The Gift That Dreams Are Made Of

"Thanks for coming, you guys."

"Not at all. I'm just glad you called us, Makoto-san. So, where is he?" an anxious Takumi concernedly inquired of the student, standing just outside a row of shops along with Akira.

"Inside, sitting at the bar,"

Tucked in between several other small retail establishments, all within walking distance of Osaka's University of Arts, the hole-in-the-wall sake bar offered the perfect respite for a lot of the school's overtaxed theatrical students.

"I'm really worried about him," the student apprehensively expressed. "I mean, I know it was hard on him when Kyoko-sempai left for New York after she was selected for the theater exchange program a few months back."

"Tell me about it," Akira uttered with an eye roll. "The minute her plane left the tarmac he was on the phone with Takumi, who then spent the next half hour consoling and reassuring him that she wasn't about to hook up with the first smooth-talking American who might come along and sweep her off her feet."

"Yeah, he was pretty distraught at that," Takumi recalled. "Still, you can't really blame Hajime for worrying. After all, a year is a long time to be apart from one another. Anyway, he seemed to be a bit more at ease and accepting of the circumstances after I spoke with him again a week later."

"That's what I thought too," Makoto submitted. "But then out of nowhere, about two weeks ago, he began acting all depressed and seemed really out of sorts. Of course when I asked him about it in class that day, he just denied that there was anything wrong. And then, like I told you over the phone, he all of a sudden stopped going to his classes. I mean, I know that today officially starts our winter break anyway, but still. It's definitely not like him to miss even one of his acting classes."

"Hmmm," Akira pondered. "You think maybe he had a fight with Kyoko?"

"It's possible," Takumi supposed.

"You know, I was actually debating on whether I should I call her," Makoto mentioned. "But then I figured that it might make things worse, if by chance they did have some kind of an argument. Likewise, I didn't want to ask his younger sister either, afraid that it might make her worry unnecessarily."

"Yeah, it's probably good that you didn't," Takumi acknowledged.

"That's why I decided to call you instead, I mean, being his best friend and all. He's always spoken very highly of you, so I was kind of hoping that maybe you might be able to get through to him."

"Well, we'll certainly try. Thank you, Makoto-san," Takumi gratefully expressed.

"Good luck, you guys."

After departing ways with Hajime's classmate, Akira, preparing to open the door to the establishment, somewhat pessimistically expressed, "Let's just hope that he's not too inebriated."

Spying the one lone blonde individual hunched over at the bar, his hand clenched around a small sake cup, Takumi and Akira slowly proceeded to approach him before each taking a seat on opposite sides of him.

"A bottle of Zipang sparkling sake," Akira requested of the bartender. "Takumi?"

"Oh, ah, just water, please."

"So, let me guess," Akira then facetiously presumed, observing the glazed-over look in Hajime's eyes, "you're rehearsing for the lead in the stage adaptation of 'The Lost Weekend'."

"Akira," Takumi scolded, although rather surprised at her familiarity of the 1945 Oscar winning film about an alcoholic.

Picking up the decanter in front of him and pouring himself another cup, Hajime morosely informed her, "That film hasn't been adapted for the stage," before downing another cup of sake.

"That's it? That's the best you've got?" Akira challenged, sounding rather disappointed. "No witty comeback? No smart-alecky retort?"

"I'm not exactly in the mood, alright?" he despondently declared, his speech becoming somewhat slurred at times. "Wha… what are you guys… doing here anyway?"

"We came because we're worried about you," Takumi compassionately replied. "Now what's troubling you, my friend?"

"Wha… what makes you think something's troubling me? Look, can't a guy have a few drinks after a long day at work? Uh, and at school," he was quick to add.

"Except… you weren't at school, were you?" Takumi contested.

"How did you…? Makoto," Hajime then realized. "Damn it, why can't that guy mind his own business?"
"Because he's your friend and he's worried about you," Takumi reminded him. Venturing a guess, he then assumed, "You had a fight with Kyoko, didn't you?"

