone’s spirits up. Natsumi struggles, trying to escape Miku’s grasp, but to no avail.

 
It’s almost like being treated as royalty. Whenever Shidou stood up wanting to do something, someone would rush to his side and say, “Leave it to me! You should rest up.”

 
By the way, even Miku, who should obviously know about Santa Claus, and Natsumi, who knew most things about this world, seem to be playing along with the other spirits and helped as well. However, whether it is with the heart of watching something interesting unfold or mere peer pressure is unknown.

 
While Shidou contemplated his next move, a girl sat on the sofa next to him. She tied her long hair into twintails with black ribbons; despite having had dinner not long ago, she still somehow has the appetite for Chupa-Chups― She’s Shidou’s little sister, Kotori.

 
“Looks like you messed up, Mr. Santa?”

 
“Gu…”

 
Kotori’s mocking remark immediately deflated Shidou.

 
“Think before you speak, don’t make it difficult for us. Now the Spirits are looking forward to Christmas so much that there’s no way you can tell them that Santa doesn’t exist.”

 
“R-right…”

 
Shidou’s throat suddenly went dry, he reached for his black tea on the table. The liquid ripples in the cup as he picks it up.

 
Perhaps seeing Shidou in such a state triggered a switch in Kotori’s mind, she sighed,

 
“Hm… you really are hopeless. <Fraxinus> will provide the presents for you. On the twenty-fourth, please put them next to their beds.”

 
“! I-Is it… really okay…?”

 
“There’s no other way. If there aren’t any presents waiting for them when they wake up on the twenty-fifth, wouldn’t all their mental states be absolutely devastated? Do you really want Tenngu City to be turned into a wasteland?”

 
“Sorry… I owe you one.”

 
Shidou bowed his head in apology. Kotori looked away with a ‘hmph’ noise.

 
“…Well, credit where it’s due, you did manage to make the Spirits’ moods improve a little, so all is left is the ‘aftercare’.”

 
With a grunt, Kotori stood up from the sofa.

 
“Okay, now hurry up and get ready.”

 
“Get ready…?”

 
“Yep. You can’t just randomly give something to them as a present, right? Even if we can pretty much guess what they wanted, it’s still safer to do some research before acting.”

 
“Ah, right.”

 
Kotori isn’t wrong, the word “presents” contains infinite possibilities. It feels like Tohka and the others would be happy receiving anything but… if possible, it’s still better to confirm what they truly wish for.

 
“Hey, everyone～! Come here for a bit please!”

 
Kotori clapped her hands as she summoned everyone to the living room.

 
“Mu? What is it, Kotori?”

 
“So, on Christmas night, everyone will get a present from Santa Claus, right?”

 
They all nodded.

 
“So, can you tell me what kind of presents you all would like?”

 
“Mu…?”

 
Tohka’s face showed surprise as Kotori asked.

 
“Why are you asking, Kotori? Isn’t Santa Claus supposed to give us the presents?”

 
“Eeeh? Umm…”

 
Troubled, Kotori scratched her cheek, but replied,

 
“Well, I got Santa’s contact through some secret means, so you’re free to request whatever you want from him.”

 
“Muu… But Shidou said Santa has this wonderful power that lets him know what children want… does he not?”

 
“…”

 
Kotori threw a sharp gaze at Shidou. Shidou could only smile in response as he looked away in embarrassment. Well, he may or may not have exaggerated a little when he explained about Santa.

 
Kotori scratches her head, thinking hard to keep up the deception.

 
“Ah, well, here’s the thing. Santa’s telepathic abilities grows weaker the older his target is, that’s why―”

 
“Muu, I see. By the way, how old am I again?”

 
“…”

 
With Tohka’s remark, Kotori fell dead silent.

 
After a few seconds, she sighed loudly, as if filled with sudden determination.

 
“―You’re right, Santa should at least know what his targets want.”

 
“O-oi, Kotori…?”

 
TL Note: She’s already at “acceptance”

 
With Kotori wearing a face as though she already went through all five stages of grief, Shidou called out to her in a worried voice.

 
“But, just in case, on the twenty-fourth, you should all put a paper next to your pillows with what you want written on it.”

 
As Kotori finished, Kaguya’s eyes widened in surprise.

 
“But Kotori, if we do that then, would Santa still be able to prepare our presents before coming to us?”

 
Quite the reasonable observation. Other spirits nodded in agreement.

 
Then, as if answering her question, Natsumi said in a soft voice,

 
“…No, you don’t have to worry about that… because Santa- mmph!?”

 
Before she could finish what she said, Miku covered her mouth.

 
“Ufufu～ That’s no good, Natsumi. Let dreamers dream～”

 
Looks like it’s true, the originally human Miku and the wise Natsumi really do know the truth behind Santa. “Right, Darling～?” As if reading Shidou’s mind, Miku winked at him.

 
“Haha… well, that’s right.”

 
Without the mental strength to utter a proper answer, Shidou chucked. Kotori raised her lollipop to signify her intention of answering Kaguya’s question.

 
“Don’t underestimate Santa’s powers. The bag Santa carries is connected to the fourth dimension, so he can get anything he wants from his vast gift storage facility anytime he likes.”

 
“W-Whaaaa…!?”

 
“Surprised. What an amazing power.”

 
Kotori nodded deeply as the spirits gasped in surprise, and continued.

 
“So, don’t forget to write the memo before you sleep. Okay?”

 
The spirits nodded at the same time.

 
“Okay, dismissed! You can get back work now.”

