Merry Christmas for you all! Well, most of you may have noticed that I posted this without a summary. Well, that's because I was in a hurry actually. I went into an updating rush.
At any rate, I was going to update two months ago, but somehow I thought it was better to delay a little more, the already delayed update, so I would have a Christmas episode instead of an early December one.
Now, we all know I'm not continuous with my updates. This story have been a live for almost two years already, and yet, people still review it, and people still encourage me to continue, some even at the other side of the world! This story helped me met people from all around the world, even though I'm Mexican. Most of my reviewers are North American, others are from Philippines, there is a Cuban one somewhere there, and some from Espain! I even got a good friend from Belarus from this story who eventually sends me postal that arrive a month after they are send! So it's true to assume, that this isn't just my most reviewed story ever, but also a story I should definitively finish! I will do my best, but I'm not risking myself into promising anything.
For now, this time I bring you a Christmas special with some fresh ideas, some will even lead the story toward it's ending. Also, most chapters are centered in Yahiro, this time it will be different thought. For this story, Megumi will be the protagonist! So read, enjoy, and have a Merry Christmas!
EDITED & ADAPTED TO THE MANGA! (24/12/2012)
Prologue:
December 20, 201 days to deadline.
Christmas was close. There were no classes left. Students were even receiving their diplomas, something Yahiro didn't care about since this was the second time he ended receiving one. There were tears in the faces of many. Some were even speaking about university. Some others never cared about continuing with their studies and just wanted to work already. And again, Yahiro never cared about the interest of them. He only cared about one person, and that was Megumi. The Special A was having a special meeting apart from the ones of Yahiro's classmates. Their own farewell speech, their own ceremony, their own everything.
Some bystander students were cheering for them, and crying as well, especially for Hikari, since she was the fan favorite who could never beat Kei in grades or anything to begin with. Yahiro just faced them all, as they took their Special A uniforms and delivered them to the top seven of the new generation, the new Special A. Yahiro placed very close attention to that gesture. In the eyes of everyone, there was sadness. Even Kei wasn't exempt of the sensation.
For Yahiro, graduating meant nothing. He didn't have friends to begin with, just the Special A. But for the seven, it meant giving up their greenhouse. The place where they could all be together and have fun. The seven even delivered their keys to the new seven, and gave their farewell to their institute. It was over. They were no longer the Special A. They were graduates now. And they had to move on.
Later that same day, Yahiro was invited by Kei to join them at a restaurant for the celebration. Megumi was silent the whole time, more than what was usual anyway. Everyone else was smiling and speaking about the future. But not her. She was actually depressed.
"Eh? Studying abroad?" Both Yahiro and Megumi suddenly heard, and Megumi flinched when hearing that last. Hikari was speaking to Ryuu, and everyone went into silence. "You are going to transfer to Finn's country? Congratulations!" Hikari mentioned, being as dense as to not realize what Ryuu's decision really meant.
"Yes… Finn and I are formalizing our relationship. So I decided to continue my studies at her country. I will start a business management doctorate there." And Hikari was surprised. "I took that decision after Yahiro broke my nose the other day. Now I know I can leave Megumi under his care, and move on." And Megumi grew worried, Yahiro noticed. "Jun? Will you be ok?" Ryuu wondered, and Jun just smiled.
"It's fine! I will enter Todai academy and study economy there." Jun added, and Megumi once again lowered her face. "I need to know more about marketing and budgets anyway. I'm the Co-CEO of the Yamamoto Entertainment Corporation after all. So, even if it is only for the diploma, I need a career to make a name of our familiar business." And Jun then faced Akira. "You are going to Todai too, right, Akira-san? Please take good care of me." Jun added cheerfully.
"It will be my pleasure." Akira mentioned. "Todai is a low resource academy to my taste, but I have heard the clothing design career is one of the best in the world! So I think I can tolerate the lack of fanciness." Akira mentioned, and then faced Hikari, who lowered her head ashamed. "Sorry Hikari-chan! I sometimes forget you are poor!" And Hikari lowered her head even more at that last. "Anyway, Tadashi, you haven't mentioned what you are going to do." Akira asked.
"Paleontology!" He yelled, and Akira quickly smacked the back of his head hard. "Ouch! But I want to be a paleontologist!" He cried. "But regardless of my likings, mom is forcing me to study a doctorate in human psychology! She wants me to be the director of our institute someday! I hate psychology!" And then everyone ignored him and faced Kei.