"Kyoko," he said in anguish. Attempting to evade the question, Hajime once again reached for the sake decanter and proceeded to refill his cup, which he then slowly brought up to his lips. He stared long and hard at it before cryptically uttering, "Here's to my love!" Upon downing the shot he then softly murmured Shakespeare's Romeo's dying line, "Thus with a kiss I die."

"Hajime!" Takumi attempted to snap his friend out of his stupor.

"I… I let her down," he despairingly confessed. "But… what choice did I have? I had to think about Miyako's future."

"Your… Your sister?"

"And that's why I had to… drop out."

"What?" Takumi was shocked to learn. "Hajime, you… I, I don't understand. Why would you…?"

"I, I thought we were managing fine on our own," he went on to explain. "I mean, after we lost our parents a year ago, I was all that she had. And believe me; I thank God every day for sparing her from the tsunami's devastation."

"Hajime," Akira sympathetically began to offer, "if it's money that you need, then…"

"No!" he flat out rejected. "Thank you, but, I couldn't do that. This is just something that I have to do on my own. Anyway, like I said, we seemed to be managing just fine with the savings my parents had put aside along with the money from my part-time job. But then a few weeks ago, when the students in Miyako's eighth grade class were discussing possible career paths that they might be interested in venturing into, she… she told me that she wanted to become a doctor, because…"

Having a difficult time containing himself, Takumi placed a supportive arm around his friend in an attempt to console him, who by now had become quite emotional.

Taking a deep breath, he resumed, "because… she didn't ever want to experience that feeling of helplessness again after witnessing all those people around her dying and not being able to do anything to help them. And it was at that moment that I realized how selfish I had been. Here I was, thinking of my future acting career when I should have been thinking about hers. But with all my student loans there would be no way that I could afford to put her through medical school. That's why I dropped out and switched from part-time to full-time at my job at the restaurant."

"So basically," Takumi surmised, "you gave up your dream in order to allow Miyako to pursue hers."

"It was the right thing to do," Hajime steadfastly maintained. "I mean, what's more important, a career that merely serves to entertain people or one that has the potential to save them? Kyoko understands why I did it, yet she's still pretty upset with me. She's still insistent that there's another way, one that wouldn't force me to sacrifice my dream. I just don't see it though."

"There is a way, you know," Takumi avowed. "If you'd only just let us…"

"No! I already told you; I… I can't take your money."

"Hajime, please!" Takumi implored. "For as long as I've known you, acting has been your lifelong dream, and I'd hate for you to have to give that up. So please, let us help you."

"Why? So that you can feel better about yourself?" An embittered Hajime shot back. "So that you'll have done your good deed for the day? Geez, it's really just that simple for you, isn't it? You think you can just throw money at a problem and it'll make everything all better."

"Hajime, I…"

"You've changed, Takumi," Hajime harshly stated upon downing another cup of sake. "You didn't use to be like this. Whatever happened to that simple, down-to-earth fellow who didn't need or care about any of life's superficial things, accepted whatever life threw at him, happy and content just to be surrounded by some really good friends. Hmph, I guess money really does change a person."

"Hajime…" Takumi mournfully expressed.

"Please, just… just go. And leave me alone."

Dejected, Takumi slowly began to get up and quietly exited the premises, never once looking back.

As she too began to get up from her stool, Akira looked down at Hajime, shook her head and angrily conveyed, "You're as stubborn as he is, you know that?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You don't remember, do you? Right after Takumi had his heart transplant," she reminded him, "he insisted on working to help pay off the cost of the operation so that his sister wouldn't be burdened with it. I finally managed to convince him to let my father pay for it and to consider it a wedding present."

"Ye… yeah, I remember you telling me about that."

"And then, just like you, he was prepared to give up his career in psychology and go into business instead, all to appease my father just so that he would permit him to marry me."

"Yeah, that, that's right," Hajime somberly replied as he began to recall.

