okay so its july and this is a Christmas story... its not a oneshot so it should be done either before or around Christmas time! I read an Inuyasha christmas story and started listening to some christmas music and i just had to write this. There will be 11 (maybe one or two more) chapters and all of the titles are songs from Aly & AJ's CD: Acoutic Hearts of Winter! Enjoy and Merry Christmas! (lol Christmas in July!:P)


Greatest Time of Year

Chapter 1: Joy To The World

Snow. The white blanket that cover the town of Heiomachi and the small, unique flakes that floated gently, but slowly, down from the sky. This snow scene of the snowy night sky brings us to a certain temple where the lights in the house part of the temple where still lit.

Inside, an angel swept the floors with a broom. She wasn't a real angel, but to a certain brown haired and eyed teenage boy she was. He lay on the couch and pretended to read a manga and was not watching the long blonde-haired girl with emerald eyes as she swept the floors. She was dressed in a loose fitting, white turtleneck sweater, cream-colored pants, and a yellow apron tired around her neck and waist. Around her neck was a silver, old looking, necklace. The charm on it was a dove with little white rhinestones on the tips of its tail, wings, and beak that made it glimmer and shimmer in the light. He had given it to her that night as a Christmas present. He smiled at the memory and stopped looking at her and actually began to read his new manga.

But a certain calm voice stopped him and made him look up, "Kanata? Do you think Ruu misses us?" Ruu and Wanya had left them only 3 months ago.

He sat up and looked at her. He sighed; then smiled. "Miyu, I believe so. I mean we're the best parents on planet Earth!" He exclaimed to cheer her up. She giggled.

"Kanata, your funny." She laughed.

"Yea?" He said and raised an eyebrow curiously. "Well, you're cute."

"Kanata?" She gasped and looked at him frighten. "Kanata, stop joking." She ordered.

He stood up and walked over to her. "I'm not, Miyu. Miyu, I love you!" He wrapped his arms around her in a big hug. She tried to wiggle out of it, but she couldn't.

"Kanata! Stop!" She screamed at him. He let go of her and took a step back, only to receive a slap across the cheek by Miyu. He looked at her astonished. She looked down at him sad and angry and with tears starting to fall down her cheeks from her eyes.


A 'clunk' woke Kanata from his slumber. He looked around. He was in the living room. He must have fallen asleep on the couch, for he was lying on the couch with a blanket pulled over his body. He looked down to see a snow globe roll under the couch. He must have dropped it in his sleep and that was the 'clunk' he heard. "A dream." He thought. "Thank Kami it was only a dream."

He bent down and picked it up. It was a simple snow globe of a snowman with white and shinny, clear pieces of glitter as snow. The base of it was sky-blue with glittery, white snowflakes painted on to it. He turned it over; then back again to let the glitter snow fall on top and around the snowman inside. "This is Miyu's," he had thought as he had turned it right side up, "how did this get here?" He looked down at the blanket wrapped around him. "And this blanket, I didn't have this when I was reading my manga last night…." It came to him. "Miyu!" He quietly exclaimed.


Miyu yawned and stretched her arms as she sat up from her futon. She sneezed. "Am I catching a cold? Or is some moron talking about me?!" She bitterly thought and shot a glare to her door aiming it at Kanata. She yawned again and stood up. She walked tiredly over to her door that lead outside and opened it up. The cold December air filled the room and made Miyu shiver. Birds chirped outside and the warm sunlight that bathed the inner courtyard. However, there was no hint of snow. Sure, there was a bit of frost of the trees and bushes along with the ground, but not even a single snowflake was in sight. This made Miyu frustrated. Christmas was in just six more days and there wasn't a hint of snow. "It will be a green Christmas again." She pouted silently.

