Wonderful Holiday Coincidence!

Christmas in Shinjuku! Everyone's getting in on the fun! Except Rika Nonaka. Stressed beyond all belief, follow her and Takato's P. as they try to find the perfect gifts! Takes place a year after runaway locomon.

Rika Nonaka groaned as she collapsed in her bed. She had been working the night shift and was exhausted from all the hours.
"Bleh, Renamon don't let anyone in for the next week…" She moaned. "Christmas Eve shoppers…"
This enabled a small chuckle from her partner digimon.
"Understood Rika." She said.
Rika closed her eyes, loving the warmth of her bed.
"Ugh, 9 hour shift coupled with no breaks." She thought, annoyed. "Damn my boss…Never lets up when it comes to inventory…I hate the holidays when I work…People and their stupid gifts for—"
Suddenly, she sat up alarmed.
"OH SHOOT!" She shouted, surprising the kitsune.
"Rika?" Renamon stood up quickly. "What's wrong?"

"I forgot to buy a present for Takato!" Rika panicked. "It's Christmas Eve and I haven't looked!"
"Christmas present?" She wondered. "What's Christmas?"
Rika looked at her digimon.
"Christmas is a time of being happy and exchanging gifts with the people you…care about."
She blushed at the last line. "People I care about…I bought a present for my mom, grandmother, even Renamon. How could I forget Takato!?"
"You see the scarf I gave you?" Rika pointed to Renamon's neck.
She looked down and stared at the red and white striped scarf (like a candy cane).
"That is a Christmas present." She said. "I got that for you because I'm glad you're my partner digimon and we've been through so much together."

Renamon nodded. "I understand."
A small smile appeared on Rika's face before bolting to the door.
"I gotta find the Gogglehead a present!" She yelled.

"Dad! I'm taking finishing my shift!" Takato Matsuki called from the kitchen.
"Alright Takato!" Takehiro called from the front. "Be back soon!"
Quickly running to his room and changing, he bolted out of the bakery and towards the shopping district.
"Damn it!" He yelled in his mind. "Endless working at the bakery along with big exams at school has left me ZERO time to buy a gift for Rika!"
"Takatomon!" Guilmon called after the hurrying tamer.
"No time Guilmon! I gotta find a present for Rika!" Takato called back. "Stay at the bakery!"
Shoulders slumping, the saurian digimon sat outside the bakery and started sleeping in his Christmas present, a large pillow with the digimon's face on it.

The young tamer bolted to the shopping district and ran into the nearest store. A jewelry store; unlike last time (read "Day of Love"), he knew exactly what he was gonna buy the flaming haired tamer. He had seen the item many times and had been eying it since. Takato had been saving money for weeks to be able to buy that particular item.
He rushed to the front desk.
"Do you have the _ on sale still?" Takato asked the clerk.
"We do still have it, but it's no longer on sale." She said. "The price is $179.99."
His heart sank. He had seen the item on sale for 30% off, making the price $125.30. Takato had managed to save up to $150, but now that wasn't enough.

"Damn it! I need more money!" He thought. "I might be able to find the extra $30 somewhere at home…But I need time."
"Can you hang on to this item for a little while longer?" He asked. "I can get the money be back quickly!"
"I'm sorry, I can't do that." The clerk said sadly. "I need to be able to keep all products open for everyone. I can't just hide one item, plus this is the last one."
"Please!" he begged. "I've been eying this item for weeks and have been wanting to buy it for someone! She's very special to me and I don't want to show up with a pointless gift."
The clerk looked around quickly for a moment, then sighed.
"Alright." She relented. "I shouldn't be doing this, but I'll hang on to this item for a little while longer. But only for another hour! It's 10:30 p.m. right now, if you are not back with the money by 11:30, I'm selling it immediately."

"Thank you! Don't worry, I'll be back!" Takato replied quickly, and bolted out of the store.

Rika rushed to the windows of most of the stores and peered through.
"No…nope…no…Nothing!" She cried out bitterly. "Come on Takato's no child! I need something for him that'll last him for a long time! Not some stupid toy! Last time I got lucky with those digimon cards. Very rare but special, and the goggles too…But now…"
Her eyes then fell on a jewelry store. Making up her mind quickly, she rushed to the window, and saw the most incredible piece of jewelry she ever saw.
"Wow…" She muttered.
It was a gold and emerald necklace with a beautiful chain. She also noticed the chain was strangely thick, and another piece that was aquamarine and gold, almost like two necklaces…
In a flash, she had reached the counter.
"How much is that necklace in the window!?" She asked desperately.
"I'm…sorry that item is reserved." The clerk stammered.
What!?" She complained. "Reserved!? I need that necklace immediately!"