"International Business Management." Kei mentioned, and everyone clapped their hands at him. "Of course, I don't need the studies. I already manage business chains worldwide. But I want to know how really demanding is Cambridge University." So I'm only studying for the challenge." And everyone sweat dropped at that last. "Up to the challenge, Miss Number two?" And Hikari fell to the floor hard after the insult.
"Don't call me Miss Number Two!" She yelled hard and in annoyance. "Whatever you study, I will study it too! I will never give up until I finally beat you!" Hikari added with teary eyes. "I will definitively beat you, even if it means moving to the United Kingdom with you!" She yelled.
"Then you will be moving with me then!" And Akira flinched. Everyone else did the same but Yahiro, who wasn't at all interested in the conversation. "I will be honored then. I will take good care of you." And Hikari then suddenly noticed what she had acceded to. She blushed madly and then tried to fix it all, but Kei wouldn't let her, and instead, he asked Megumi about what she would do. "Megumi-chan? What will you study?" He wondered ignoring Hikari, and everyone faced Megumi with curiosity, while the girl just backed off in surprise. "Will you be a full-time idol? Or study anything else?" He wondered.
"Eh?" She began, and then thought about it for a second. "I… well… I…?" And then Aoi walked toward the table they were eating at, and tried delivering her sketchbook to Megumi, who then moved her head in negation, deciding to use her voice instead. "I want to study finances." And everyone went into silence, Yahiro and Kei included. "I… well… what I want to study isn't important… anything will be ok… but… I will miss you all…" And she began crying. "Sorry…" She mentioned with a smile on her face, and everyone else delivered their smiles back to her. "Eh… Yahiro-kun? What will you do…?" She wondered with fear evident in the tone of her voice.
"Me?" And everyone faced him with interest. "Studying is boring, so I'm not studying a career." And everyone freaked out at that last but Kei, who smiled softly at what he was hearing. "I'm a financial genius. I will just take the tests and get my title, but I'm not wasting my time studying." And Megumi blinked twice at that last. "What I will do, is become a producer. Megumi-chan's producer. I don't need to study for that." And Megumi smiled. Even if everyone left, even if neither Ryuu, or Jun, or anyone was there with her, she would always have Yahiro.
One Despicable Guy.
Chapter Fourteen: Merry S. A. Christmas.
December 24, 197 days to deadline.
"Yahiro-kun?" Megumi mentioned early that morning while looking for Yahiro all around the Tsuji apartment building. It was finally Christmas Eve, and she was wearing a fancy red dress and a French black-colored winter-hat as well as long black boots. She was finally wearing her ring back at her hands, although on top of her black-colored gloves. After so long, she finally managed to recover full mobility of her fingers, although her health was as weak as ever. "Yahiro-kun?" She continued while searching for her husband, or fiancé, or whatever. The true was they were nothing but a couple sharing a last name for the record. Nothing official was ever made, at least, not for her. "Yahiro-Kun? Kei's party." She continued, and then found Yahiro at the living room, with his laptop resting at his belly, and while he was sleeping. "Ueh? He is sleeping."
"I would add: 'finally' to that last." Ryuu replied while walking toward Yahiro with some covers. He then took his laptop away, and then placed the covers around the chilling teen. "He has been working harder than before. He is beat." Ryuu explained. And Megumi faced her husband with concern. "Don't worry, everything is turning out well. Your disc is selling well, better than we had expected, the shipments are intensifying. Thanks to your idol career, Yahiro was able to recover from the great loss Chitose forced your company to have. Yet, only now he was able to recover."
"He now needs to start over." Megumi complained. "Yahiro's family is awful… they are despicable…" She began. "Eh… except for mother Akemi." She added and searched all around the room, as if knowing Akemi could appear there at any second now and start crying. "Why are Yahiro's father and brother so mean…? It's Christmas Eve, and Yahiro can't enjoy it."
"Kei's Christmas Party is later tonight. He got plenty of time to recover some energy." Ryuu explained, and Megumi nodded. "Also, tomorrow is Christmas, Yahiro won't be able to work at all since all business chains are going to be closed. Well, most of them. So Yahiro won't be able to start new investments. Not until next year begins after all."