"He figured that if he sacrificed his career that it would make me happy. Of course I wouldn't hear of it. There was no way that I was going to allow him to give up his career for my sake. I mean, can you believe it? He was basically going to make me carry the burden of guilt, and all because I allowed him to give up on his dream? Not a chance. So really, that was pretty selfish on his part, don't you think?"

"Uh… yeah. Selfish," Hajime suddenly began to comprehend.

"You ahh, haven't told your sister yet, have you? About dropping out, I mean."

"Um, no. No I haven't."

"Well, I'm sure she's not going to very happy with the idea at first. But hey, as long as it allows her to pursue her dreams, then that's really all that matters, right? I'm sure she'll be able to deal with the guilt later on in life, knowing that she was responsible for causing her brother to give up on his acting career, and all for her sake. Yup, pretty magnanimous on your part, I'd say," Akira sarcastically remarked. Then, placing a hand upon his shoulder as she prepared to depart, Akira simply left him with, "Well, you do what you have to do. I'm sure you have nothing but your sister's best interests at heart. See you later, Hajime. Oh, and ah, Merry Christmas."

"Merry… Christmas," he sullenly murmured under his breath.

Outside, a disillusioned Takumi sat waiting on a nearby bus stop bench. Brushing aside some of the recently fallen snow, Akira then sat down alongside him.

"Hey, you alright?"

"He… he hates me, Akira."

"Oh, he doesn't hate you. The idiot's just being pigheaded, that's all. Thinks he alone knows what's best."

"I… I just wanted to help," he weakly replied. "It… it just pains me to see him suffering like this. I don't know; I'm at a complete loss, Akira. I just don't know what I should do anymore."

"Hey, would you snap out of it? Come on," she attempted to console him, "I'm sure we'll come up with something."

"I sure hope you're right."

"In the meantime, considering the circumstances and all, you think maybe we should cancel the ski trip?"

"Yeah, but, we already told Hiroki and Izumi that we'd be there. I don't want to let this put a damper on your vacation. I'm sure I'll be fine."

"Fine, huh? If I know you, you're probably going to be moping around during the entire trip worrying about that idiot. Forget it. I'm going to call them and tell them that we won't be able to make it."

"Akira…"

"Well, I guess that's everything," Akira announced later that evening as she proceeded to close a now empty suitcase.

Choosing to forgo their trip and quietly spend their holiday break at Akira's home instead, a rather forlorn Takumi apologetically offered, "I'm sorry, Akira. I didn't mean to ruin this trip for you. It's just that there would have been no way that I would have been able to enjoy myself."

"Oh, would you stop blaming yourself. To tell you the truth, I probably wouldn't have been able to have much fun either. I don't care really. I'm perfectly content as long as I get to quietly spend these next few days alone with you."

"Akira," Takumi affectionately uttered.

"Pardon me, ojou-sama," Akira's butler formally announced, "but Nakajima-san and Sakamoto-san are waiting downstairs to see you."

"Hiroki and Izumi?" Akira quizzically wondered.

"I don't get it," Takumi said with a puzzled expression. "What would they be doing here? They should be at their hotel by now. Didn't you call and tell them that…?"

"She did," Akira's overzealous friend vocally proclaimed. "And that's precisely why we came."

"Izumi!" Akira was stunned yet happy to see.

Not far behind, Hiroki then regretfully offered, "Sorry, you guys, didn't mean to barge in on you like this. But you know how Izumi gets when she's on a mission."

Last to reach Takumi and Akira's bedroom, their now out-of-breath maid, Misaki, jokingly declared, "Well, looks like you beat me again, Izumi-san. How about we make it best two out of three?"

"Misaki," a none too amused Akira scolded, "I keep telling you not to encourage her."

"Heh, heh," Izumi chuckled. "I'll take a rain check on that, Misaki-san."

"Well then," Kenji politely announced as he and Misaki prepared to exit the room, "if there's nothing else that you need…"

"Actually," Hiroki requested, "there is something that we need you to do."

"Say, what's this all about, anyway?" Takumi was curious to learn.