She closed the sliding door and turned to her closet. She walked over to it, opened it up, and pulled out a warm outfit. It was a red sweater with white snowflakes knitted into it and black sweat pants. She walked over to her drawer on her dresser, pulled out a pair of fuzzy white socks, and secretly pulled out her undergarments. She quickly got dress out from her pajamas and into her outfit for the day. She grabbed her pink handled brush and looked into the mirror on her dresser as she brushed her hair.

She finished brushing and set the brush down in its place and looked over to where she kept something important. But when she looked it wasn't there! Her eyes grew wide and looked around the room for it. She couldn't find it. She let her face plant itself on her pillow as she laid back on her futon. She screamed into her pillow and hoped Kanata didn't hear it.


However, he did; he worriedly slid open her door and rushed inside to check on her. He found her with her face buried into her pillow; he walked over and lightly kicked her playfully on her shoulder. "Oi! What's wrong, Miyu?" He asked.

"My snow globe was stolen!" She yelled at him as she jumped up and looked him into the eye.

He looked at her, taken aback at her action, and said, "No, it wasn't. It's in the living room. Somehow that crappy snow globe ended up in my hands." He turned and began to walk out of her room.

"Its not crappy!" She snapped as she followed after him. "You stole it didn't you!" She accused him as she pointed her index finger at him.

He turned and stopped. "I didn't steal it, baka! I woke up on the couch and somehow it was there along with a blanket." He explained.

"A blanket?" It registered in her mind what happened last night:

She had found Kanata asleep on the couch. She looked at his cute, peaceful face. He sneezed cutely and she giggled at it. "You're going to catch a cold like that." She whispered to him. She went and got a blanket from the closet and brought it to him. She drew it up close to his chin and smiled lovingly. "Snow…." He muttered. She cocked her head at his whisper; then she smiled lovingly again. She walked out of the room and to her room. She took her precious snow globe, which her mom had given to her one her 11th Christmas, and walked back to Kanata in the living room. She placed it in his hand and wrapped his fingers around it securely; then moved his hand up to his chest underneath the blanket. "May you get your wish of a white Christmas." She whispered and left the room.

"Oh, I see." She said. They had reached the living room. Kanata handed Miyu the snow globe that was set on the coffee table. She gladly took it and cuddled it next her chest with a sweet smile. He saw her smile and smiled slightly as well. She walked out of the door to go put it away.


They were on Winter Vacation. That meant no school, no teachers, and no homework. They were free. Free to do whatever. And Miyu was spending her time making breakfast for Kanata while he was in the living room watching the News.

"Baka, Kanata! Why does he have me cook all the time went he hates my cooking?" She grumbled as she cut an over toasted omelet into four pieces. She set the plate of omelets in the middle on the table. Plates of slightly burnt hash browns, end-burnt bacon, and a smaller plate of toast with a stick of butter and a jar circled it. (The jar was a special jam for Kanata, which Miyu had bought him as an early Christmas/Birthday present, and the jar was clear so you could see the orange-brown jam, its lid was dark green, and it had a red ribbon glued around the top.) At their seats on the table, was a plate for each of them, two chopsticks, two bowls filled rice, and two clear glasses.

Miyu sighed as she leaned against the chair. She turned to the refrigerator and pulled out a carton of orange juice. She walked back over to the table, opened the carton, and began to fill the glasses as she yelled, "Kanata! Breakfast!" She finished filling the glasses, closed the carton, walked over to the refrigerator, opened it, stuck the orange juice inside, closed the refrigerator, and walked back over to the table, only to see Kanata as he sat down on his cushion. She joined him at the table and sat down.

"Itadakimasu." He said and grabbed his chopsticks. He broke them and grabbed a piece of an omelet and lifted it up to his mouth. Steam flowed out of it; so he blew on it twice, and then stuck it into his mouth. "80 points." He said with his mouth full.

Miyu flinched as she held her piece of omelet up to her mouth. It slipped out from her chopsticks and fell on her plate.

He was judging her cooking skills again. Ever since Wanya left with Ruu to planet Otto, Miyu has been force to make meals and Kanata always judges her cooking.