"But Yahiro won't… relax one bit…" Megumi added, and Ryuu faced her in concern. "Saku Saiga is so cruel… but if there is kindness in Yahiro's heart… I'm sure of it… Saku can still…" And Ryuu raised an eyebrow at that last, and faced Megumi with curiosity. "Ryuu… I got a favor to ask from you…" And Ryuu nodded while waiting for her to ask for her favor. "Have fun at the party… with Yahiro-kun… and don't worry about me." And Ryuu was about to speak out, but Megumi just walked toward her room and took a box from her bedroom. "It is a secret!" She began, and Ryuu nodded. "Tell Yahiro not to worry." And then she smiled and left the apartment building.
"Wait… Me-Megumi… you aren't seriously thinking about…" But Megumi was already outside, and Ryuu was now facing the closed door. "For the love of Finn… if Yahiro punches me again as last time, he truly is going to break my nose." And Ryuu then walked away from Yahiro and back to the zoo inside of his apartment, where he began feeding his animals. "Well… if I'm going to move to Finn's country, the less I can do is have faith in Megumi." And then Ryuu began dialing Jun's number. "Jun. I know you are on a date with Sakura, but if Yahiro asks, Megumi is out there with you." And then Jun's voice was heard at the other side of the line. "I got no idea of what is going on… but I promised not to worry, just play along." And Ryuu then hang the phone.
"So cold." Megumi complained, and then began walking by the snow-filled streets with her box, followed as was usual by Aoi, who suddenly came out of nowhere. "…Nervous…" She mentioned, and Aoi took his distance. "Aoi?"
"I apologize, my lady Yamamoto. But wherever you go, I need to tag along as well." Aoi explained, and Megumi made a mockery at that last, not really wanting that. "It is obvious what you are doing. Not only will Yahiro be extremely worried about you, but Kei will too. And I refuse to disappoint Kei."
"I order you to stay away for today." She added without fear, and Aoi was surprised to hear that declaration. "No secret service." She mentioned, and various black-glasses-wearing citizens, who were in reality her secret service scaring the paparazzi away all the time, faced Megumi with concern. "Eh? So many?" She wondered. And all the black-glasses-wearing citizens faced away while sweat dropping. "…Scary…" She informed, and Aoi asked them all to leave with a movement on his hand. "Ah! Taxi!" She yelled, and various windows were broken, and the taxi driver stopped abruptly and in fear. "Eh…? Sorry!" She yelled and entered the taxi, Aoi, however, tried to stop her. "Secret!" She ordered.
"But my lady Yamamoto. It isn't safe! And taking a taxi is too low for your standards." And Megumi crossed her arms in annoyance. "Are you sure? It is really dangerous. Don't you remember what happened last time?"
"I remember." She mentioned, and Aoi noticed something about Megumi. She was now stronger than ever before. "That's why… for Yahiro to be happy… I have to do this…" She informed, and Aoi delivered a determined look to her. He then closed the taxi's door, to which Megumi replied with a smile and a wave of her hand.
"Where to, young lady?" The taxi driver asked, and Megumi flinched. She then searched for her sketchbook all around the taxi cab, only to notice she didn't bring it with her. "Young lady? I'm stopping traffic here. Where to?" And then she faced Aoi outside, who was holding her sketchbook and was about to deliver it to her. Yet, Megumi moved her head in negation. "The Saiga… Financial building… please…" She informed, and the taxi driver nodded and began driving away. "For Yahiro-kun… I will be strong…"
"I fell… I fell asleep! Not good! Falling asleep isn't right!" Yahiro added while waking up abruptly and searching for his computer. "What was I doing? Where is my…?" But then he noticed Ryuu typing at his laptop. "Those are complex financial reports! Even the meaningless mistake…"
"Can force you to lose millions. I know. I'm a financial genius too." Ryuu mentioned and continued typing at Yahiro's computer. "You are working too hard, and worrying Megumi more than needed. I know the situation isn't exactly simple for you to be having fun but. You need to take it all more calmly."
"How am I to when it is obvious I'm losing this race?" Yahiro mentioned, and then noticed a cup of hot coffee in front of the sofa he had been sleeping at. "Where is Megumi?" He added and then took the cup of coffee and began drinking it."
"Out with Jun and Sakura. She wanted to wake you up so you could both go to Kei's party at the office later. But I told her to allow you to sleep." And Yahiro raised an eyebrow at that last. "Kei is organizing the party. He at least got time for that. You, however, care about nothing else but business. I'm serious. You should take things more calmly. There is nothing wrong in asking for some help every now and then. We will help you gladly. That's what friends do." And Yahiro was surprised to hear that last. "Don't tease me… call me Ryuu-kun even once and I won't help you."