"When Akira called me this afternoon and told me about your friend's little dilemma," Hiroki began to explain, "it got me thinking."

"Yeah, and it really broke my heart when I heard that he was willing to give up everything all for the sake of his younger sister," Izumi sadly remarked. "And even though we only met Hajime-kun that one time at your wedding, I'll never forget what he did for us and what a sweetheart he was."

"I never really did have a chance to thank him properly," Hiroki confessed. "So anyway, after what Akira had told me, I think I may have come up with a rather unique solution to his problem. But I'm going to need everyone's help if we're to pull this off."

"Whatever you need, Hiroki," Takumi anxiously offered. "You know I'd do anything for him."

"I know exactly how you feel, Takumi," Hiroki empathized. "Okay, first off… Um, does anybody know if JFK or LaGuardia is the closest airport to Manhattan? And for that matter, is it snowing up there?"

"Miyako!" a weary Hajime announced as he entered his apartment. "I'm home!"

"Onii-chan!" the young thirteen year old happily greeted her brother.

"Man, I'm beat," he declared as Miyako helped him off with his coat.

"Oh, why have you been working so many more hours lately," she worriedly asked.

"Why? Why it's so I could buy you this!"

Handing her a small package, which he had concealed behind his back, Hajime was elated as he witnessed the enthusiastic expression on the young girl's face as she eagerly opened it.

"You like it?"

"Oh, onii-chan, it's beautiful," she happily proclaimed. Holding up a Swarovski pendant necklace, Miyako continued to admire the oval-cut, bright blue sapphire pendant as the light reflected off of it. She then became a bit choked up as she realized, "It… it's just like the one mom used to wear."

Struggling to fight back his tears, Hajime then wished, "Merry Christmas, Miyako."

"Merry Christmas, onii-chan," the teary-eyed teen cried as she hugged her big brother.

Then hearing a knock at the door, Hajime quickly wiped the tears from his eyes and wondered, "Now who could that be at this hour? Hey, you don't suppose it's your boyfriend, do you, Miyako?"

"Oh, stop. You know I don't have a boyfriend yet."

"Well that's good," he teased, just as he opened the door, "because I absolutely forbid you from dating at such a young age."

"As I recall," the familiar voice on the opposite side of the door came, "you started dating Kyoko at right around the same age that Miyako is now."

"Takumi!" Hajime was rather startled to see, along with Akira and Hiroki.

"Good to see you again, my friend," Takumi greeted. "You're looking rather well. Although, I must say you're a bit red around the eyes. You haven't been crying, have you?" he teased.

"Uh, no, no, of course not."

"Onii-chan, aren't you going to invite them in?" Miyako advised.

"Huh? Oh, ah, of course. By all means, please, come in."

"Miyako?" an astonished Takumi greeted with a hug. "Is that really you? Oh, wow, you've grown so much, hasn't she, Akira?"

"I'll say. And I'm certain that she's gotten to be even smarter than her big brother," Akira lightheartedly proclaimed, followed up by a wink.

"You'll get no argument from me there," Hajime couldn't dispute, "especially after the way I've behaved lately."

"Listen, Hajime," Takumi attempted to explain. "I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable, but…"

"No, it's okay, really. I know you only had my best interests at heart," Hajime understandably replied. "Besides, I'm the one who should be apologizing. I'm afraid I was really out of line yesterday. I should never have said those things to you. I'm really sorry."

"Hey, I'm just happy to have my old friend back again."

"Thank you. Oh, and Akira? I thought really hard about what you said to me yesterday and, well, I just wanted to say…"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's great. I get it," Akira uncomfortably replied, not used to receiving compliments.

"Uh, allow me to translate for you, Hiroki," Takumi humorously explained. "She said you're welcome."

"Ahh, so that's what that was."

"Shut up," a beat red Akira muttered under her breath.

Ordinarily the first to jump in with a clever quip, especially when it was aimed at Akira, Hajime, in this particular case, just couldn't bring himself to join in on the verbal assault, opting instead to hold his tongue.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Hajime suddenly realized. "I haven't introduced you yet. Hiroki-san, this is my younger sister, Miyako."

