Disclaimer: La Corda D'Oro: not mine. (sniff…not even on Christmas Day. )
I finally got around to writing a Christmas fic. (giggles) Please be kind. XD
Kahoko quietly tucked her head inside the practice room, eyes deftly scanning its orange-tinged walls. She checked every nook and cranny, disturbed as many shadowy corners as she can; yet, as its predecessors, the room had been desolate, bar the baby grand piano in the middle. She sighed in defeat, and padded her way towards another room.
It was close to five in the afternoon, and she was still at the campus, looking for someone.
Damn Amou-chan and her crazy ideas. Why can't she invite him herself?
Kahoko halted, and exhaled some of her worries. "What else can I do? I'm already here anyway."
She resumed her footing, and arrived at the last practice room. Routinely, she snuck her head in, and when she found it empty, she closed the door, and proceeded to lean against it.
"Where could he be?" she murmured to herself.
She had checked the usual places he would be in—in the practice rooms, on the rooftop, heck, even along the hallways, yet, there was no sign of him anywhere.
"Maybe I should just go home," she sighed.
Kahoko walked along the corridors, her mind all but drifting towards her bathroom and her warm tub. Hah…how nice that would've felt. She looked at her wristwatch—4:48 pm.
"Well, I've still got a some time before I'm missed at home," she told herself. "Maybe I should just get this over with, and if Amou-chan bugs me about this tomorrow, I'll tell her how I really feel—that she should just go and invite him herself."
She nodded forcefully, a look of pure determination sparkling in her eyes.
"Oh, who am I kidding? I can't tell her that," she all but moaned. "Hnn! Kami-sama, help me!"
Just as she was about to fling herself into the nearest window, a familiar melody drifted into her ears and the sweet sound of a violin vibrated through the air.
"Ah!" her head jerking up. "Why didn't I think of that?"
Three minutes later and a pair of very run-out legs found her in the academy's courtyard, following her ears for his location.
After all, nobody in the academy played the violin the way he does.
She found him in a small clearing—the very same clearing she had run to when her guilt of managing to place second had almost consumed her.
Kahoko padded her way towards him—cautious, lest he may suddenly wheel around, find her annoying, and she finds him gone. She stopped a few feet from him, allowing some space between the two of them—some space for him to finish his playing, some space for her to admire him.
Some space for them to think.
It was hilarious that she, of all people, would forget about his playing—no, not the way everyone heard his music: precise, high-skilled. Yes, it was all that, but only she experienced how he could truly play: transparent, sweet, powerful, passionate. And she revelled in it more than anything in the world.
She stayed rooted to her spot, eyes closed, heart afloat in his music. How long has it been since he listened to him play? The moment she had decided to close her ears to him, she knew she had to stay strong and stand by her decision.
Of course, her friends would never let that happen.
Her eyes fluttered open, and she found him facing her, a most earnest look shining through his eyes.
And she found herself drowning in his golden gaze once again.
Len knew Kahoko was there the moment she stepped into the clearing. The wind carried her scent—a mixture of strawberries and raspberries—and it wafted through his nostrils, nearly suffocating him. After all, no one else would smell the way she did. No one would smell as sweet as she did.
He found it ironic that he still couldn't figure her out, yet he knew almost everything that could tell him that she was within his close proximity—her voice, her smell, her way of speaking, even to some extent, her footsteps.
And her music, that above all.
Upon realizing that fact, he knew that he must've felt something deeper for her than friendship.
Thus he told her. He told her how she invaded his thoughts, how he grew to like her—love her.
He told her how she changed so much about him.
Once he did, though, he immediately regretted it.
Yes, he knew that he'd change their relationship, that they'd never look at each other the same way again.
Heck, he wasn't even sure if he could look at her from three feet away without somehow blushing.
But he never really expected her to shy away from him. She was, after all, a sunny person.
So, he did what he thought would be the best course of action—let time pass.
He must have startled her, he concluded.
But how he missed her—he missed how she could make him smile, missed how her voice seemed to smooth away his troubles, and missed how her sparkling eyes could make his day.
Most of all, he missed how their music resonated.
Len turned towards her, surprised to find her there, eyes closed, smiling sweetly. Like old times, she was there with him, listening to him play. He smiled weakly, a wave of regret once again threatening to consume him, to overpower him.
If he hadn't told her, she wouldn't have avoided him. He could've just admired her quietly, and they'd be going on the way they used to.
