When Ann woke up in the morning of Christmas, she was pleasantly surprised to see a thin layer of snow covering the pavement outside. Of course, being born and raised most of her life in Europe, the blonde was no stranger to snow. Still, it wouldn't feel like Christmas without the fluffy white flakes.
When she went down for breakfast, she was unsurprised to hear that her parents have already left for work. Even back home at Finland where Christmas is a holiday, her parents would only be with her until Christmas mass has ended. Now that they live in Japan, her parents have an excuse to go to work.
She ate breakfast swiftly, thinking she'd drag Ren to the chapel at Kanda to attend the Christmas mass with her. Then they'd spend the rest of the day going to different places! The thought of spending the whole day with her boyfriend cheered her up significantly and she was able to finish breakfast more merrily.
She went back to her room to change to warmer clothes and shot Ren a quick text, asking him what he's currently doing. Her phone buzzed a few minutes later.
Ren: I'm in class. Why?
Ann's spirits deflated. Of course he'd be in class, she chided herself. Japan doesn't celebrate Christmas like Finland. Ann shook her head. Looks like she'd have to go to Kanda alone. She gave him a reply.
Ann: Nothing. Just thought I'd invite you to go spend the whole day with me lol I forgot that I'm in Japan.
Ren: Wait for me. We'll spend the whole night together, okay?
Ann's mood lifted at the text. She immediately gave a quick reply and left her home, telling their house helper she'd be spending the whole night out.
She decided to hop on to Shibuya right after mass ended to pick up a gift for her boyfriend. She roamed the underground mall for a while, searching for the perfect gift. She was passing through a décor shop when something caught her eye. She stopped and walked back a couple paces to check out the shop. There, hanging behind a glass display, was a single mistletoe. She grinned mischievously and went inside the shop.
She went out a few minutes later with a paper bag which she quickly places inside her shoulder bag. She still needs to find a present for Ren. She checked her wristwatch; she still has three hours to search. She decided to go take a look inside 109. Maybe she'd be able to find something perfect and affordable.
Ann met up with Ren at the walkway. Ren was a couple minutes late, his English professor made them do a last minute essay. The blonde grinned and asked how he did.
"I got a perfect score," he informs her. Her grin grew wider.
"It's because you have an amazing English tutor, right?" She waggled her eyebrows playfully. Ren laughed and took her hand, bringing it to his lips so that he could press a kiss against the back. Ann's cheeks flushed a light shade of pink.
"Yeah," he agrees. "I do have the best English tutor out there." He pulls her along the crowd. "So, where to?"
Ann shrugged. "I was thinking you'd show me around."
Ren smiled at her and nodded. He took the lead and led them out of the walkway and into the streets of Shibuya.
"Let's go to Inokashira Park. I'm sure you'd love it there."
Ren was right. Ann did love it there. But the park was so crowded with couples that they ended up getting pushed around a lot. The line to the boats was pretty long too. They ended up spending just an hour before deciding to try out somewhere else. She would love to go back there though, when it's less crowded.
They tried out Shinjuku next but it was much more crowded than the park. All the restaurants were full of couples. Harajuku turned out to be the same. Everywhere they go, the streets would be crowded, the restaurants all booked. Ann internally groaned. This is not how she imagined her first Christmas in Japan would be like. If she'd known she would've planned the whole day ahead of time. Ren looked at her with a worried expression.
"I'm sorry," he said, scratching the back of his head, the way he always does when he's embarrassed (it's cute though, Ann thinks). "I should've planned our whole day ahead of time."
Ann smiled at her and shook her head. "Nah. I should've planned it. I mean, I'm the one with the free time and all."
Ren knit his eyebrows together. "But I should be the one guiding you. You're new here after all."
"Nope," Ann disagrees, shaking her head again. "You were busy with college. It's understandable."
"But-" Ann placed a finger on his mouth to stop him.
"Are we going to continue arguing about this or are we gonna keep on moving?"
Ren smiled sheepishly at her. "Sorry. Where do you wanna go?"
Ann patted her stomach. "Well… I am hungry. But everywhere else is full."
Ren knit his brows again. "Well," he started. "I think there may be a place for us to eat."
The blonde looked up at him. "Really? Where?"
The bespectacled man smiled down at her. "Follow me."
Ren took her to a small café called Leblanc, just one station away from the apartment he shares with Ryuji and Yusuke. It was quaint, with not a lot of people. Being so way out of the main road, it was a wonder to Ann how the place got any customers at all.
"This is owned by Futaba's step-father, Sojiro Sakura," he informs her as he leads her to an empty booth. She sat down and Ren followed suit, choosing the seat right in front of her. Futaba, the eccentric girl with orange hair and one of Ren's good friends whom she met, greeted them and asked them what they would like to have.