"Ryuu-kun!" Yahiro teased, and Ryuu felt a vein popping at his forehead. "Now, give me my computer back." But Ryuu instead ignored him and continued typing at Yahiro's computer. "Thank you… Ryuu…" And suddenly, Ryuu missed his typing and invested a couple of millions more than were needed in a business that wasn't worth that much, and he freaked out for a moment there, both because of his accidental investment, and for Yahiro's open thanking. "I'm too tired to be an idiot to you right now… I'm weak… so I will just accept your help and sleep for a while longer." And Yahiro rested at the sofa once again, and almost immediately fell asleep.
"Ye-yeah… you rest… while I fix this accidental investment." Ryuu mentioned and read what he had invested in. "Eh? A zoo at Finn's country?" And Ryuu blinked twice. "Umm… maybe I can turn this accident into something profitable… and enjoyable…" Ryuu mentioned, and continued typing at his computer.
"…Awful…" Megumi suddenly mentioned at her taxi cab, as while the taxi driver took her toward the Saiga Financial Building. Yet, not only did she end trapped in the middle of Christmas traffic, but also ended ruining the gift-paper she was using to wrap her present box. Megumi was good at many things, but certainly not wrapping presents. "…Again…" She mentioned and tore the gift-paper apart in order to try again, but sadly found out she ran out of gift-paper. "…Epic fail…" She added to herself and with teary eyes, and then noticed they were awfully trapped in traffic. "…Boring…" She continued, and then noticed a present-store at the other side of the street. "Lucky!" She added in a loud tone, and the taxi driver almost crashed thanks to the surprise. "…Sorry…" She whispered, took money from out of her purse, paid the taxi driver, opened the cap, and then ran toward the store with her present in hand.
"Wait! Lady! This is too much money!" The taxi driver yelled, but Megumi just waved her hand at him happily. "Seriously? Merry Christmas!" The happy taxi driver mentioned, and Megumi waved at him once again before running toward the store and crashing with someone in the way.
"Waaaaah!" A girl yelled, and Megumi fell down while covering her mouth so her yell wouldn't leave anyone deaf. Yet, covering her mouth forced her to allow the present to fall, and the box to be crushed bellow the boot of the girl's companion. "Watch it!" The girl yelled, it was Sakura, but Megumi wasn't interested in her and instead pushed Jun away from the box rudely. "Megumi?" Sakura asked, and Megumi faced the present box with teary eyes and then faced Jun with hatred evident in her face.
"Ah?" Jun wondered and backed off. "It was an accident! You just came out of nowhere! And I'm sure you can buy another present." And Megumi stomped the floor hard, took out her black gloves after carefully taking the ring off first, and then she showed her bruised hands to him. "What happened to your hands? Wait… hand-made?" Jun complained, and Megumi nodded several times with tears in her eyes. "So that explains why you were wearing your ring on top of the gloves… and here I thought it was because you were cold."
"Eh? If Megumi did something hand-made then it was already ruined before Jun stepped on it." Sakura mentioned, and Megumi faced her with hatred. "Let's see the damage." Sakura began, and then opened the box, just then her eyes sparkled. "No way! Is this hand-made?" She yelled, and Megumi rudely took the box away from her. "Is it for Yahiro?" And Megumi moved her head in negation several times. "Eh? It's not? Then you are cheating on him?"
"Of course not!" She yelled out of annoyance. And both Jun and Sakura, and everyone around her, covered their ears hard. "It's for Saku." And upon recovering from the yell, both Jun and Sakura flinched. "Secret!" She mentioned.
"What? Wait, no!" Sakura complained. "You are not serious! He will chomp you alive! Sa-Sa-Saku is a monster! You aren't seriously thinking about… he eats little girls like you for breakfast!" Sakura mentioned several times and in fear.
"I'm going to call Yahiro." Jun added, as always being the over protective brother. But Megumi rudely took the phone from Jun's hand. "Megumi! I'm serious! I'm not allowing you to do that!" And Megumi opened her mouth and began storing air inside of her lungs preparing herself for a yell. "Wait! No! I give up!" And she breathed out carefully. "Is this really important for you?" And Megumi nodded several times in agreement. "I hope you know what you are doing."