Unfortunately for him, some things just can't be changed.
He saw how her eyes opened, and endearingly noted how her eyes seemed to become a deeper shade of gold against the setting sun. He steeled himself to meet her gaze, and almost thought of stopping his playing. Yet, he didn't stop his violin from singing, instead, played more vigorously, more passionately than he had thus far.
And he found her eyes sparkling amidst unshed tears.
Her eyes welled with tears the moment her eyes met his. Again, she wished for time to stand still and she held his gaze as though there won't be any tomorrow for them.
And who knows? Maybe there wouldn't be.
He lifted his bow in completion of his playing, and quickly tore his eyes away from hers. He turned around, and half-kneeled, tucking his violin away.
"Is something the matter, Hino?" his voice barely above a whisper.
She felt her heart clench at his voice, and she hastily dried her tears.
"A-ano, Ts-Tsukimori-kun," she all but muttered.
He regarded her through the corner of his eye. "Hmm?"
"Well, you see," she fidgeted. "Amou-chan was planning a party you see…for Christmas and…"
"I'm sorry," regaining his almost icy exterior. "But I have other plans."
Her head whipped up. "Huh?"
"I'll be quite busy for the next few days," he lied through his teeth. "I have some things I need to attend to."
"I see," she said, her head dropping a bit. "I understand. We'd be really glad, though, if you were able to make it."
"I'd be happy if you were there."
This part she half-whispered.
But he had heard, and he almost slapped his ears for playing tricks with him. Still, he felt an indescribable amount of guilt surge up against his throat. She must have gone through a lot of trouble to find and invite him for the party Amou was planning.
Especially given the botched up relationship they currently had.
"When is it?" he heard himself asking.
Again, her head snapped up, hope filling her eyes. "Excuse me?"
"If it's quite close to Christmas day," he continued. "Say, the twenty-second or something, I think I may have some time."
Her eyes lit up fully this time. "Really? It's going to be on the twenty-fourth at around seven pm, Fuyuumi-chan's place."
He pretended to consider this. He had, after all, nothing planned on that day.
Or on any other day before or after that, as a matter of fact.
"I don't have anything planned on that—" he began to say.
He found a pair of arms hugging him, and a very red head right under his nose.
"Thank you, Tsukimori-kun!" she breathed out. "Thank you so much."
They stayed like that for a while. It took everything Len had to stop himself from snaking his arms around her and hugging her tightly. Thus, he only stiffened, and stared at the girl clinging quite tightly to him.
Sensing their rather 'awkward' position, she quickly tore her body away from his, her face almost the colour of her hair.
"Sorry," she said feebly.
"That's alright," clearing his throat.
She silently collected her thoughts and reminded herself to breathe. Once she had calmed her raging heart she turned towards him and smiled.
"I guess I'll see you around, Tsukimori-kun," she said. "Oh, by the way, we'll have to meet tomorrow. Something about gifts and stuff during the party."
"Right," was all he could muster.
"That settles it then," she said, giving him half a wave and a smile. "See you tomorrow, Tsukimori-kun."
Just as she was about to turn around and leave, he smiled back.
"Be careful on your way home."
She stopped, her eyes once again travelling towards his.
"Thank you. Be careful, too."
He had never missed anyone so much in his entire life, yet it was a happy kind of missing. He was surer than before that he did like her, and that he'd do anything to have her in his life again.
He smiled, more openly this time.
Maybe, there's still hope left for an Ice Man such as him.
Kahoko clutched her coat tighter around her as she walked home. She looked up towards the setting sun, her eyes dancing merrily. She was happy—and she found the reason for it quite odd.
She was able to invite Len to the Christmas Party.
Well, it was one less problem to think about. Nami can be quite the nag after all.
But aside from that, she had been happy to be able to see Len—to hear his violin sing in a voice only she could inspire, to see his lips curl ever so slightly in a smile he reserved for her alone.
She was content that, even for a moment, they were able to talk and be around each other the way the used to.
Hey, maybe her happiness didn't seem so odd after all.
She was stupid—she knew that much. She was stupid for even thinking that she could ever do well without him in her life. Even if neither of them cared to admit it, they had become the best of friends—in their own unique way.
With him, she needed no words to express her feelings, certainly no tears to tell him something was wrong. One look was all it took from her, and he'd give her several songs just to brighten her day.
