Disclaimer: Everything except the plot belongs to the marvelous Higuchi Tachibana.
Instead of rabbits, the currency is Yen.
Cheers and I hope everyone had a merry Christmas!
"That's so pretty!" the cinnamon-haired girl shrilled.
Her russet eyes dilated at the sight, squeezing her face against the window. Her pink lips were slightly spread apart as she breathed heavily due to the tremendous amount of energy she used to sprint across the streets to her favourite store in Central Town.
"Shut up, Polka."
"Yeah, you're making such a racket," a girl with green curls sneered. Nevertheless, her viridian eyes was next to eye the object that had knocked the wind out of Mikan's lungs.
"But, it's so pretty!"
Sumire nodded with shining eyes. "Oh, Natsume! You're a special star... right?" It was obvious that by the tone of her voice, she was about to unleash her puppy dog eyes that only seemed to work on Koko.
"I'm not buying that," the said boy grumbled as he ruffled the straying strands out of his eyes.
It was not because he was scarce of the money, but the item was definitely not worth the ridiculously expensive price that was scrawled on a piece of paper. It was written in bold black pen as if to taunt him.
"Oh, please! It's only... 3, 173 yen..." Mikan's voice trailed off quietly as she realised it was too expensive for a medium-sized snow globe.
Sumire coughed conspicuously as a blush that could rival Natsume's eyes coloured her cheeks. Her eyes remained fixated on the fascinating snow globe that held a rather small snowman for such a large globe inside. It was as if the snowman was isolated as it stood there, waiting for company. Around its shoulders was a red and green striped scarf and the typical carrot resembled its crooked nose. Although the sight seemed rather common and distinctive, the base of the snow globe was what caught Mikan's undivided attention.
Across the base, the phrase 'Unity is what makes Christmas' was painted across the base.
"I don't get it," Mikan whined as she tilted her head to the side, her brown buttery bangs falling across her face in a swift motion.
"You don't get what?" Sumire asked in annoyance.
"I don't get why the snowman is all alone when it clearly says togetherness is what makes Christmas! I mean, the snow is all there but where are his friends? Doesn't he have a family? Or did they go Christmas shopping like us?" she questioned and as she babbled on, a growing vein was visible on her friend's foreheads.
"Idiot. A snowman is made out of snow so obviously it doesn't have or need friends or a family."
"Natsume! How could you think such a horrid thought!" Mikan gasped. "Everyone needs friends and a family!"
Sumire rolled her eyes and looked up to the sky. "Hmm, doesn't seem like it's going to snow any time soon."
"Whatever. Let's just go," Natsume mumbled and turned on his heel towards the awaiting bus that would take them back to the academy.
Sumire followed his lead and shouted, "Natsume-kun! Wait for me!"
As Mikan narrowed her eyes, she turned back to the ornament with a crestfallen expression adorned on her face but trudged back nevertheless. Natsume turned his head enough to capture this heartbreaking moment before his eyes softened.
'Idiot.'
Mikan walked towards her dormitory quietly with the haunting image of the snow globe still lingering with every heavy step she took. She sighed for the umpteenth time before opening the door and falling onto the bed with a heavyplop! It would not have disturbed her so much if the snowman honestly had not looked so isolated and alone, but as guileless as she was, it remained pervading her thoughts.
She knew that at the back of her mind that she was overreacting, but it was Christmas eve! She shuddered at the thought of spending Christmas alone imprisoned in a crystal globe. You could admire everything surrounding you as friends and families created memories on a Christmas day whilst you stood there with no one to consider your feelings. Mikan felt blessed that that was not her case, heck, Narumi-sensei could even substitute as her own father, but as her thoughts were dwelling on loneliness in the midst of piles of snow, tears were beginning to slither down her rosy cheeks.
It was a dolorous feeling but before she could do anything about it, sleep consumed her along with her naive thoughts that revolved around a particular lonely snowman that would spend Christmas day alone.
... Or would it?
"Merry Christmas! Ho! Ho! Ho!" a mirthful voice yelled in the halls, effectively startling the girl that slept with tear-stained cheeks.