"Pleased to meet you," Hiroki greeted. "My, that's a pretty pendant you're wearing."

"My uh, brother gave it to me," Miyako bashfully revealed.

"Well, he certainly has exquisite taste," Hiroki complimented with a smile over at Hajime.

"Say by the way," Hajime then wondered, "weren't the three of you, along with Izumi-san, supposed to be going on a skiing trip together right about now? And incidentally, where is she?"

"Don't worry about it," Takumi assured. "We just… postponed the trip for a day. And as for Izumi, she should be here shortly. She just went to pick up a friend at the airport."

"Oh. Well, I certainly hope you didn't cut your trip short on my account"

"So what if we did?" Hiroki argued, "Your future is much more important than some trip anyway."

"My… My future?"

"Listen, when Akira called me yesterday and told me that you were in trouble, Izumi and I dropped everything and rushed right on over."

"I… I don't understand. Why would you do that? I mean, why would you be worried about someone as insignificant as myself?"

"Onii-chan!" Miyako admonished. "Don't say things like that! You're not insignificant."

"I should say not," Takumi concurred.

"Miyako," Hajime earnestly said as he knelt down before his sister, "I'm afraid I did something really stupid the other day. I just hope you can forgive me."

"Wha… What did you do?"

"I… I dropped out of school."

"What? But, you love acting. Why would you do such a thing? You've always told me that it was your dream to someday become a great actor in the theater."

"And it still is, only… I began feeling guilty about it after you told me that you wanted to become a doctor. That's when I realized that… if I wanted to be able to make your dream come true, I… I would have to give up mine."

Suddenly becoming incensed, Miyako began pounding her fists into her brother's chest out of frustration. "Baka! Baka! Baka!"

"You're right," Hajime willingly admitted. "I deserve that. Your brother's a big, stupid idiot. I'm sorry, Miyako."

"Ohh, why would you do something like that? Well I won't let you do it! I won't! I won't!" Looking up into his eyes, a teary-eyed Miyako then pleaded, "Oh, onii-chan, please don't do this."

"Don't worry, Miyako," Takumi assured, "he won't. So please don't be too angry with him. He just made a mistake, that's all."

"Yeah," Hajime smiled up at his friend. "It was wrong of me; I know that now. I guess I was just so blinded that I couldn't see straight anymore. I was so sure of myself that I thought I was doing the right thing. But luckily, I had some really great friends to help point out those mistakes to me and to set me straight again."

"And believe me, I know what that's like," Hiroki related. "Miyako? Did you know that your brother once saved me from making the biggest mistake of my life? No? He never told you?"

Miyako just stood there shaking her head.

"Well, long story short, he basically made me realize what was truly important in my life, something that I had simply failed to see. Had it not been for your brother, I very nearly could have lost the one girl who I had been madly in love with since the day that I first laid eyes on her."

"Yeah, but," Hajime modestly refuted, "I'm sure if I hadn't said anything, Takumi probably would have…"

"Nope," Takumi countered, "It was all you, my friend."

"He's right," Hiroki maintained. "And I never really did get to properly thank you. So if there's ever anything that you need…"

"Thank you, I…" a choked-up Hajime gratefully acknowledged. "I really appreciate that. But I… I think I'm going to be alright now."

"Onii-chan, are, are you sure?" a concerned Miyako still sought some reassurance"

"Don't worry, Miyako, I won't ever make a stupid mistake like that again. And I promise you that I'll figure out some way to make this all work out, even if it means taking on another job."

"No, no, I don't want you to that," Miyako objected. "You know, maybe I could get a job and help out too."

"Oh, I can't stand it anymore," Akira impatiently said in frustration. "Takumi, stop making the poor girl suffer like this and just give it to her already."

Pulling a large, manila envelope out from inside of his jacket, Takumi then preceded to hand it to Miyako.

"Wha… What's this?" the confused child inquired.

