"That was fun!" Chika exclaimed, as both her and You went out of the café Aqours had just had their Christmas Party. It was Christmas Eve – Christmas isn't until another hour over, but every other member of Aqours had left earlier for their personal reasons. Riko, because she had to catch a flight for their family holiday. Dia and Ruby, who unsurprisingly had a curfew – and well, Hanamaru had tagged along. Yoshiko, because the last bus only ran until so late. Kanan, who left with Mari, without any actual reason to them whatsoever.
You had stayed behind with Chika until the last of the others had went, because Chika had decided for You to stay over at her place that very night, just like every other of Christmas Eve prior of Aqours.
Their walk to Chika's home was brief, barely minutes, because the café was so near. Along the way they had their usual small-talk, plus some new ideas for costumes and song lyrics for Aqours, now that they'd done one for Christmas.
When they'd arrived, one of Chika's older sister was waiting by the front door.
"Geez, Chika! Why'd it have to be so late?" she groaned, "It's freezing out here!"
"You didn't need to wait for us." Chika pouted with a slight frown.
You barely chuckled silently to herself at the sight. Despite their rather rude exchange of words, You could see the bond between Chika and her sister – and she envies that, being the only child in her family. She follows them in, greeting the older sibling along the way, before making to Chika's room while trailing behind her childhood friend.
As soon as they reached Chika's room, You laid her bag down on the floor.
"Uwa, it's getting really late." The mikan-lover looked at the clock that hung on the wall of the room. This year, they had returned to Chika's house significantly later – because this year, was the first year Aqours had been together.
"The futon's at the same place, right? I'll lay it out." You began approaching where Chika had hid an extra futon. "I'll help!" her friend exclaimed, running over to her.
By the time everything was set, the time had ticked to just few minutes before Christmas hits.
Chika had laid in her bed, eyes staring directly at the ceiling above, while You made herself comfortable under the blanket of the futon, sleeping on her side, herself curled up behind it.
"Hey… You-chan," Chika started. "Did you even buy everyone's Christmas gift yet?"
The question had took You by surprise. At today's party, each member of Aqours had exchanged gifts with one another, except for You, who had been on only the receiving end, as she claims that she'd left her gifts at home when leaving for the party.
"Eh? O- Of course I did!" You turned over, facing Chika's bed.
"Hm? What did you get for everyone, then?" Chika, too, turned, and now they both faced one another.
"… Well, I've got a sketchbook for Riko-chan." You started, first mentioning the redhead whom she'd known to have loved drawing. "A neat blue sea-based necklace for Kanan-chan." She continues, going towards the other childhood friend of hers. "A red scarf for Dia-san, and pink for Ruby-chan," she looks away, "A snowglobe for Mari-san."
"What kind of snowglobe?" Chika intervened.
"It… has a little tree in it, in purple." You smiled. "A book for Hanamaru-chan, of course, and well… a dark and mysterious orb-thing the shop owner suggested me, for Yoshiko-chan, I suppose?"
And then silence commenced.
"What about mine?" Chika asked, swiftly breaking that slight moment of quietness. Shocked by the sudden question, You turned away, returning to the sideway position she was before, her face no longer looking at the friend of hers.
"It's a secret! I mean… it's no fun if I told you, right?" You immediately took the blanket in her hand and hid her face, covering it, so that Chika could no longer see it, nor could she clearly hear what the other is saying.
"Ehhhhhhhh? Come on, You-chan! I wanna know!" Chika pouted, though the ashen-haired could no longer see to react.
"You-chan, You-chan!" she repeated. You, beneath the blanket, danced on the futon while she laid on the back, moving each time Chika had called out to her – until she'd stop, and cut her in between.
"I'm sure whatever I got you is what you'd want!" with that, You covered her face once again, now unmoving, a sign of her being asleep.
Chika sighed, and she'd stopped her efforts in digging out what You had gotten for her. All she had was one clue – whatever her friend had gotten for her, it is surely what she'd want. But how could she know exactly what she wants?
The clocked on the wall ticked, and ticked, and ticked, until both hands aligned perfectly towards the number 12, signaling that it was midnight of the 25th of December – midnight, the start of Christmas.
Taking her eyes off the clock, Chika looked at her friend once again, who, while the blanket no longer blocked the air from her face, still her back were all she saw.