She had missed having Len as a friend-more than she was actually willing to admit.
And maybe…
…maybe it's time she stopped running from what they had.
"Amou-chan!" Kahoko waved her arm frantically at her friend. "Amou-chan!"
Nami looked up from her notepad, and threw a playful frown at Kahoko. "What kept you, Hino-chan? We've been waiting for you, y'know."
"Gommen ne," she said, catching her breath. "A little trouble in class."
Nami's eyes glinted, and she inched towards Kahoko. "Care to tell me something juicy?"
Kahoko fidgeted. "N-no, no. Nothing juicy. Just the usual errands, is all."
"Really…" Nami's eyebrows furrowing. "Are you telling me the truth?"
Everyone watched in disbelief at how…pushy Nami could get. Kazuki stared at her fearfully, Azuma smiled rather nervously, Len tried to mask the obvious disgust in his eyes, Shoukou searched for the strength to stop her senior, Ryoutarou sighed tiredly, and Keiichi…
…let's just pretend he's awake and was sympathising.
Just as Nami was about to bombard Kahoko with more questions, her notepad was torn away from her hands and held beyond her reach.
"Cut the exhausted girl some slack, Nami," Ryoutarou said. "She's practically suffocating, and that's how you comfort her?"
"Fine," Nami grumbled. "Now give me back my notepad."
Ryoutarou absently flipped her notepad back towards her, leaving Nami little time to catch it.
Kahoko, sighing from her sudden brush with death, mouthed a 'Thank you' to Ryoutarou, and quickly sat herself beside Shoukou.
"A-are you okay, Kaho-sempai?" the girl managed to ask. "Tired?"
Kahoko smiled. "I'm okay. Thanks for the concern, Fuyuumi-chan."
Just as she sat down, she felt eyes boring through her skin. Following the possible source of her discomfort, she found Len staring directly at her, his eyes unfathomable. She offered him a smile, but upon seeing her reaction, he quickly averted his eyes, and found fascination in the ground.
"Okay," Nami said before Kahoko could further react. "The Christmas party is in a few days—on the twenty-fourth at seven pm, Fuyuumi-chan's house, to be exact.
"In the spirit of Christmas, and of giving, we'll be having a secret Santa sort of thing."
She took out a small, shiny box. "Each of us will be writing our names and three things we want for Christmas on pieces of paper. Then, we fold it and put it inside this box. Once we've all dropped our papers in here, I'll pass this around and we pick a piece of paper.
"Oh, by the way, the things you list down need not be material.
"When you've read the wish list, you decide which one of the three things listed this person needs, and you give that on Christmas day.
"Of course, if you accidentally pick yourself, you'll have to return that piece of paper and fish out another one. Questions?"
They all shook their heads.
A few minutes later, Nami started to pass the box around.
"You're not allowed to tell a single soul who you were able to fish out," she said sternly. "That's classified stuff."
"I've got to hand it to you, Amou-chan," Kahoko giggled. "This is a nice idea, although it isn't exactly avant-garde."
"Whatever Miss Late," Nami retorted. I haven't forgotten the possible stories I could torture out of you. Just you wait."
Kahoko only chortled nervously at that threat from Nami.
Len had done nothing but watch Kahoko during the whole meeting. And based on what he had observed, she had been a lot happier since their previous meeting the day before. She even seemed more comfortable around him, going as far as smiling at him when she noticed how he stared at her.
He smiled inwardly. "I just hope this keeps on," he thought.
He quickly ducked his hand into the box as it passed his way, and groped about for his piece of paper. He took it out and opened it, slowly reading the name written in bold characters.
"Merry Christmas, Fuyuumi-san," the group greeted Shoukou's mother. "And good evening!"
Shoukou's mother smiled at them. "Good evening, everyone. Merry Christmas. It's so nice to have you here."
She motioned for them to come in.
"No, thank you very much for allowing us to party at your house," Kahoko gushed.
"Really, it's no trouble at all," she said, shaking her head. "Thank you for being friends with Shoukou. She hardly invites anyone over. I'm glad she's finally breaking out of her shell."
Azuma laughed. "We promise to take good care of your daughter, ma'am."
"That's good to hear. It gets quite lonely for her on Christmas eves. Her father and I—well, we're usually away on business dinners and things like that, so Shoukou is usually alone. It's good for her to have someone here."
They only nodded at this discovery.