"Go on, look inside," Takumi urged.

Upon opening the envelope, Miyako's puzzled look was matched by that of her brother, who stood behind her as she pulled out a certificate.

"Stocks?" a perplexed Hajime said aloud.

"Not just any stocks," Akira clarified. "They're stocks in Okuzaki Industries."

"Your dad's company?" Miyako questioned.

"That's right."

"Now hold on," Hajime objected. "I already told you, I can't accept…"

"That's okay, you don't have to," Akira informed him.

"Huh?"

"If you'll look closely, they're not in your name, they're made out to Miyako."

"Me?" Miyako was flabbergasted to learn.

"Look, it doesn't matter who they're made out to, we still can't accept…" Hesitating as he then looked on at his sister, Hajime began to feel trapped, unable to decide on what the correct choice of action was, prompting him to frustratingly exclaim, "Damn it, why are you doing this to me?"

"Onii-chan."

"Hajime, listen to me," Akira attempted to enlighten. "As I said, all these shares are in Miyako's name, but because she's still a minor they're being held in a custodial account. However, once she turns eighteen, then, and only then, will she be given control of those shares. And of course by that time she'll be old enough to decide on her own what she wants to do with them. She could choose to donate them, or, if she wishes, she could sell them and then use that money to put toward her education. But, it'll be entirely her decision to make, not yours."

"Think of it as an investment," Hiroki tried to clarify, "in Miyako's future."

"Miyako's… future," Hajime silently uttered.

Staring long and hard down at the stock certificates, still with a blank look on his face, Hajime then slowly began to raise his head and proceeded to glance over at his sister. As he gazed into her innocent, childlike eyes, it was then that he was forced to remind himself of what was more important to him: his sister, or his foolish pride.

Sighing heavily upon reaching his decision, Hajime smiled down at his sister and proudly proclaimed, "Well, looks like we're going to have ourselves a mighty fine doctor in this family."

"Onii-chan!" Miyako happily embraced her brother.

"Thanks, you guys," Hajime gratefully acknowledged his friends.

"Hiroki," Takumi motioned, "I think now's as good a time as any to tell him."

"I agree."

"Tell me what?"

"Hajime-san?" Hiroki inquired, "Tell me, are you familiar with the Shiki Theatre Company?"

"Are you kidding?" Hajime eagerly responded as his eyes began to light up. "Why it's only the largest and best known theatre company in all of Japan. It's practically every actor's dream to one day be able to perform in one of their shows."

"So I've heard. In any case, a few months back," Hiroki began to convey, "Izumi and I happened to see one of their performances. Well, immediately after the show, we ran into my uncle there. From what he told me, it seems that my family's company, Nakajima Enterprises, has a rather significant stake in this particular theater company. Funny, huh? I mean for someone who's eventually going to be taking over that company, you'd think I'd know that. Anyway, he took us backstage and showed us around a bit just before taking us into his office. Apparently another thing I didn't know was that he has a seat on the board of directors. He then went on to explain that they're always on the lookout for fresh talent. That's when Izumi, right out of nowhere it seems, just blurted out your name."

"She, she did? Really?"

"Oh yeah. She seems to have this tendency to say exactly what's on her mind. Anyway, she happened to remember that you were going to Osaka's University of Arts and then just came right out and told my uncle what a great voice you have and that you were studying to be an actor. You should have heard how enthusiastic she sounded. Well, without saying a word, my uncle began to dig through some folders, each from a different university, until he came upon your school. Opening it up, he looked through a list of student's names until finally he found it. When he showed it to us, Izumi and I just looked at each other and were astounded by what we saw and what my uncle then told us. Hajime, your name was at the very top of that list."

"Onii-chan," Miyako breathlessly looked on at her brother, whose hand was now cusped over his mouth in utter astonishment.

"You… you must be mistaken. I mean, there's no way that…"

"Trust me, there's no mistake. My uncle tells me that from all the scouting reports that he's received, yours alone showed the greatest potential. They certainly don't want to lose you to some other theater company, so they're going to be watching you very closely from now on, I can assure you. You've really made an impression on them, Hajime. And believe me, it's not often that that happens."