 
At Kotori’s command, Tohka returned to washing the dishes and the Yamais continued to clean up the rooms. Amidst the chaos, Natsumi tried to escape again. But alas, she was caught by the ever vigilant Miku.

 
“O-Oi, Kotori…”

 
Glancing at the spirits, Shidou whispered to Kotori.

 
“What is it, are you upset? You know what they say, Shidou. You reap what you sow.”

 
“…No, well, I don’t have any say in this anyway… but, is it really okay for you to say that?”

 
Shidou’s words seems to have provoked Kotori, replying with a ‘hmph’, she said,

 
“Don’t look down on <Ratatoskr>― You’ll see for yourself. Whatever they request, we will be able to prepare immediately.”

 
If Kotori is willing to go to such measures, there’s nothing much Shidou could say either. He raised both of his hands in surrender.

 
Though― there is one thing left in his mind.

 
“Kotori, what do you want for Christmas?”

 
“Eh?”

 
Kotori’s eyes widened, as if she had been struck by a strange fantasy, but not for long. In seconds, she returned to her usual self, and crossed her arms, seemingly irritated. “Fumph. It’s not like I need it. I’ve grown out of the age to be happy about Santa.”

 
Kotori shrugged in an overexaggerated manner as she exclaimed.

 
By the way, Kotori also used to be a dreamy girl who wrote letters to Santa. But in second grade, Kotori saw, with her own eyes, her father trying his hardest to stuff her Christmas present down one of the socks, and never believed in Santa ever since.

 
But, since her dad didn’t notice that Kotori saw him, for three years Shidou witnessed the great tug-of-war between the father that still thinks that his daughter believed in Santa, and Kotori who couldn’t bring herself to tell her dad that he’s been found out out of consideration for him (It was only when Kotori was in fifth grade3 and she accidentally wrote about her being worried about her father’s health condition in the letter to Santa that this odd relationship between them ended. “Santa” no longer, that night dad gazed into a picture of young Kotori, drank heavier booze than usual― it was very memorable for Shidou indeed.).

 
“…What is it?”

 
Kotori asked with a confused expression. Perhaps Shidou’s inner thoughts were written on his face.

 
“Nothing… don’t worry about it.”

 
“You’re being weird. ―Ah whatever. Leave the preparations to us, you’ll just have to be Santa for the night.”

 
With those words, Kotori left the living room.

◇

 
24th December. Christmas Eve.

 
Because it’s a Sunday, The Spirits spent their entire day out shopping and decorating the house, and at night they gathered together in a grand Christmas party.

 
Large plates of Pasta and Salad, bite-sized rice croquettes and colorful carpaccio. The main dish wasn't turkey, but a large roasted Chicken was in place. With such wonderful food before her, Tohka’s pupils dilated in bliss and surprise.

 
The last dish was a cake to replace desserts. It’s a Christmas-styled cake, bought from the nearby cake shop, with Santa and Snowman-shaped sugar cookies as topping.

 
With only two cookies, it’s not a surprise when the tension between the Spirits grew. After an intense rock-paper-scissors battle, Miku won the Santa while Kaguya won the Snowman. Though with Tohka intently staring at the biscuits, Miku decided to feed half of Santa to Tohka through her mouth, and Shidou decided that it’s time to stop them. If he had the foresight, he would have prepared extra cookies, Shidou thought, regretfully.

 
After dinner, it’s the Game Time everyone long-awaited for.

 
The “Game” here does not refer to the competitive games Kaguya and Yuzuru often compete desperately in, but party games everyone can join in on. Jenga, UNO, The Game of Life and Pop-up Pirate; everyone played these games together and whoever got the most points in the end wins (there was Twister as well, but Miku was actively obstructing other players, so the match was cancelled).

 
Also, Shidou tried to call Origami a few times to invite her to the party, but for some reason, none of his calls reached her. Sometimes such a rare occurrence can still happen.

 
At ten, after the spirits tired themselves out playing with each other, they all returned to their own rooms, yawning with tired faces.

 
“Alright.”

 
And, a few hours later.

 
Already dressed in his full “Battle Suit”, Shidou slowly stood up.

 
Looking at the full-body mirror next to the shoe cabinet, he confirms his appearance.

 
A fluffy red and white velvet coat, long-ish boots and a leather belt. On his head a red and white colored hat, and a giant cloth bag on his shoulder.

 
That's right. Anyone living in modern Japan should recognize him on sight, it's the quintessential Santa Claus outfit, the perfect disguise, but, since they didn't know what to give the Spirits yet, the bag he is carrying is merely filled with packaging materials shaped in a ball.

 
“Okay, it's time to go.”

 
Shidou glanced at the clock hanging on the wall above him and muttered. It's already midnight; to be specific, it's 1:30 am on December 25th. At this time, all of them should have already gone to bed.

 
“Right, I'll leave it to you. There’s already an agent at the Mansion waiting for you, contact me once you find out what the Spirits want.”

 
Standing at the entrance, Kotori went “Fuaaa…” and yawned as she spoke. But, as soon as she realized what she was doing, she coughed to cover up her mistake.

 
“Sorry, you're tired already and I still had to stay up this late.”

 
“I don't know what you're saying. Anyway, the matter is in your hands.”

 
“Haha…okay, I'll be going now.”

 
Shidou opened the door as he smiled in responseー but, as he stepped out, his eyes suddenly widened in surprise.

 
Subconsciously looking up, his throat could not contain his excitement.

 
“Woah…”

 
“What is it?”

 
Kotori asked, confused. Without turning back, Shidou waved his hand at the Kotori behind him as he continued staring up.

 
With distrust and uncertainness, she slipped on her sandals and trotted next to Shidou.