"We'll be going, then," she said. "Oh, by the way, make yourself comfortable. Shoukou is in the entertainment room. If you need something, don't hesitate to ask the house helps, alright?"
"Thank you so much," they said, bowing.
With that, they were left to look for the living room.
Kahoko looked around her, amazed at the sheer mass of the Fuyuumi mansion. It was almost as big as an entire wing of the Seiso Academy. Each main hall was adorned with crystal chandeliers, almost all the furnishings were trimmed with gold leaves, most of the paintings were life-size, and the walls—don't even start with them.
Kazuki gulped nervously. "I knew Fuyuumi-chan was well-off, but I never imagined all of this."
"And I thought their vacation house was big," Kahoko said, nodding at his statement.
Moments later, they found themselves standing in the doorway of the biggest room they had ever seen in their entire lives. Even Keiichi and Len were wide-eyed with utter disbelief.
"It's almost as big as an entire house," Ryoutarou whispered.
Nami's eyes glimmered. "Do you know what this means, Hino-chan?" she tugged at Kahoko's arm.
She looked at Nami quizzically, "Uh, no?"
"This could be one of the biggest feature stories in the school organ!" she practically squealed. "Just think. Fuyuumi-chan's family: their history and whatnot, how they became like this, etcetera! I have my coop, Hino-chan."
Kahoko only sighed. "I don't think Fuyuumi-chan will be very happy abut that Amou-chan."
Nami ceased her jumping. "Why's that?"
"Never mind," Kahoko said. "In any case, could you lay off the journalistic work for a while? It's Christmas. Just give us a break."
Nami grumbled. "Fine. In the spirit of giving."
"A-ano, minna-san," Shoukou approached them. "Why don't you come in? It must be uncomfortable just standing by the doorway."
Much to their surprise, a full-course buffet had been laid out for them. And they though the room was the only surprise.
"Are you sure it's alright to eat here, Fuyuumi-san?" Azuma asked. "It's your entertainment room. We might make a mess of it."
Shoukou nodded her head. "Okaa-san said it's the best room to hold a party with my friends. But I think she went overboard with the catering and stuff."
"You got that right," Kazuki thought as he passed a glance towards the buffet table.
"At any rate," Nami said. "Why don't we begin?"
Nami looked at her watch—9:30 pm. "Okay, guys, I guess we better start with the secret Santa thing."
Everyone sat down in a circle, each of them looking expectantly at the other.
"This is how we'll do it," Nami said as she flopped down on the floor. "We'll use this bottle to see who'll start. Kind of like a game of truth or consequence. Whoever the bottle's mouth points at gets to start. Next in line would be the person who received the previous person's gift, got all that straight?"
Everyone merely nodded.
"Okay, here goes," Nami whispered as she set to spin the bottle.
Kahoko suddenly bolted up. "Ah, wait, I seem to have forgotten my gift at the entrance."
"What?" Nami asked, dumbfounded. "I mean, how could you, of all things?"
"I must have left it when we removed our shoes. Sorry, but could you hold it off a while? I'll be real quick."
Nami sighed. "Fine."
Len was about to offer to come with Kahoko when Azuma gracefully stood up and walked towards Kahoko.
"I guess I better come with Hino-san," he said. "She might need assistance."
Kahoko's eyebrows twitched. "I'm alright, really, I can get it my—"
"As long as you hurry up," Nami said.
Azuma's smile widened. "Alright then," he said, taking Kahoko by her wrist. "Let's go, Hino-san."
Kahoko glared at the purple-haired man a few paces ahead of her. Does he really intend to do nothing but make her life more miserable?
Sensing her eyes on his back, Azuma turned to face her, his perpetual smile almost scaring her. "Is something the matter, Hino-san?"
She puffed her cheeks. "I could have gotten it by myself you know," she grumbled as she walked by him in a huff.
She hadn't gone very far when she felt slim fingers snake around her wrist and she found herself pinned against the nearest wall, staring up at Azuma, his arms planted on either side of her.
"And you're quite sure you wouldn't have gotten lost," he smirked. "Ne, Kahoko?"
Her eyes grew indignant at his name for her. "Please, stop calling me that, Yunoki-sempai."
"If I don't?" his purple eyebrow arched up. "What'll you do about it?"
Kahoko sighed. "Is this the only reason you came with me? To play with me?"