"I'm sorry miss." The clerk replied. "Someone is already coming to pay for the necklace."
"Hey wait a minute, I'm here, and he or she or whatever isn't! Shouldn't that mean that I have the right to buy it first?"
"I—yes." She said. "It's just—"
"I'm sorry, but what the other customer needs it for is not my concern."
Rika reached into her pocket and pulled out a credit card.

"I'm ready to buy it now." She said.

11:15 p.m. Matsuki Bakery

Takato looked all over his room trying to scrape up enough change to pay for the necklace. He was able to collect 20 of the $30, but was running out of time.
"Arrgh!" He yelled. "What am I gonna do!?"
"Takato?" Mie his mother came in. "Something the matter?"
"Yes!" He replied, frustrated. "I've been saving up for weeks to buy Rika a present, and now I'm $10 short! If I don't make it back by 11:30, the necklace will be gone!"
"Oh! Why didn't you say so?" Mie reached into her pocket and pulled out a $10 bill.
"Here." She said, handing it to him.
"W-wait!" Takato protested. "But you need—"
She placed a finger on his lips.
"Not another word." She smiled. "Go."

He smiled back. "Thanks mom."

"Miss I must insist, the young man who came in here was insistent that I hold onto this item, he—"
"I don't care!" She interrupted. "His problem is not my problem! Look, I've been working for days on end, and I've had zip time for Christmas shopping, and to come here finally finding a present for my special partner is the LAST STRAW!"
The clerk gasped, then looked at her watch.
"11:29…" She thought. "Well I guess he's not—"

"WAIT!"

Astonished, she looked up and saw the same boy from last time run into the shop, out of breath.
"I'm…here…" He panted. "I have the money!"
"Takato!?" Rika said, stunned. "You're the one that wanted to—"
"Rika!?" Takato replied, equally as surprised. "I—"
"Pardon me, but do you know each other?" The clerk asked.
Both tamers turned to her.
"Uh…yeah…" Takato stammered. "We're dating."
"Oh!" She exclaimed. "Well that is good news for both of us! You see, the 'necklace' you've been wanting to buy is actually two necklaces!"

"Two!?" They shouted, surprised.

"Yes!" She replied. "You see, that product is one of the few 'couple' presents we sell here. Usually one or the other comes and buys one of the necklaces for their loved one. Then the other customer buys the other later! We've been recently exploring new options this way, this would make it easier to find compatible gifts for lovers like yourselves."
"Oh…well…" Rika said. She turned to Takato.
"I guess…we kinda screwed that up."
He shook his head. "No, I thought I had. But neither of us expected this so it's just a matter of coincidence. I'm so glad that you wanted to buy me that gift. We think alike."
She blushed. "Let's just buy the thing before someone else does."

The two tamers decided to split the cost and bought the necklaces. After they left, they went to the park, where many Christmas lights have been hung up around the park. They sat on a bench, close together.
"What a day…" Rika groaned.
"You're telling me." Takato agreed. "Work work work with little to no time to shop."
Rika opened the box and took out the aquamarine necklace (I could not find a birthday for Takato so I chose March). Turning to him, she placed it over his head and let it fall to his neck.
"It's wonderful…" she said softly.
Takato then removed the emerald necklace (Rika's birthday is in May: Digimon Wiki) and place it over her head.

"Perfect." He smiled.
He then felt something cold touch his nose. Takato looked up, and saw snow falling.
At that moment, his watch beeped.
12:00 A.M.
Takato and Rika's eyes met.

"Merry Christmas Takato…" She said softly.
"Merry Christmas Rika…" He replied back.

Their lips touched in an ever-loving kiss. They wrapped their arms around each other and deepened the kiss.
"Perfect timing. Snow and Christmas." He thought lovingly.
"Finally…" Rika thought. "After a rough few weeks, things actually go great."
They broke the kiss, still embracing.
"I love you Takato." Rika buried her head into his chest.
"I love you Rika, so very much." He replied, resting his chin on her shoulder.
"This is probably the best Christmas I've ever had…" She whispered.
"It's always the best with you Rika…" He said.
A tear went down her face, and they kissed again.

Merry Christmas everyone! And a Happy New year!