 
“Ugh, what the hell is it this tim―”

 
And so, Kotori’s voice cut out before she finished complaining, and in moments, her expression matched Shidou’s as she gaped in wonder.

 
“Woah… it’s… snowing?”

 
Exactly. What their eyes are laying upon, is a completely different scenery from a few hours ago. Small, crystal white snowflakes danced in the darkened night sky, shining with the reflections from nearby streetlights.

 
The streets, the walls, the roofs of every building in the neighbourhood are coated with a thin layer of powdered snow. It was as if someone scattered sugar on a freshly baked cookie. With the moon peeking through the clouds, the streets glowed with dim moonlight. It was a beautiful sight to behold.

 
“It's so pretty… a white Christmas, huh. That's rare over here.”

 
Kotori said, lost in thoughts. She's right, with Tengu City being in the southern parts of the Kanto region, such a thing as snow in December is a strange thing by itself.

 
“But, it's such a shame. If it started snowing earlier, maybe the Spirits would have been able to see it.”

 
“Haha… I think, maybe the real Santa Claus saw how hard working you are for getting gifts to the Spirits and gave you a present too.”

 
“Wh-What are y…!”

 
Flustered from Shidou's statement, Kotori's cheeks dyed red.

 
Her eyes swam around in panic for a while, but it didn’t take long for her to calm down, as She turned her head away in an annoyed manner.

 
“Hmph. Leave those cheesy words for when you're conquering the Spirits, not me.”

 
“Eeh? Is it really that gross?”

 
“Yes, you're disgusting… I can’t believe you said, 'The two of us being able to see snow together tonight is a present from Santa Claus'; even the dirtiest of Playboys wouldn-”

 
“Hmm? Um, but, I didn't say anything about us two…”

 
“…!”

 
Kotori’s eyes widened, and before Shidou could even finish his sentence, she aimed for his butt and kicked hard.

 
“Ow! What are you doing, Kotori?!”

 
“Just shut up! Hurry up and get going!”

 
“Yes, yes…”

 
He obediently agreed. ―There’s nothing that can pacify an angry Kotori, Shidou knew this all too well. Leaving a trail of footprints behind him as he marched through the snow, he waved goodbye to Kotori.

 
Though, before he stepped out of the gate, he glanced at his back.

 
“Kotori.”

 
“What is it?”

 
“Merry Christmas.”

 
“…Merry Christmas.”

 
Kotori answered hesitantly, avoiding his gaze as she closed the door.

 
“Alright…”

 
After being seen off in this manner, Shidou hastened his stride towards the entrance of the Spirit Mansion.

 
Going through the automatic door at the entrance, he operates the intercom to enter the lobby.

 
Of course, typing in the room number and asking the Spirits to open the door for him is out of the question. Shidou enters the <Ratatoskr> admin override code, placing his hand on the machine as it verifies his fingerprints and pulse.

 
With a light electronic sound, the door to the lobby opens.

 
“Sorry for intruding…”

 
Shidou whispered as he snuck deeper into the Mansion. With the disappearance of chimneys in houses nowadays, it should not come as a surprise when Santa’s infiltration methods also became more high-tech.

 
By the way, the door Shidou just went through was treated with special, bullet-proof materials, no ordinary person can forcefully enter this building. Even the walls are robust and can handle almost anything from both the inside and outside.

 
Well, even if it’s built to withstand external attacks… The main objective of its sturdiness is more to protect others from when the Spirits suddenly go berserk than anything else, really.

 
“So, who should I start from…”

 
Shidou goes through the list of occupied room numbers in his head and contemplates his visiting order.

 
“The closest is… Tohka, right?”

 
Tohka’s room is Room 410 on the fourth floor. It wasn’t hard to remember as the room number coincides with the name Shidou gave her, taken from the date they met each other.

 
Shidou took the elevator to the 4th floor of the Mansion and stood before Tohka’s room.

 
Normally, the doors would be electronically locked, including this one. However, all of them are unlocked just for tonight. Shidou held onto the knob as he slowly opened the door, making the least amount of noise possible.

 
As expected, the room was completely dark. Shidou took out his handy flashlight before he quietly snuck in.

 
Cautiously treading through the corridor, he steps into the bedroom. Right in the middle of the large bed lays Tohka, snoozing off comfortably. Seeing that, Shidou’s pulse hastened as he re-acknowledged the fact that he’s setting foot in a sleeping girl’s room. Though, Shidou noticed one thing about the girl. The futon was not covering her belly at all, and it really bothered him.

 
“Ah… Why’d you kick your blanket off…”

 
Shidou quietly grumbled as he reached for the crumpled bed sheets below her feet, pulling it over her shoulders. Tohka squirmed and moaned, but she didn’t seem to have woken.

 
With a small, slightly bitter grin, Shidou walked over to the side of her bed. On the table, as Kotori instructed, lays a small memo, folded twice.

 
“Hum…What is it…what is it…”

 
Shidou directed his light onto the paper, it read:

 
“I want to eat a hamburg steak that is larger than any I’ve ever seen before”

 
“Haha…”

 
Such an iconic Tohka request, Shidou thought, unable to contain his laughter.

 
With oddly good timing, Kotori’s voice came in from the miniature radio in his right ear.

 
“How is it, Shidou? Found out what they want yet?”

 
“Yep. ‘Hamburg steak larger than any I’ve ever seen’, it says.”

 
“It’s Tohka, right?”

 
“You know?”

 
“No doubt”

 
Kotori chuckled as she replied.