"You-chan…" Chika said, at last, "All I want for Christmas is you."
Of course, being unaware that the entire time, You was never, ever asleep.
The next morning couldn't come any sooner.
By the time Chika woke – which was, surprisingly early for her standards – You already left, futon placed back neatly as it was, a note of apology left on the nightstand beside Chika's bed. Her sisters seem to be aware of that, as they told her so as she exit her room.
In the afternoon, Aqours had a meet – save for Riko, who is now probably overseas, or at least, boarded on a plane – in which You had arrived a bit late, a slight of a mess, but with a bag full of stuff she'd missed the day before.
"Merry Christmas, everyone!" she shouted from the distance as she ran, full speed ahead, towards her club mates.
She'd approached them one by one, carefully handing out the exacts that she'd mentioned to Chika last night. A necklace for Kanan, a pair of scarves for the siblings, a snow globe for Mari, a winter-themed book for Hanamaru… and a questionable black orb-thing for Yoshiko, huh. Riko's sketchbook sits in the bag, awaiting their owner's return in a week.
"Sorry I hadn't had them wrapped, I guess I kind of ran out of wrapping paper at home?" You giggled playfully.
While everyone thanked her, Chika stood at the corner, being the only one who had been left out of this gift-giving ceremony. Until…
"What about Chika-san, zura?" Hanamaru asked, noticing Chika's lack of present in hand.
"Could it be, that it has been taken for the devils-" Yoshiko added, but Hanamaru quickly shut her up. "Stop that, zura."
"Ah!" You looked at Chika. "I—about that…" she scratched her head, her blue orbs not meeting Chika's reds. Chika, on the other hand, had already kept her eyes open at the bare minimum to see, sniffling softly, trying to hide the fact that she was about to cry.
"N- no, it's alright, there's always another time-" You ran over towards her and pulled her away, running towards whichever back alley was the nearest she could find. Upon separation from the rest of the group, Chika had already began crying, tears streaming down her cheeks as if it was a river.
"Chika-chan…"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Chika continuously wiped the tears off her face, while trying her best to keep her smile. "Something must be in my eye, haha." She tried to laugh as well, but all it came out was as an ugly shriek, with barely audible happiness, if not none at all.
"Chika-chan." You pulled Chika into a hug, patting her back. "Merry Christmas, Chika-chan." You buried her face on Chika's neck, her hands ruffling Chika's orange strands.
"M- Merry Christmas, You-chan-" Chika started to reply, but You had hugged her tighter than before, almost as if guilt was being channeled over to Chika.
"Chika-chan." You sighed, her soft, cold breath against Chika's neck, "This is your present."
You quickly let go of the hug, closed her eyes, and pressed her lips against Chika's. The other had her eyes widened – even her tiny little antenna hair twitched for a moment. Slowly, as she realized what was happening, did she too close her eyes and return the kiss she'd received from You.
If they hadn't needed air, perhaps, it would've lasted forever.
When they broke apart, both were grasping for air, yet with face flushed as red as perhaps – Ruby's hair colour. You was smiling, and Chika, too, but their smiles were different in their own way.
"That was your present, Chika-chan." You chuckled.
Chika laid her forehead against You's shoulder, eyes blinking open, shut, and open again.
"Y- You… heard…"
"Mhm." A big smile formed on You's face.
"But… do you…"
"I love you, Chika-chan. I've always had."
"Since when?"
"When did you start feeling this way?"
"When we were middle school, I guess…"
"Mhm, then maybe I was earlier."
You patted Chika's head, arranging the loose strands. Suddenly, Chika's head perked up.
"I love you, You-chan!" she shouted, prancing onto You, causing the both of them to tumble onto the ground.
"I love you too, Chika-chan."
"I love, love love you, You-chan!"
"Yeah, me too, Chika-chan."
"But I love, love, love, love-"
You swiftly grabbed Chika by the shoulder, the grin just as widespread on both their faces.
"I love, love, love you too, Chika-chan."
And so she brought their faces closer once again, melting under each other's warm embrace, and sinking as their lips meet once more, this time, far longer than they'd imagine.
At the corner of the alley, unaware by the two, were the members of Aqours, equally squealing over the lovely confession that just happened in front of them – oh, and Mari was with her phone, recording.
What a merry, merry Christmas.
