Nozomi X Eli: This Christmas Is Going to Be Parfait

"Nozomi, Nozomi!"

"Oh my god, Elicchi. Calm down!" Laughed Nozomi Tojo, watching her girlfriend pace around their apartment eagerly as if it was the first time Ayase Eli had ever seen snow. "It's just snow."

Eli grinned cheekily and pounced onto her girlfriend, nuzzling her neck warmly. "But I can't wait to spend my very first Christmas with Nontan as my official girlfriend~"

"Sheesh, Elicchi." Nozomi's cheeks went slightly red at the embarrassing nickname (and also the cuddling).

Their minds went back to the time when Eli had blurted out her confession for Nozomi on a snowy day, each of them burying their faces into the crooks of their necks as the snowflakes gently fell and tiny puffs of cold air breathed out in silence, contented with staring at their facial features until the poor blonde suddenly went weak in the knees and collapsed due to a cold.

The tips of their noses touched, azure eyes staring into turquoise ones until Eli broke into a smile. "Do you want to build a snowmann~" She began, until Nozomi placed a finger on her lips with a chuckle.

"As much as I find you adorable Elicchi, please don't mimic anymore 'Frozen' song lyrics for now."

A blast of cold air hit them square in the face as the duo stepped out bracingly, Eli dressed in a warm woolen scarf, and a light blue coat with a black trim over a dark blue dress with thin white stripes. Nozomi was wearing a pink scarf with blue stars over a brown woolen shawl with white trim and a light-colored dress, her ears covered by a pair of pink earmuffs and her hands in a pair of pink-and-blue stripped gloves.

However, Eli seemed to be sulking as she shut the door, looking away as Nozomi stared at her in amusement.

"Why are we going shopping first?" Whined the blonde playfully.

Nozomi smirked, "Whose fault was it that we've spent the past week cuddling at home in a den of blankets instead of shopping for Christmas presents for the gift exchange?"

"Okay okay, also before you nag at me again, I'm sorry for screaming the lyrics for 'Let It Go' around the house like a maniac."

Eli felt her lips brush against her cheek gently while Nozomi patted her head. "I forgive you. The faster we get gifts, the quicker we can go play like dorks in the snow with the other kids.

The shopping district wasn't as packed as they had expected, but since it was just a couple days before Christmas, there was still quite the crowd. Festive lights and ornaments hung around everywhere, the streets brightened by the towering Christmas tree decorated by sparkling lights and the shining star sitting on the very top of it. Gift boxes and sales-promotion-stickers were pressed against the glass display cases of almost every store along the streets.

"What are you getting, Elicchi?" Nozomi asked hopefully.

"Nice try, Nozomi," Snorted Eli as they walked into the department store. "It's a Secret Santa gift exchange. No way I'm telling."

Honoka had suggested they have a Christmas party again, ever since the third-years had graduated. Now that the former first-years were in their last at Otonokizaka, everyone was already familiar with the usual routine of gift-exchanging, cake, more cake, and drinking while having a good chat to catch up with everyone else. In fact, last year during their second party, Honoka had brought the whole of the A-RISE trio to the party and boldly confessed to everyone about their relationship.

That was the year Eli had also confessed to Nozomi on that winter day.

Also the year that Umi Sonoda had almost fainted when she heard her once-irresponsible, rambunctious childhood friend had gotten a reliable girlfriend.

"I'm going to walk over there. Let's pick our gifts and meet up here later, okay?"

The duo separated off on their own way, Eli nervously roving and browsing aisle after aisle of accessories, fluffy teddy bears, and miniature figures. Clothes were a no-no, considering the fact that this was going to be a random gift-exchange and it wouldn't be certain that whatever she picked would be suitable for that certain someone. She finally decided to sneak off to the Starbucks located within the building premises and came back with a nicely-designed Christmas tumbler, taking her time down to the customer service counters to get the gift wrapped carefully.

Nozomi was already done with her own purchases; she had bought a silver pendant and had the gift wrapped at the counter. Of course, all she did was to let the cards decide again, pulling a 'Destiny' card right when she picked it up.

She caught sight of a pacing Eli, who was clearly impatient to put their gifts aside and get rolling in the snow. Just to tease her cute girlfriend, Nozomi took slow, deliberate steps, purposely stopping at shelves to admire this or that, the tapping of Eli's foot increasing by the second until Nozomi finally decided to walk normally towards her, bursting into laughter when she pouted angrily.

"Now can we go play?"

"Yes, yes," She tugged at her bottom lip to stop her from pouting.

Eli plummeted face-first into the snowy lawn, rolling around in bliss.

"I think I swallowed some snow, but this is all worth it!" She screamed the last two words, dragging her arms and legs against the grass to make snow angels.

Nozomi laughed at her girlfriend, lying down on the spot next to her and joining in on the fun. "Be careful our neighbors don't call the cops on us."

"I'm sure they have better things to do than arrest college-students like us for playing in the snow. 'You could at least let them have some innocent youthful fun, ma'am.'," Eli mocked, mimicking a policeman's burly voice. She got up and shook the snow from her blonde hair, admiring her snow angel with satisfaction.

Then, she paused, bending forward and squinting seriously at Nozomi.

"Is there something on my face?" Nozomi asked, getting up at the seriousness of Eli's expression.

"I was just thinking... about how cute you look with snow in your hair."

A snowball hit her right in the face while the purplette fled with a grin, giggling as Eli tackled her to the ground and slipped a handful of icy-cold white snow down her spine, her lips parting in a yelp. "It's cold!"

They embraced in the snow for a while, warm in each other's arms as they watched the Christmas lights being lit up, the apartments around them decked out in lovely festive colors and the enthusiastic voices of children. Somewhere in the distance, they could hear the sound of bells jingling to a melodious tune, the blonde leaning forward to pepper her girlfriend's neck with kisses until Nozomi got up with another smile.

"Do you... want to get a parfait on our way home?"

Eli paused for a moment, taking the time to stare into her eyes lovingly before nodding her head. "Yes, please."

Without a doubt, their love for each other, was sweeter than any other parfait that could ever have been made.