 
“―Anyways, roger. Expect someone to come with the presents soon”

 
Soon after Kotori finished her remark, the door to the living room opened and silent footsteps approached.

 
Expecting a <Ratatoskr> agent, Shidou shone his flashlight at the person to identify their appearance.

 
“…!?”

 
―And he almost screamed. It was not who he expected, to say the least.

 
Well, such a reaction from Shidou isn’t unwarranted. After all, the person in question was a woman wearing a reindeer suit and a really sleepy face.

 
“W-what are you doing, Reine-san…?”

 
Shidou lowered his voice and inquired. That’s right, the reindeer is <Ratatoskr>’s analyst and Kotori’s friend, Murasame Reine herself.

 
“…mmh, I’m being a reindeer.”

 
“Why are you dressed like that…”

 
“That’s the countermeasures for if the Spirits wakes up”

 
Kotori answered. Well, whether they’ll believe it’s the real Santa aside, wearing such a costume does at least reduce the risk of being recognized immediately.

 
And you’re right to wonder how Shidou recognized Reine in the first place despite her wearing a costume, though the answer might be simpler than you imagined. It’s because the face part of the suit was meticulously hollowed out, revealing Reine’s face; and as if to compensate for it, they also stuck a red ball onto her nose. It was very strange indeed.

 
“…Anyway, here.”

 
Reine held out the bag she was carrying, seemingly unbothered by Shidou’s question.

 
“T-thanks…”

 
Well, there’s no point in stressing the details. Though Shidou couldn’t help but wonder when he took over the bag, what’s the point of carrying a bag himself if someone is going to deliver the presents anyway… but then again, when delivering presents, looking the part is important too.

 
Nodding as if to signify her work is done here, Reine turned around and took off, her round back was strangely cute.

 
“Hurry up, Shidou, time's a-wastin'”

 
“A-Ah, right…”

 
He should hurry up and hand the presents to Tohka, Shidou thought as he peered into the bag he was handed, but its contents took him by surprise.

 
Because what’s inside wasn’t the hamburg steak Tohka wanted, but ground meat, onions, breadcrumbs, eggs and an assortment of spices.

 
“Oi, Kotori, what is this?”

 
“What is it, you say? It’s obviously the ingredients to make hamburg steak”

 
“You’re telling me to make it here…!?”

 
“That’s how it is, Shidou. No matter how much presents I can stock up here, you can’t ask us to store a cooked hamburg steak here, it just isn’t possible”

 
“I-I guess you’re right…but, what’s the silverware for?”

 
Shidou asked as he grabbed a set of silver tableware from the midst of the ingredients.

 
“Gifting food isn’t a bad idea, but wouldn’t it be nicer to have something they can keep as a present?”

 
“I see… you’re right.”

 
“So, have you started cooking yet? You should be done by now if you weren’t talking”

 
Rushed by Kotori, Shidou sighed and left the bedroom, heading towards the kitchen.

 
Although the Spirit Mansion’s build is peculiar, its interior is just like any normal apartment, decorated with furniture and daily necessities. Looks like cooking here wouldn’t be difficult.

 
“It’s okay if it’s just a different room…right?”

 
After making sure the bedroom door was secured, Shidou turned on the light in the kitchen―it’s dangerous to work a knife in the dark after all.

 
Shidou washed his hands and began making the hamburg steak. Considering how large the portion is, Shidou had a hard time kneading the meat despite his experience in making this dish. After fetching the largest frying pan in the kitchen and pouring oil onto it, he placed down the meat, essentially covering the whole frying pan. It’s the first time Shidou had ever seen, let alone cooked such a large hamburg steak. It’s meaty aroma spreads across the room as the steak gradually cooks itself.

 
“Yosh, looks like it’s done!”

 
Shidou placed the steak onto a large platter for parties and condensed the remnants into a sauce, he then put the sauce into another container.

 
“Bang…bang…” As Shidou wrapped the steak up and was about to head towards the bedroom, he suddenly heard a strange noise.

 
“W-what was that…?”

 
Perhaps this Mansion is haunted, Shidou thought, until he realized that the noise came from the room before his eyes.

 
Yet to have dispelled his fears, Shidou slowly opened the door. Though, what awaited him was not a ghost or anything like that, but Tohka squirming in a worm-like position with her head on the door. Not only that, but her stomach was growling like it had a mind of its own.

 
Looks like the smell from the hamburg steak has caused some reactions from within Tohka. Relieved, Shidou smiled as he placed the dish on her bedside, then carried Tohka back to her bed, careful not to wake her up.

 
And right then, Shidou spotted the sock hanging on the wall behind the bed, but… it doesn’t seem like it’s possible to put such a big platter into the sock after all. If he really wanted to, he could have just forcefully stuffed the steak itself right in the sock, but just thinking about how gross it is to find an inflated sock dripping with meat sauce first thing in the morning stopped him― no matter how much you love hamburg steak, there’s no way you’d have any appetite after seeing that.

 
After some thought, Shidou put the silverware into the sock, gently set the plate over its opening and left Tohka’s room.

 
Next to visit is Yoshino on the same floor. Although Yoshino’s room number is smaller at 405, it’s more convenient to visit Tohka first due to its position relative to the elevator. And, like with Tohka’s room earlier, Shidou quietly opened the door and snuck in.

 
Yoshino is sleeping elegantly, her futon covering up to her shoulders. Her rabbit puppet ‘Yoshinon’ pokes her head out of the blanket, it was very cute indeed.

 
“Alright. So, what does Yoshino want?”