He ate a hash brown. "60 points." He said and swallowed it. He reached over and grabbed a piece of bacon with his chopsticks. He lifted it to his mouth and ate it. "40 points." He said as he swallowed. It was so dry that he almost choked on it. He looked at her blankly and said, "You're a horrible cook. Can't you at least make a decent piece of bacon?"

"You could make it your self!" She said with an annoyed look on her face. "You can could better then I can, anyways." She added and ate another hash brown.

"You got that right. The pasta I made last night was pretty tasty. If I do say so myself." He said; then he drank some of his orange juice. He set his glass down as he said, "But it's such a pain! I'm too lazy to cook anything."

"You got that right." She muttered as she ate another hash brown.

"By the way, your parents cooking aren't that great either. It's probably in the genes. There's pretty good chance your cooking will never get better!" He laughed as he joked with her.

"Shut up!" She snapped. "You didn't even try the toast and jam." She added as she picked up her rice bowl and began to eat her rice.

He looked at it. "Well, it's not burnt for once." He muttered. He picked up a piece and picked up the butter knife and butter. He buttered up his toast and pick up the jar of the orange colored jam. He looked at it curiously. "What's this?" He asked.

"It's a present. Just try it." She said as she ate a piece of bacon. She chewed it and swallowed it. She choked slightly at its dryness and he looked at her. He wanted to ask her if she was okay, but his voice won't allow him to. To his relief, she stopped and he opened the jar.

He smelled it. "It smells like spices and… pumpkin." He realized. He stuck the knife into the jar, scooped some out, slapped it onto his toast, and spread it around. He set the knife down and lifted the toast up to his mouth. He took a bite and inspected it to taste awful, however, it wasn't awful at all. It was pumpkin jam. The toast tasted wonderful to him, even through it was just simple toast.

She watched him as his face lit up at the taste of it. She smiled. "So… what's my score?" She asked slyly.

He looked down at his toast and plate. He didn't want to tell her, because he was too shy. But he told her. "…1…120 points." He said defeated.

She cheered and laughed. "I guess my cooking isn't so bad after all!"

"Hey, don't get so excited! It was only toast! Your rice could sink too!" He said as he picked up his bowl filled with rice and his chopsticks. He scooped some up into his mouth and ate some.

Miyu took a sip of her orange juice. "How is it?" She asked as she looked at him slyly.

He chewed it. It was almost perfect. Almost. "95 points." He replied and ate some more.

"No!" She gasped and practically fainted.


Miyu dug around in some boxes in the temple's storage area. "Where is it?" She mumbled as a gust of cold winter air blew into the room. She shivered greatly and sneezed. "I should have worn my jacket." She complained.

Suddenly, something warm was draped over her shoulders. It was her jacket. "You're going to catch a cold." A male voice said. She looked up and saw Kanata standing next to her. "What are you looking for?" He asked as he walked over to the boxes.

She pulled her jacket on. "The Christmas tree. We don't have Wanya anymore to fly up and decorate the big tree in the courtyard; so I thought we could just decorate the indoor tree, but I can't find it." She said sadly as she watched him dig around in the boxes.

"It seems that you're right. I can't find it anywhere." He sighed in defeat. "Oh, well. We don't have to have a tree. We have plenty of other decorations." He looked over at Miyu.

She was looking at her knees on the floor as she sniffled. She looked up at him, tears in her eyes that threatened to fall any moment. "Kanata! It just isn't Christmas without a tree!" She stood up and the tears fell.

Kanata looked at her, afraid that she will start yelling at him or hitting him; he didn't want her to cry, defiantly not that, but she didn't yell or hit him She just looked at him with a determined look. She marched over to him, grabbed his hand, and said, "Come on! We're going Christmas tree shopping!"

"What?" He gasped as she dragged him out of the temple and to the tall case of stone steps.


They were at the department store in the Christmas tree section. Fake trees were scattered around the section. Tall and skinny, tall and fat, short and fat, and short and fat ones were each uniquely decorated with their own unique set of ornaments.