Completely bowled over by this revelation, Hajime continued to shake his head in utter disbelief as he sat down on the couch to try and take it all in.

Thrilled for his friend, Takumi then sat down alongside him to ensure, "Hajime? You alright?"

"I… I'm not… sure. Just… just give me a minute, okay."

"Haha, take all the time you need, my friend."

"Uh, Takumi?" his friend then inquired. "Did, did you know about any of this?"

"What? About the scouting report? Heck, I just found out about that yesterday. But truthfully, it doesn't shock me in the least. Because ever since I've known you, I knew that you had this tremendous talent just itching to get out, waiting to be shared with the rest of the world. And what do you know? Looks like my suspicions were correct. Hey, a lot of exciting things are going to start happening in your life from here on out. And believe me, you deserve every bit of it. I couldn't be happier for you, my friend."

"Thanks, Takumi. And thank you, Hiroki-san. You have no idea how much all of this means to me."

"Hey, I didn't do anything," Hiroki pointed out. "I merely managed to find out some information for you. It was actually all you, Hajime. Your talent and hard work are what makes this all possible. I'm just glad I was able to deliver this bit of good news to you. But really, now that I think about it, I guess none of us would have really even known about this if it hadn't been for Izumi's insatiable curiosity, and, I suppose, to a more greater extent, her big mouth. Hahahaha!"

Upon composing himself, Hiroki went to answer his cell phone as it began to go off.

"Hello?"

"So, I have a big mouth, huh?"

"Uhh… Izumi?" Hiroki became startled as his eyes began to bulge. "Whe… where are you at?"

"Where do you think? Just outside the door."

"We… Well try and keep it down," Hiroki then began to speak in a near whisper while cupping his hand over the mouthpiece. "How long have been there anyway?"

"Long enough to hear you say some rather unflattering things about me."

"Izumi, I was just kidding. I'm sorry, alright? So… is she with you?"

"Yes, yes, of course she is," Izumi told him, yet still not too happy about his previous comment. "You know you sure have a funny way of…"

"Izumi? You still there?"

"Ooohhh, look at you! You're just so cute!" Izumi squeeled.

It was then, at that moment, when Hajime realized, "Hey, has anyone seen Miyako? She was standing by the door just a minute ago."

"Uh oh," Hiroki worriedly uttered, observing that the door was now slightly ajar. Cupping his hands around the phone again, Hiroki apprehensively whispered, "Izumi, what are you doing? You're going to spoil the surprise."

"Miyako?" Hajime headed toward the door to check on his sister. "Are you out there?"

"Ha-ji-me-kun!" a highly energetic Izumi greeted with a hug as the door swung wide open.

"Izumi-san! Hey, it's great to see you again. Hey, um, by any chance did you happen to see my sister around anywhere?"

"Oh, I just knew from that adorable face that she was your sister!" Izumi was excited to discover.

"Then, you have seen her?"

"Why, she's waiting for you right outside the door."

"Miyako?" Hajime called as he stepped out into the hall, "Why'd you wander off like tha…?"

Opening and closing his eyes several times to confirm that he wasn't seeing things, Hajime was rendered utterly speechless as he came face to face with the one person who he didn't expect to see again for at least a few more months.

"Look who I found, onii-chan," Miyako eagerly announced.

"Kyoko. Is it… is it really you?"

"Well, why don't you see for yourself," the tall, dark-haired girl challenged as the two then became reunited in a long, affectionate embrace.

"Cuddle Bunny," Hajime adoringly expressed. "Oh, I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too, Snuggie Bear."

"Oh, I have so much to tell you. You're not going to believe all the extraordinary things that have happened to me."

"I know. Izumi-san was telling me everything on the way over here," Kyoko explained. "The Shiki Theatre Company! Oh, Hajime, I'm so excited for you. I've always known you were destined for greatness."