 
Shidou murmured, opening the memo on her bedside. It wrote:

 
“I would like to have a cute hat”

 
With a detailed illustration of her desired pattern and colour drawn with coloured pencils, as well as ‘It’s late, but please do your best out there, you have my support’ scribbled on the side.

 
“This is… huh…?”

 
Puzzled, Shidou read the note again. The present she requested wasn’t a problem, but the words of encouragement could very well be for Shidou.

 
“Meh, no use in thinking about it. Kotori-”

 
Before he could finish, he found another piece of paper on the table.

 
Shidou opens it, it wrote, with an odd handwriting:

 
“I want some new clothes～”

 
“That’s… Yoshinon, right?”

 
Mumbled Shidou as he continued reading the note. Like Yoshino’s memo, Yoshinon’s also details the design in the form of a drawing, with the additional note of ‘Yoshino is completely defenseless now, you can kiss her as many times as you like, Santa-san’. There was a bit of text before “Santa” that was covered with ink, making it normally impossible to read. Out of curiosity, Shidou put his flashlight under the redacted part, revealing ‘Shidou’ as its original text.

 
“…”

 
Yep. She’s definitely noticed. Whether Yoshino found out is unclear, but there’s no mistake that ‘Yoshinon’ knows the real identity of Santa Claus.

 
Droplets formed on Shidou’s face as he glanced at Yoshino; her porcelain, smooth skin and petal-like lips captivated him. She’s like a sleeping beauty, Shidou thought, as Yoshino’s light breathing resounds through the room.

 
Like ‘Yoshinon’ said, it looks like Shidou really could toy with Yoshino as he pleases right now.

 
Naughty thoughts Shidou never came across before flooded his mind, making him gulp audibly.

 
“Shidou, you awake? Hurry up and tell us her request”

 
“…! A-ah… Sorry. A cute hat, and clothes for Yoshinon.”

 
Shidou held his breath for a moment and answered, describing the requested design as drawn. “Okee, if it’s just that, we already got them ready right here. We’ll get them to you, just give me a moment”

 
With those words from Kotori, it didn’t take long for Murasame Reindeer to appear again.

 
“…Shin.”

 
“Aah, thanks…”

 
After handing the bag to Shidou, Reine Shakes her butt as she walks away. It didn’t look like she was doing it on purpose; perhaps the costume is a bit loose in that part, and even walking normally would cause such tremendous butt movements― no matter how many times you see it, the way she moves is just mesmerizing.

 
Scratching his face before reaching for the bag’s contents, the hat and ‘Yoshinon’s’ costume, and places them on her bedside.

 
“Alright…Now next would be, I believe, Kaguya and Yuzuru.”

 
With that, Shidou left Yoshino’s room and headed towards the 8th floor of the Mansion.

 
The sisters live in room 802. Seems like they were given this room due to its larger size than the others.

 
Opening the door, Shidou snuck in the room.

 
But the moment he entered, he realized something isn’t quite right― contrary to all the other rooms he visited earlier, the lights were still on, and sounds could be heard from the living room.

 
“Don’t tell me those two are…”

 
Shidou peeks into the living room, keeping on edge. And as expected, Kaguya and Yuzuru were still awake, playing fighting games on the TV. Seems like they’ve been at it for a while too.

 
“Ugh, these two… Just had to stay up after we told them to sleep early…”

 
Complained Shidou, his face tensed up as he spoke. At this moment, the girls started to speak:

 
“Heeyyy Yuzuruuu… You ever wonder when exactly will Santa come?”

 
“Unknown. I have not heard of the precise timing. Seems like you’re already tired, Kaguya.”

 
“Wha-! That’s definitely not true! Staying awake is a piece of cake! I’m not going to sleep without seeing Santa!”

 
“…”

 
Sweat wets Shidou’s face as he eavesdrops into their conversation. Looks like they’re not just staying up to play, but to catch a glimpse of the legendary Santa.

 
Though, it would be quite unfair to them if they were the only ones that didn’t get a present. Luckily, they’re playing in the living room, and the bedroom is empty. If Shidou were to get past them, leaving behind their presents before bailing shouldn’t be a huge problem.

 
“Looks like there’s no other way… Let’s go then.”

 
With determination in his chest, Shidou proceeded with caution.

 
“Suspicion. Is that true? There’s no need to force yourself.”

 
“W-what are you saying, aren’t you tired as well? Look, since like 10 minutes ago your combos have been suuper monotone.”

 
“Resent. That’s not true at all. You just didn’t notice Yuzuru’s fine movements because your attention span is lacking.”

 
“Ooh, reaally now? Seems like Yuzuru has a childish side to her too〜”

 
“Suggestion. If you think I’m tired, let's bet on our next match.”

 
“Hehe… Sounds interesting… So, what are we betting on?”

 
“Smirk. The one who loses will have to confess one thing she likes about Shidou.”

 
“Fufu-!? W-Wait, wait what!?”

 
Kaguya suddenly yelled in a high-pitched voiceー well, Shidou also almost did too. Such a bold statement about him in this tense situation was… unbearable, to say the least.

 
Now with his cheeks fully dyed pink, Shidou makes his way to the bedroom, breathing a sigh of relief as he finds what he’s looking for on the bedside. Shidou would really be stuck if they hadn’t prepared their requests by then.

 
“Kotori, here’s what they want. Silver accessories for Kaguya and a digital camera for Yuzuru.”

 
“Understood. I’ve got them right here, we’ll get them to you right away.”

 
“Ah, right― It looks like they haven’t slept yet so tell Reine to pay extra caution when entering the room.”

 
“Eh? They’re still awake? What a handful… Alright, I’ll tell her.”

 
A few minutes after their short exchange, Reine arrived at the Yamai’s bedroom.