Miyu walked up to a tall, medium sized tree, which was beautifully decorated, and exclaimed, "Wow! This one is pretty! Let's get this one!"

Kanata frowned disapprovingly and pointed to a super small one the stood on a table. "Baka. That one is too big. This one will do just fine." She ignored him. He walked over to a tree, which stood about four feet from the floor and was beautifully decorated, and asked her, "Miyu? Is this good?"

She looked at him, then at the tree. Her eyes glittered at the sight of it. "Kanata! It's perfect!" She exclaimed as she joined by the tree. "Let's buy it!" She said cheerfully. He nodded and picked up the already packaged one.

She rushed over to the ornaments in the woven baskets. "Oh! Look, Kanata! They have angel ones! Oh, this golden apple is so pretty! Oh look at the rocking horse one! So kawaii!" She exclaimed as she grabbed all three of them.

He sighed and joined her over at the baskets. "You know those all ordainments aren't going to fit." He told her.

"So! I just think that they are cute that's all!" She said and stuck her tongue out at him.

He smirked and said, "Whatever."

She smiled contently as she held in her plastic basket: one star topper, two boxes of two feet long white tree lights, three angels, four rocking horses, five golden apples, a package of six red and green bulbs, an assorted package of seven golden instruments, eight satin presents, nine ice crystals, ten plastic candy canes, eleven satin gold stars, and twelve plastic snowflakes. (Talk about the twelve ornaments of Christmas! lol)

Kanata sighed at the bundle of ornaments. "Do you really need to buy all of those?" He asked annoyed.

"Yes, I do! They're all so kawaii! I just have to buy them!" She said as she held up the basket slightly with a sweet smile: a smile that made Kanata's heart melt.


"Thank you! Come again and Merry Christmas!" The lady at the check out counter said as she handed Kanata the bags with a big friendly smile.

Miyu, who was tucking the receipt in her pocket, smiled back and said, "Merry Christmas to you too!"

Kanata, who had started walking toward the elevator without her, stooped and turned to her. "Come on, Miyu." He said as he watched her wave to the lady. She ran up to him and smiled as she said, "Okay. Let's go." Together they walked to the elevator.

They were inside the elevator. Kanata pushed the #1 button and the doors started to close. They were on the seventh floor. Soon the lit number above the door turned from seven to six, then to five. The elevator stopped and its doors opened to a group of girls and one boy. One girl had braided pigtails, another had a red hair cut like a boy's, and the third girl had long, pink, wavy hair. The boy looked like he had a buzz cut.

"Kanata-kun!" The pink hair girl squealed as she ran up to him.

"C-Chris-chan!" Miyu and Kanata gasped in unison.

"Mina-san?" Miyu said as she looked up at her friends.

Chris flipped her pink hair slightly as she said, "F-Fancy meeting you here, Kanata-kun? Could you be here Christmas shopping for-for-for me?" She blushed and waved her hands around.

"No." Kanata said bluntly. "Miyu and I were shopping for a tree."

Chris froze. She twitched as an evil look came into her eyes. "Kanata-kun and… and… and Miyu-chan? Shopping for Christmas tree? Together?" She asked disbelievingly. " 'Oh, Kanata! Which tree she we get!' Miyu says. 'Oh, it doesn't matter! Which ever tree you like, darling!' Kanata says. 'Kanata! I love you so much!' Then they start kissing!" Chris fantasies.

"No! Chris-chan it's not like that!" Miyu told Chris to calm her down before Chris went on a blinding outrage. "We just need a tree for… for… for the Christmas party Kanata and I were planning for everybody!"

"What?" Kanata gasped.

"Oh like the one you had last year!" Aya said as she, Nanami, and Santa came into the elevator.

Miyu nodded. "Yes! It's going to awesome! You're all invited!"

Chris calmed down. "Really?" She asked and Miyu continued to smile and nod as the elevator doors closed.