That did not matter as she stood up and bounced on her bed with uncontrolled excitement. Her squeals of happiness could be heard within a mile but she raced towards the shower to begin her day.
'It's finally Christmas!'
An hour later, she stood outside her door with a heartbroken expression.
"I can't believe I forgot about the snowman..." she sniffled but quickly rubbed her eyes to avoid any tears. She quickly peered around the hallways, expecting to run into some of her friends but surprisingly, she had spotted not a single friend except for a few classmates.
"Where on earth could they possible be?" Mikan questioned to herself, wandering across the school grounds. She was wearing a small black coat over her uniform and green ugg boots but her hair remained damp from the shower.
She could finally hear laughter from outside on the school grounds and she raced towards the sound, the snowman still loitering her thoughts. As she reached the corner, the sight before her forced her to involuntarily stagger back and widen her eyes.
"Merry Christmas!" her friends shouted, grins plastered on the faces.
Anna was the first to speak. It was obvious that she was enthusiastic because her baby pink curls bounced along with her jittery figure. "Oh Mikan! We heard what had happened yesterday so we..."
"-decided that Christmas should also include..." Nonoko continued with a tremendous smile gracing her lips.
"Rapunzel the snowman!" Sumire finished with a proud expression.
"... Huh?" Mikan was confused with the revelation but without delay, walked towards her best friend.
"Stupid, look over there," Hotaru grunted bluntly as she pointed towards something everyone was surrounding as if to hide it from Mikan's view.
Ruka was the next one to talk, except he was the only one who held a sheepish expression. "We wanted you to be at peace, so we had to start from scratch. It wasn't easy, but it was fun, Sakura-san." Quietly looking to the snow-covered ground, he moved his way around to reveal a familiar snowman.
Mikan's russet eyes widened a fraction before she returned to a state of nonchalance which itched the crowd to curiosity and fear.
"Do you not like it, Mikan-chan? We can always-" Yuu was shortly cut off by the ringing bells of boisterous laughter.
"You guys are the best people I have ever met!" she screamed between her snorts.
The snowman's neck was wrapped with a red and black striped scarf (courtesy of Natsume) and instead of black dotted eyes, the eyes turned out to be tangerines. A short and thin stick resembled the nose and there were two longer sticks resembling the arms. Miraculously, a baka gun was held by the snowman with black buttons halfway running down the snowman's chest.
"It's... amazing, everyone," Mikan managed to choke out as fresh tears began to fall. "Rapunzel's finally free!" she yelled in victory, throwing her fist into the cold misty air of Christmas day.
Her friends laughed along with her and managed to gather in a group hug (with Natsume stiffly standing awkwardly, hands in pockets).
And thus, Rapunzel the snowman was free.
Mikan was visibly shivering as she wrapped her coat around the sleeping Youichi. She did not want to miss out on the carols the academy had prepared so hard for so it would be a shame if she were to run back to her domitory. Natsume, sensing her stubborn act, threw his black and red striped scarf onto her face with his cheeks slightly burning.
"Idiot, you'll get sick."
She smiled beneath the scarf still planted on her face before she gratefully wrapped it around her pale neck.
"Thanks, Natsume." She smiled with a voice playing on loop in her head.
"Natsume was the one who thought of the idea albeit it was I who spoke for him," Sumire whispered in her ear after the rowdy laughter and snowball fights.
He shrugged, struggling to keep a straight face.
"It's yours."
It was definitely not a coincidence that the mistletoe was hanging above them.
Merry Christmas, everyone! Haha, quite a pointless one-shot but it was Christmas yesterday and I'm a generous person *cough. If you're wondering why the snowman was named Rapunzel, it's much easier to be explained if you're a regular reader of the manga (which I strongly suggest). *SPOILER ALERT: If you read between the lines, I was trying to give Mikan a Christmas she deserves seeing as she's imprisoned by the ESP.
Anyway, hope you liked it and if you're wondering why they didn't kiss... they're not even 13 and I want to maintain the innocence of Christmas before they all grow into a stage of raging hormones :P.
~I've Perfected Imperfection.