 
“They didn’t notice you, right?”

 
“…Yeah. Seems like they’re too busy playing their game to notice me.”

 
“Really? That’s good.”

 
“…By the way, Kaguya shouted ‘He’s really gentle‼’ after she lost the game, do you have any idea what that meant?”

 
“…No, I don’t.”

 
Shidou replied, averting his gaze as he received the present from Reine, and stuffed it into the socks hanging behind the bed.

 
When they’re done, Shidou and Reine snuck out from behind the sisters. Seems like Reine is being extra cautious of knocking into furniture, pressing down onto her antlers and lightening her footsteps. Looking back, there’s no way she was unintentionally being this cute.

 
Luckily, Kaguya and Yuzuru just started a new match and didn’t seem to notice them. Shidou decided that now’s a better time than ever to scram, when the Yamais are still concentrating on their match.

 
Yet,

 
Perhaps Reine let her guard down for a second; her antlers suddenly bounced up like a spring, hitting the door frame with a clear, knocking sound.

 
“…Hmm?”

 
“Ah…”

 
Crap, Shidou thought. It’s already too late, they definitely noticed.

 
Hoping he was just hearing things, Shidou looked back towards the living room, but it only reinforced his fears. Kaguya and Yuzuru both leaned backwards from their sofa with their eyes wide open, controller still in hand.

 
“…Sa-Santa‼”

 
“Astonishment. There’s a reindeer too.”

 
“…‼”

 
Shidou grabbed Reine’s hand in panic as they made their escape.

 
“Haa… Haa…”

 
“…Looks like they’ve given up.”

 
A few minutes later, Shidou and Reine are panting heavily in a dark room.

 
After the duo got away from the Yamais, they hid in an empty room on the 6th floor.

 
You may ask, how did Shidou in his clumsy Santa outfit and Reine in her loose-fitting reindeer costume even get close from matching the speeds of the two fastest Spirits― well, they did almost get caught, but the moment the sisters got close to Reine, she took off the red ball attached to her nose and threw it onto the ground, creating a smoke screen and used the opportunity to escape… Needless to say, even Shidou was surprised by such elaborate preparations.

 
“Well… There’s only Miku and Natsumi left, yeah? I’ll trust you with the presents after I find out what they want.”

 
“…Okay, See you soon.”

 
Leaving the empty room, the two went separate ways in the corridor as Shidou continued his mission. Taking the elevator to the 9th floor of the mansion, he reaches Miku’s room, room 901.

 
Being an idol living in this world, Miku usually stays in her house in the city. But for convenience sake, she was asked to sleep over in the mansion for tonight.

 
Shidou warily opened the door and entered, heading towards the bedroom.

 
However, the moment he walked in, he noticed something odd.

 
―Because the bed is empty.

 
“…!”

 
The moment he realized this, Shidou tensed up. Perhaps Miku is, like the Yamais he visited earlier, still awake and looking for ‘Santa’, Shidou thought.

 
Though, scanning around the room he’s in, Shidou couldn’t sense a presence at all, and it seems like the bathroom is empty as well. None of the lights were on either.

 
“Huh…Kotori, you sure Miku lives in room 901?”

 
“Sounds about right, what’s wrong?”

 
“Miku doesn’t seem to be in here, I looked everywhere too.”

 
“Eeeh…? You didn’t go in the wrong room right?”

 
“No… I’m pretty sure I’m in room 901 right now…”

 
He aimed his flashlight at the bed as he recalled. The futon and the sheets were disarranged―seems like someone slept in it not long ago. Looks like she hadn’t bothered with leaving a note for her present either.

 
“She was here not too long ago… Where could she have gone…?”

 
“Hmm… Okay, we’ll check the camera feed from the corridor over here, can you go to Natsumi first?”

 
“Sure.”

 
There’s nothing else he could have done without knowing Miku’s request. Shidou made for Natsumi’s room as instructed.

 
Her room is hidden in the deepest corner of the topmost floor of the mansion. Seems like she specifically asked for that room, but recently she’s debating on whether to move to the same floor as Yoshino.

 
Shidou opened the door to Natsumi’s room and snuck in, quiet as a ninja.

 
He infiltrates the bedroom and shone his flashlight next to the sleeping Natsumi, searching for the memo.

 
“…Oh, here it is… Let’s see…”

 
It read:

 
“Book”

 
Just one, lonely word― Book.

 
Shidou squinted his eyes. Seems like there was something written but quickly erased besides the lone word.

 
With the help of his flashlight, he could just make out the words ‘Make-up set’ scribbled on the paper.

 
“Shidou, how’s it over there, got Natsumi’s request?”

 
Kotori inquired. After a bit of thinking, Shidou replied,

 
“A makeup kit and some cosmetics, as well as some How-To tutorial books in make-up.”

 
“Huh, didn’t expect Natsumi to ask for stuff like that. Perhaps she wanted to change herself a little, that somewhat makes me happy”

 
“Right? Ah, I almost forgot― Natsumi’s skin is a bit dry, so she’ll need a moisturizing lotion.”

 
“Yep, yep”

 
“Don’t forget the skin cream as well, she’ll need that. Also, you’ll need to give her a few different colours of blush and gloss, but make sure the colours aren’t too flashy, that would suit her more. Any book will be fine, but please put ‘How to do Basic Make-up Without Damaging Your Skin’ by Shinmeisha in the bag. That book should help her. Also—”

 
“Yes, yes. Understood, Shiori”

 
“…Huuh?”

 
Kotori calling him by that name seemed to bring Shidou back. Such detailed make-up advice normally wouldn’t come out of a guy’s mouth like this.