He considered her words, golden eyes glimmering with amusement. "Well, partly. But there's another reason."
Kahoko's curiosity had gotten the better of her. "What's that?"
"I wanted to give you my Christmas gift, Kahoko," he whispered by her ear.
And before she could react, she found a pair of lips closing in on hers.
Len wasn't very chipper, even given the fact that it was Christmas.
He lied when he had told them that he needed the bathroom. What he actually needed was a nice, long walk.
"Please, stop calling me that, Yunoki-sempai."
Kahoko's voice stopped him. He quickly glanced around and found Kahoko and Azuma propped up against the wall a few feet from him. He found refuge behind some large vases and watched them intently.
"Is this the only reason you came with me? To play with me?"
"Well, partly. But there's another reason."
"What's that?"
"I wanted to give you my Christmas gift, Kahoko."
The instant Azuma leaned close enough to kiss Kahoko, Len stormed off, hoping to find some reprieve from his raging heart.
Azuma smiled when he was within hair's breadth of Kahoko's lips, and diverted his direction towards her ear.
"Merry Christmas, Kahoko," he murmured sweetly. After that, he gently took her hand in his and placed a wrapped box in it.
Kahoko was dumbfounded to say the least. She kept on staring at Azuma, her mouth slightly agape, eyebrows ruffled adorably.
"Yunoki-sempai?" she started.
Azuma stepped away and tore his eyes from her. "What? Did you expect something else?"
He chuckled as he sensed her indignant pout.
"I won't bother you today, Kahoko," he said as he faced her. "There is just one thing I need to say to you."
Her head cocked quizzically. "What is it?"
Azuma sauntered towards her, and lifted her chin so that her face was mere millimetres from his.
"Don't make the wrong decisions," he said. "You'll regret them far more than you could imagine.
"Especially when it comes to him."
With that, he kissed her forehead, and walked along the hallway.
Len wasn't there when she had returned with Azuma, her gift tucked under her arm. She dismissed it as a possible need for the restroom, but when he didn't return after an hour, she became quite worried.
Kahoko had been wondering where Len had gone for the remainder of the evening. Did he suddenly feel tired and travelled back home? Or was he just somewhere in the house, thinking? She looked for him in all the rooms—the main halls, the practice rooms, the bathrooms, the lounges—still no sign of Len.
Heh—wasn't it just a few days ago she had been looking for him as well? Funny.
"Maybe he's outside," she murmured suddenly remembering the clearing.
Her feet immediately took her towards the veranda. There, leaning against the concrete ledge, she found Len. His eyes were fixed intently on the moon, blue hair dancing slightly against the wind.
He really was handsome, especially with such a pensive look etched oh-so-deliciously on his face. In a beat, she felt her heart do a little arabesque.
She smiled to herself. Len really hasn't changed much.
He still liked thinking alone.
"Needed some air?" she inquired as she leaned against the ledge beside him. It's a wonder how she even found the voice to speak. Just mere moments ago, she was almost breath-taken.
There was something akin to shock and embarrassment when he looked her way—as though the mere sight of her electrocuted him. He quickly looked away and offered silence as a response.
She was almost taken aback by his response.
Almost.
If she hadn't known how Len truly was, she would've just puffed her cheeks indignantly at him and walked out in a huff.
"What's wrong, Tsukimori-kun?" she repeated.
Sensing his reluctance at telling her what was bothering him; she slowly reached out and touched his arm.
"Tsukimori-kun, I—"
In less than a second, she felt a hand cup the base of her head and a pair of soft lips pressing insistently upon hers.
Len didn't know what had possessed him to take her like that. He knew that she might kill him for it, but something in him just nagged against his ear that if he didn't kiss her at that moment, he'd never be able to.
She only stared back at him, golden eyes wide. She tried desperately to grasp what the kiss would really mean.
Yet he was gone as fast as he had initiated the kiss.
Already, her mind and heart seemed to cry out at the loss of his soft lips against hers, his warm breath against her skin, his gentle hands entangled in her hair.
She mentally shot herself for even thinking of it like that.
Instead, "Tsukimori-kun?" Her eyes questioned his.
"How long," his voice was thin. "How long have you and Yunoki-sempai been together?"
Her eyebrows knitted adorably. "Together?"
"You and him," he whispered. "And the kiss."
Her eyebrows remained tightly knit.
"I…saw you earlier. In the hallway."