"Well, that's what I've always told him," Takumi submitted as he then greeted, "Glad you could make it, Kyoko. Hope you had a pleasant flight."

"Wait," Hajime suddenly realized, "so you guys flew her in here?"

"They sure did," Kyoko ecstatically replied. "Isn't it wonderful? They did it just so we could be together for Christmas. Why, they even flew me first class."

"First… class?" Hajime said with a bit of unease.

"Hey, we took what we could get," Hiroki disclosed. "You know how hard it is to get a seat on an international flight at the last minute? And then on Christmas Eve, no less. Believe me, it wasn't easy. All the flights out of New York were booked solid. But luckily, after numerous phone calls, we managed to find a connecting flight out of Los Angeles on Nippon Airways that was flying non-stop to Osaka Airport. I mean, you would not believe how hard…"

"Uh, Hiroki," Akira interjected, sounding a bit irritated at his incessant rambling, "I think he gets it. Now, Hajime," she then redirected her attention, "before you start freaking out about how much all this must have cost, just keep in mind that this was our gift to Kyoko, not to you. So we don't want you to feel like you're obligated or anything to…"

"No, no, I'm… I'm fine with it. Really," Hajime finally accepted. "I'm just still so… overwhelmed, that you guys would do all of this for me. I… I don't know what to say," he emotionally expressed as his eyes began to well up. Proceeding to wipe his tears, a grateful Hajime offered, "Thank you. You guys are the best."

"Merry Christmas, Hajime-kun," Izumi wished.

"Well, Hajime," Takumi now eagerly anticipated, "how do you like your Christmas present?"

Admiringly gazing into Kyoko's eyes, Hajime unequivocally responded, "She's everything that I ever wanted."

Gleefully observing the two as they affectionately embraced, Izumi gushed in delight as she cried, "Awww, that's so romantic. It's like out of a fairy tale. Flying half way across the globe, braving fierce winter storms, all just so that she could be with the one she loves on Christmas Eve."

"Well, technically, Izumi," Hiroki felt the need to correct, "the weather in New York wasn't all that bad; just a few mild snow flurries. And then of course, by the time she reached Los Angeles, it was a gorgeously sunny day there. Of course, there was a bit of snow at Osaka, so her landing was slightly delayed there until… Oooo!"

As Hiroki now stood hunched over while clutching his chest in pain, Akira just shook her head and admonished, "You just never know when to shut up, do you?"

"Yow," Hajime sympathized. "I know what that feels like, believe me. I've been on the receiving end of Akira's elbow more times than I care to remember."

"Hmph. Serves him right," Izumi coldly remarked. "Telling me that I have a big mouth."

"Izumi, I said I was sor… Ow!"

"Heh, heh," an amused Hajime chuckled, suddenly now appearing to have a more mischievous look about him. "So, ahh, Takumi? You think it would be alright if I… 'unwrapped' my gift now?"

"Oh, Hajime, you're bad," Kyoko scolded, observing as he suggestively motioned his eyebrows and audaciously appeared to scan her body.

"Onii-chan," his sister embarrassingly chided.

"Well, he's got his perverted sense of humor back," Akira heralded. "So it looks like he's back to normal. Well, normal for him, anyway."

"Haha, that's our Hajime," Takumi proudly proclaimed. "Hey, you guys want to join us on our ski trip? We'd love to have you come."

"Thanks for the offer, Takumi," Hajime appreciatively replied, "but, I think I'd rather just quietly spend this holiday time together with… my family."

"I understand."

Unable to contain herself, an overemotional Izumi rushed over to give the three a big, group hug. "Oh, I love you guys." she tearfully declared.

As they now bid their friends goodbye and began to depart, Hiroki paused one last time to wish, "Merry Chris… Ow!"

Once again clutching his stomach, still feeling the pain from earlier, Akira came over and began to drag him away. Looking on at the three as she did so, she wished, "Merry Christmas, you guys. Oh, stop whining, Hiroki. I didn't hit you that hard."