 
Meanwhile―

 
“mmmh… Guu… zzz…”

 
Low moans escaped from the bed. Perhaps Shidou’s enthusiastic instructions awakened Natsumi.

 
Though surprised by the sudden noise, Shidou continued to observe her. Natsumi’s making a scrunched face as if she couldn’t sleep at all, but seems like he was just worrying too much, Natsumi was still fast asleep.

 
“What is it? She’s not having a bad dre…”

 
Before Shidou finished his sentence, he noticed something.

 
Natsumi’s body seems extraordinarily large, and her futon was bulging in a strange way.

 
“…! Don’t tell me she’s—”

 
Natsumi’s powers allow her to change her form into anyone she desires. If she’s having a bad dream, her Spirit powers could be flowing back to her, causing her to involuntarily transform.

 
With that thought, Shidou pulled away Natsumi’s futon.

 
But, well…

 
“Aaan… You’re being very naughty…”

 
Instead of a transformed Natsumi, Shidou spots a sleep-talking Miku tightly clinging onto Natsumi, seemingly in bliss.

 
“…”

 
At a loss for words, Shidou puts the blanket back as if he didn’t see anything.

 
Now that Shidou looked carefully, it seems like there’s another piece of paper next to the bed. Looks like Miku just crept out of her room and got comfortable in Natsumi’s futon. Perhaps the unlocked doors today are just another Christmas present for Miku.

 
“U-um… I guess I should look at what Miku wants as well…”

 
He unfurled the paper.

 
“Darling ASMR CD for Sleeping (At least 3 patterns for each character)”

 
“…”

 
Shidou held his head.

 
“What is it, Shidou, did something happen?”

 
“…It’s nothing, it’s just that Miku…”

 
Responding to Kotori’s enquiry, Shidou explains the situation.

 
“Ahh… I see. Well, nothing we could do about that. Give us a sec, we’ll come up with a solution”

 
“There has to be a way to do this…” Shidou pictured Kotori saying to herself in a dejected voice as she tries her best to come up with a solution.

 
About 10 minutes later, a reindeer arrived at Natsumi’s room, carrying another bag. The red ball she jettisoned had seemingly magically reappeared upon her nose again.

 
“…Sorry to keep you waiting.”

 
“No, it’s fine, anyway—”

 
“…mmh, here.”

 
After receiving the bag from Reine, Shidou spotted the cosmetics and makeup kit he was looking for and took them out along with the makeup reference books, placing them on Natsumi’s bedside.

 
“So, um… About Miku…”

 
Shidou inquired, but his words were cut short by Reine shoving a book into his face.

 
“Mmh? What is th…is…?”

 
Looking at the cover, Shidou started to lose his voice.

 
Because what’s written upon it was none other than ‘Itsuka Shidou ASMR CD Script (3rd Edition)’.

 
Shidou turned to Reine. She seems to be fully prepared, laptop sitting on her thighs and headphones worn on top of her costume. She sets down the microphone in front of Shidou, completely set for recording.

 
“Is this your idea of a solution!?”

 
Shidou shouted, about to go insane.

 
“Why don’t you tell me if you can think of another way? It’s not like it’s an unreasonable request”

 
“Yes, that’s right! But what’s this (3rd Edition) Supposed to mean!? Were you preparing for this before? How could you get so many versions out so quickly!”

 
“Be quiet. You’ll wake them up”

 
“Guuu…”

 
With Kotori’s ‘Gentle Reminder’, Shidou had no choice but to shut up.

 
Then, as if to tell Shidou to hurry up, Reine gently pushed the microphone to Shidou again.

 
“Ugh… Fine…”

 
With this going on, Shidou is really stuck between a rock and a hard place. He shone his flashlight on the script and started to read the first page:

 
“…Hmm? You’re tired? Yeah okay, don’t bother me, just go to sleep. Huh? Why do you need me… Ugh, you’re so annoying… Didn’t I tell you to just go to sleep? Ahh, what’s that face supposed to mean? Fine… You win… Five minutes, okay? If you’re not sleeping in 5 minutes I’ll be leaving anyway, alri—”

 
“…Shin.”

 
Shidou’s face fully reddened from embarrassment as he read the Script out loud. But Reine stopped him before he finished the first page.

 
“W-What is it?”

 
“…You need to speak like you’re full of yourself”

 
“What do you meaaaaaaaannnnnn!?”

 
Shidou couldn’t stand it anymore and shouted.

◇

 
“Oof… I’m so tired…”

 
About an hour later, Shidou finished recording. Reine quickly edited and burned the data into a CD.

 
Shidou quickly placed the CD at Miku’s bedside and bid farewell to Reine, breathing a sigh of relief as he’s finally free from his task.

 
“Good work. You can come back now”

 
“Yeah… Good work to you too, Kotori. It’s okay if you go to sleep first if you’re tired.”

 
“Hm. Please don’t look down on me like I’m an idiot. Just this bit of… Fuaaaa…”

 
The end of her sentence jumbled up as she yawned. She coughed to try passing it off, but obviously she couldn’t fool anyone.

 
“See, you’re tired. Don’t push yourself too hard, you’ll get bad skin if you stay up too much.”

 
“Alright, fine… I’ll take your word for it and sleep now then”

 
Replied Kotori, in a tone as if she had no other choice but to listen to him.

 
“Goodnight”

 
“Goodnight.”

 
Replied Shidou as he took the elevator to the ground floor and left the mansion.