"Only the best, of course." Ren said, smiling. Futaba winked at him from behind her glasses.
"The best, coming right up!"
The girl disappeared behind the counter, leaving the two of them alone. Ann scanned the whole café. The only other customers just left, leaving them with just Futaba and an older man who she assumes to be Sojiro, reading today's newspaper.
"So how's your first Christmas in Japan so far?" Ren asked and she whipped her head to look at him. The worry is clear in his eyes. He was worried that he isn't giving her the time of her life and it touched her. Ever since they started dating (which wasn't long ago, mind you), Ren has been worried about not making Ann happy enough.
"I'm very glad to be spending my first Christmas here with you." She told him, reaching across the table and taking his hand. "Thank you, Ren." Ren smiled back at her. They stayed like that for awhile until Futaba came back with two plates of curry and two cups of coffee. Ann looked at the food, bewildered.
"Coffee and curry?" she asked. She's never heard of a combination of curry and coffee before.
"Yyyyuuuuup!" Futaba grinned at her. "It's our specialty!"
"It is?"
Ren nodded. "You should try it out." As he said it, the man began to dig in to his own food. Watching him enjoy it, the blonde got curious and decided to try it out as well. She took a spoonful of curry and shoved it in her mouth filling it with delicious curry spices. Ren offered the coffee to her and she took a sip, letting out a gasp of surprise as the bitterness of coffee blended well with the spiciness of curry.
"How is that possible?" She asked Ren. "The coffee went really well with the curry!"
It was Futaba who answered.
"Well, it's all thanks to one person!" She grinned smugly then turned her attention towards the only other person inside the café. "Hey, Sojiro! Tell Ann-chan the story of how your coffee and curry came to be!"
Sojiro looked up from his newspaper with a raised brow.
"You wanna hear that story?" Ann gave a little nod.
"If it's not a bother, sir."
"No need to be too formal with me," he told her, putting the newspaper down and scratching his head. Even Ren turned his attention on him.
"Hoo boy," he said. "This is gonna be a long story. You see, it started when a scientist first drank my coffee…"
Ann and Ren ended up staying at Leblanc longer than expected. She was very delighted to hear Sojiro's story. When it was time to leave, Ann thanked both Futaba and Sojiro for their warm hospitality.
"Come back again soon," Sojiro told her.
"I'll see ya during our next outing!" Futaba grinned.
Ren closed the door to the shop and they both started making their way down the street. Unlike the other places they've been to, the side street they're walking in is a lot quieter. Snow started falling again, making Ann look up at the dark sky.
"I still haven't given you your present," Ren told her. She looked at him and saw that he was fishing something inside his pocket. He pulled out a small and crumpled paper bag and dumped it on her hand. "Merry Christmas, Ann."
Ann turned the bag upside down and a gold necklace with a heart fell to her open palm. She took it in her fingers and stared at it, smiling. "It's beautiful, Ren!"
"Want me to put it on for you?"
Ann nodded and gave the chain to Ren who leaned in close to her to lock the necklace. Ann flushed a deep shade of red. When he pulled away, she stuttered a thank you to which Ren replied with a bashful you're welcome.
"I have a present for you too!" She told him, fishing a paper bag inside her bag and giving to Ren. "Merry Christmas, Ren-Ren~!"
"I told you not to call me that," he said, chuckling, as he pulled a scarf out of the bag. "Thank you, Ann."
"That's not all!" She exclaimed, as she took out another paper bag. Her hand dipped inside the crumpled bag and took the mistletoe out. She stretched her arm up to place the plant on top of both of them and grinned. "Ta-dah!"
Ren looked up at it with a confused expression.
"What's that?"
"It's mistletoe!"
"Okay. Why are you putting it above our heads?"
Ann placed her free hand to her mouth to stifle her laughter. Ren looked at her with a small frown.
"What's so funny?"
She shook her head.
"Nothing. You really don't know what a mistletoe is for?"
Ren shook his head.
"Well," she started. "People say that when two people stand underneath a mistletoe, the two of them should kiss!" She grinned at him.
Understanding slowly dawned on Ren and he let out a soft chuckle.
"Ann," he told her, snaking an arm around her waist to pull her closer. "You don't need to use a mistletoe. Next time, you can just ask directly."
Ann wasn't given a chance to respond as his soft lips crash down on her own pair. Her arms automatically wrap around his neck.
This, Ann thought, safely cocooned in Ren's arms and kissing him in an almost empty street with the snow falling around them like powder on Christmas night and making her feel like she's the lead female of a romance movie, is the greatest present she has ever received.
A/N: Set just a week after the perks of online english tutoring. Hope you all enjoyed this short one-shot!
-olympicmayhem