Realization dawned upon her. He saw! Len was there when Azuma had cornered her.
He cleared his throat. "I know it's no business of mine, but, you know, I just thought that it's better that I hear it from you rather than anyone else. It's fine with me that you date him, but I, uh…"
He suddenly stopped, finally realizing how much he had said.
"What I mean is," he sighed. "Are the two of you really together?"
Again he turned his gaze away and braced his quivering heart for further damage.
But she only snickered. And that was more painful than anything she could have said.
"What's so hilarious?" he said, willing his voice to be as icy as possible.
His cheeks gave him away, though.
"Are you jealous?" she said, trying her best to hide the amusement from her eyes.
Silence met her question.
"If you really want to know that much," she said, once again leaning on the ledge. "No, we're not together. We're not even close to going out."
Len faced her and, with boldness he had never used before, planted his arms on either side of Kahoko, successfully pinning her against him.
Kahoko only looked up at him, eyes amusingly curious.
"Is that so?" he murmured. "What about the kiss?"
She laughed openly. "There never was any kiss. Just on the forehead."
His eyebrows arched towards his hairline. "Really?"
"Yes," she said, eyes still laughing. "He just whispered 'Merry Christmas' into my ear and handed me his gift."
Her hand shot up to show him the parcel. "He's my secret Santa."
She smiled at him much like a kid with a new discovery.
He kept his eyes as cool as possible, even though his heart was racing a mile a second. Eventually, he removed his arms from her sides, and resumed his earlier position, staring wistfully at the distance.
She only fiddled with her fingers and peeked at him through the corner of her eyes.
He really was handsome no matter what the light.
Feeling that her eyes were on him, Len turned towards her and met her gaze.
"You know," he said. "I still feel the same way about you. And I doubt it will ever change."
She nodded. "I know that. You told me that the last time you confessed."
"Why did you avoid me?" the pain faintly evident in his voice.
He had finally asked that one question that had plagued his heart ever since his confession.
"I know it was selfish of me to think that I wouldn't burden you with my feelings," he started. "It was selfish of me to think that you would just lock away what I told you, and we'd go on like nothing happened.
"I knew that what we had—the friendship between us—would change the moment I told you, but I never realized it would change that much," he said turning his face away.
"I apologize for ever troubling you," he murmured.
Her heart was shamelessly happy to know that he still liked her. However, guilt had been gnawing at her insides for ever letting him feel that way. Truth be told, she never fully realized that she had tormented him like this.
"Tsukimori-kun," she whispered, reaching up towards his face. "I'm sorry I made you feel like this."
She gently cupped his face in her hands, and slowly turned it towards her. Her eyes searched for his.
"I was scared," she said. "I know it's a very pathetic excuse, but I really didn't know what I was supposed to do, how I was supposed to react. I knew I couldn't face you the same way after you told me, so I just kept my distance. I wanted to know how I really felt about you."
His eyes were fixed on hers. He opened his mouth to speak, but she only shook her head to silence him.
"It would have been unfair for you if I kept on being with you in my confused state. Really, I wouldn't have been much of a friend. I know you would've given me time, and that you wouldn't have minded that I kept to myself a bit.
"I am sorry, though that I made you suffer. That's the last thing I wanted to do to you."
His hands reached upwards to meet hers. "Forgiven," he whispered as he kissed the palm of her hand.
"Since we're being truthful," he said, a gentle smile gracing his lips. "Would you like to tell me how you feel about me? I mean you must have come to a conclusion by now."
She wrapped her arms around his neck, and she let the warmth of her body answer his question.
"So you mean to say there wasn't any kiss?" he said, inhaling the scent of her hair
She stood far enough to look him playfully in the eye. "Are you still harping on about that?"
"Well," he said, snaking an arm around her waist. "Do you mind if I kiss you?"
She only looked up at him, surprised that Len could be like this.
He pointed towards the doorway, and her eyes fell on the mistletoe dangling from the frame.
"Nice try, but we're not under it," she chuckled.
"Ah, a minor handicap," he smiled.
And he sent his lips crashing down towards hers.
"Merry Christmas, Kaho," he whispered against her ear.
"Merry Christmas Len," she giggled against his lips.
FIN
Merry Christmas to all of you~!
May this Christmas and the next year prove to be a purposeful and happy one for you.
You've read the story, I assume (since you have gotten this far). Thus, you should review.
Thank you.