 
The snow from earlier has already stopped. Though the streets are covered in a light blanket of powder, it seems like it will all melt away before the sun rises. Maybe this really is a present for Kotori from the gods.

 
After Shidou locked the door, he went into his own room; but he’s not going to change just yet.

 
There’s one more thing he still has to do as ‘Santa’.

 
“Looking good so far…”

 
After spending some time wandering around doing nothing, Shidou took out a small box from a cabinet and quietly walked in the direction of Kotori’s room.

 
Shidou made sure Kotori really was asleep before he opened her door, and edged towards the sleeping Kotori.

 
“The snow was a wonderful present, but nii-chan won’t lose to anyone.”

 
Shidou said as he placed the box next to his sister’s bed.

 
“Merry Christmas, Kotori.”

 
Shidou said as he gently caressed Kotori’s head, and started returning to his room. “Well… Guess Santa’s job here is done tonight.”

 
But.

 
The moment he opened the door to his own room, he froze.

 
The reason is simple. Inside the room exists a person that wasn’t here just a minute ago.

 
The person in question was a girl of the same age as Shidou. Tidy, shoulder-length hair, and her tiny, delicate body are both her major characteristics.

 
“O-Origami…?”

 
Muttered Shidou, still stunned by her presence. Yes, she is Shidou’s classmate, Ms. Origami herself.

 
However, the major reason why Shidou is frozen is not just Origami’s presence. Despite how weird that fact alone is, there’s an ever bigger problem.

 
What’s covering Origami was not any sort of clothing, but instead pink-coloured ribbons.

 
And seemingly out of nowhere, she pulled out a giant, human-sized Christmas sock. She waved her arm inside the sock to spread the opening, and was about to enter.

 
―As if she’s the present herself.

 
“…”

 
Looking at Shidou’s (non-)reaction, Origami began to twist her body deeper into the sock.

 
“Hey! What the heck are you doing!?”

 
“Present.”

 
“What present!?”

 
“Me.”

 
“What do you meaaannn!? Get ouuuttt!!”

 
Shidou shouted. But, there’s nothing he could have done― he wants her to get out of his room as soon as possible, but touching her anywhere really is a no-go right now.

 
After thinking about Shidou’s commands, Origami took her feet out of the giant sock.

 
For a moment, Shidou thought she’d be a good girl and go home… But obviously it was wishful thinking. Origami opened up the sock with quick movements and bagged Shidou entirely.

 
“Muagahvugsuifaig…!?”

 
“Present secured.”

 
“Mmph!! Mmmmh!?”

 
Shidou helplessly struggled in the sudden darkness.

 
―In the end, Shidou proposed giving her the Santa costume he is wearing. It took an extra hour for her to accept it. “Shidou! Shidou!”

 
“Mmph… Ugh…”

 
The next morning.

 
What awakened Shidou was the energetic squeals from downstairs.

 
Before he knows it, the next thing he hears is the sound of excited footsteps up the staircase, and loud banging on his door.

 
“Shidou! Look! When I woke up there was a hamburg steak and a set of really beautiful cutlery on the table!”

 
“For me, it was… a hat… and…”

 
“Yoshinon’s clothes!”

 
“Listen to me, Shidou! In the darkness of the night, a red-clothed Saint and a mystical beast with giant horns appeared before Yuzuru and mine eyes!”

 
“Astonishment. Before Yuzuru noticed, there’s already accessories and a camera next to our bed.”

 
“Darling! Darling!! This is soooo niceeeee! I’m so happy I can’t sleep anymoreeeeee!”

 
“A-Ahh, Woah…”

 
Tohka with a giant plate, Yoshino with her new hat and Yoshinon with her new clothes, Kaguya with her silver accessories and Yuzuru with her camera, Miku with her oddly happy face, and being held hostage under Miku’s arm, a blushing Natsumi with a new makeup kit. The girls all rushed into Shidou’s room at once. There’s also Origami wearing a Santa costume that’s a bit too large for her standing in the background.

 
“Fuaaa…”

 
Shidou yawned from sleep deprivation as he slowly sat up. As tired as he is, he couldn’t just ignore the Spirits who were all excited about their presents.

 
“Oh, isn’t that nice? You’ve all been good girls this year, seems like Santa knew all about it and gave you all Christmas presents.”

 
Shidou said, and the Spirits replied with a happy but embarrassed smile.

 
And, the next moment, the door opened with a loud thud as Kotori busted in with a small pendant in hand.

 
“Shidou! T-This…!”

 
“Ooh! You got that as your present, Kotori? That’s pretty good!”

 
Tohka smiled as she noticed the item on her hand.

 
“Eeh? Ah-”

 
Perhaps she noticed something; Kotori stopped her words mid-sentence, and cast his gaze towards Shidou, seemingly mouthing to him, ‘Thanks’.

 
“Haha…”

 
Looks like Kotori received her present pretty well. Feeling a sense of achievement, Shidou stretched his back.

 
But.

 
“…? Shidou-san, what is that?”

 
Yoshino unintentionally spotted an item next to Shidou’s bed, and questioned.

 
“Eeeh?”

 
Shidou followed Yoshino’s gaze and looked on top of his bedside cabinet.

 
There was a small, beautifully wrapped box perched on the desk.

 
“This is…”

 
Shidou’s eyes met Kotori’s. There’s no way anyone else except her would do such a thing as give him a present, right?

 
But, Kotori shook her head as if she didn’t know anything about it. He then looked at Origami, Miku and Natsumi, they all reacted in the same exact manner.

 
“Seriously…?”

 
―Maybe, just maybe, Santa does exist after all.

 
Shidou held the present close to him as he looked into the blue sky.