"I'll bring some drinks." Nanami volunteered.

"I'll bring some snacks like chips and pocky!" Aya said.

"I'll bring some homemade desserts for my Kanata-kun." Chris said as she blushed and held her hands on her cheeks to hide her blush.

"Since when am I/ is he Chris's?" Miyu and Kanata thought at the same time.

"This is going to be great!" Santa said as he thrust his first in the air as the elevator doors opened again.


Miyu and Kanata walked the busy sidewalk together, Kanata closer to the street. Their friends had left them at the department store to do some Christmas shopping; so now Kanata and Miyu were alone again. They walked passed a jewelry shop and Miyu stopped at the window to look at a jewelry box. She pressed her face onto the glass and looked inside. Her face lightened up when she saw the red oak box that had the words 'Joy to the World' carved on the lid. Miyu immediately fell in love with it. "Beautiful! I be it plays the song 'Joy to the World too." She thought and imagined it playing.

Kanata had stopped and looked to see why Miyu had stopped. He had seen her face when she saw it. He knew that she wanted it. "Miyu, come on lets go home. It's getting colder out." He said. She nodded and followed him down the sidewalk.

They neared a street crossing as she hummed 'Joy to the World'. She looked around her. Couples walked around her and Kanata. "So many couples," she thought, "maybe Kanata and I look like that to other people." She giggled slightly.

The screeching sound of a car's horn and tires and Kanata's voice brought her back into reality. She had started to walk across the crossing when the light was still red.

"Miyu!" He yelled and grabbed her wrist as he pulled her back onto the sidewalk. "Stop spacing out! The light was still red! Pay closer attention!" He reprimanded her as the car, which almost hit her, drove by.

She looked up at him innocently. "Sorry, Kanata!"

They stood there silently for a few seconds as they waited for the pedestrian light to change. Kanata spoke up. "You bought too much stuff. It's breaking my back." He complained.

"You think two bags are heavy? You're so weak." She laughed.

"What?" He gasped. "It's not that I'm weak, these bags really weigh a ton!"

She pointed at him and laughed. "That's a lie. You're just a wimp!"

He made a pouting face. "Don't underestimate me. I can pick you up with one arm!" He said proudly.

"Yeah right," she said as she looked away from him and back at the road.

He looked down at her; then slipped his right arm around her waist and lifted her off the ground. The people next to them stared at them oddly.

Miyu snapped. "Wh… what are you doing! Let me go!" She shouted.

"Shut up! Or I'll drop you." He teased. Then he gently set her down. "See." He smiled down at her. The people next to them laughed lightly.

Miyu turned bright red. "What are you doing?" She asked again as she hit his chest with her fists. "Everyone is laughing at us!"

"Waa! Ouch, cut it out, Miyu." He told her.

"Kanata; Miyu? Is that you?" A female voice came out of now where.

They both turned to see Mikan walking down the sidewalk with a plastic bag with something in it.

"Hey Mikan! Long time no see." Miyu said as she smiled. "Mikan, we are having a party on Christmas Eve. You're invited. Want to come?" She asked sweetly.

Mikan nodded. "A party! Awesome! I'll be there! Count on me!"

"Sensei!" A girl's voice called out.

"Oh! Gotta run! Bye, bye!" Mikan said as she ran down the sidewalk as a girl, who was her publisher, chased after her.

"You've got a deadline to keep! Get back here, Sensei!" She yelled.

Kanata and Miyu watched them hopelessly. Miyu looked up at Kanata with a lovely smile. "I wonder what Kanata has got me for Christmas." The pedestrian sign changed to green and they began to walk across the street.

Kanata looked at her as the walked and said, "Miyu, let's buy some cake and then go home."

"Okay!" Miyu smiled and together they walked across the street to the bakery.


next chapter: We Three Kings

What happens when Kanata, Nozumo, and Seiya arrive at the same store to buy Miyu a Christmas present?!!!!