"Me too." Megumi added in fear. And both Jun and Sakura sweat dropped. "Secret!" She added once again, and began walking inside of the store. And both Jun and Sakura followed her. "…Gold…" She added and took some golden colored gift-paper. But then she grew a vein on her forehead, walked toward the clerk there and pointed at the paper. "Fake!" She complained, and the clerk raised an eyebrow at her accusations.
"It's not real gold!" Sakura complained and took the gift-paper from Megumi's hand. "Give me that! I will wrap the present! You don't go out often, do you?" And Sakura took a present-box to replace the ruined one, and then began wrapping the present without the curious Jun being able to see what the present was at all. "Seriously, the things I do for Yahiro and his wife! So annoying! I wish I could sew as she does though, so jealous!" And then she delivered the golden colored present-box to her. She even added a green ribbon. "There, now go and pay." And Megumi nodded, and took out a lot of money. "It's not real gold!" Sakura complained.
"I know… I'm paying the tag's price." Megumi added, and Sakura sweat dropped and then slapped her own forehead hard. "…Eh…?" She wondered, and Sakura went furious.
"You don't have to show off your millions in my face! So now you are so rich you pay everything in dollars?" Sakura complained. "It says 83.530 yens! Not 83,530 dollars! I don't believe you! If it were Hikari I would believe it, but you?" And Jun then got in the way.
"Please, Sakura. Megumi does understand… it's just… well… she never does the shopping, so she doesn't know the real value of things. You just need to explain it to her only once." Jun mentioned, and Sakura faced Megumi with concern.
"I don't have yens…" She admitted, and Sakura sweat dropped. "So it's only 83.530 yens… so cheap… even for fake gold." And Sakura lowered her head ashamed. "I'm going then." She mentioned now more openly and relaxed.
"Just read the tag first and pay later next time." Jun mentioned, and Megumi nodded in agreement and continued with her walking. "She will be fine. She is really smart. But doesn't know the world outside the walls of luxury. That's why she thought it was real gold, because she had never been poor… or social to begin with."
"That girl needs a brain-exchange." Sakura mentioned, and both continued with their date. "I got this bad feeling that tells me things won't end as she had planned." Sakura mentioned, and Jun just smiled, believing in his elder sister knowing what she was doing.
Megumi then continued her walk around the city, although she was a little nervous about walking around the crowded city. Many were still doing their Christmas shopping, so it was even hard to move around. But Megumi was determined to finish her self-assigned mission, and keep going despite ending being pushed around by the crowd. And in the end, she found herself crashing once again, and buried below a good number of presents from a random citizen, and unfortunately for the weak girl, unable to stand up on her own without everyone unburying her.
After various apologies, and some autograph-signing when the man noticed who he had crashed with. Megumi picked her present up and continued walking. But after her little accident, her weakness was evident to some burglars hiding inside an alley. She also looked wealthy. And wealthy plus fragile equaled an easy fetch. So, before anyone could notice, one of them assaulted her, covered her mouth so she wouldn't yell, and pulled her inside of the alley.
"Nice and easy, girl." One of the burglars mentioned. "No one will come to your aid now. Cooperate and we won't hurt you." The teen mentioned, but Megumi then bit the thief's finger hard. "Ouch! What are you doing? Ouch, ouch!" He complained, and then released the girl, who then began cleaning her clothes. "You are a gonner!" The teen yelled, and Megumi began breathing hard and about to shout and leave the teen deaf, but then someone punched the thief hard, breaking his nose, and Megumi noticed Hikari.
"Megumi-chan? What were you thinking?" Hikari complained, and then spun kicked another one of the thieves. "It was dangerous! I know your voice is powerful, but you should have run in search of help instead of facing them!" Hikari continued, and then pulled the third thief into a wrestling grab and knocked him unconscious. "Maybe with some training you may be able to take care of yourself, but right now let me care about this." Hikari mentioned, and then faced the thieves with an evil stare. "Get a job and do something of your lives you low-lives!" She yelled, and the thieves flinched, nodded in agreement, and began searching all around the alley for newspapers to get a job. "That's better! I will come tomorrow to see if you got something." And they all flinched. "Are you well, Megumi? And Megumi then nodded with sadness evident in her face. "Megumi?"
"Thank you… but… I can take care of myself." She informed with teary eyes, and Hikari faced her with concern in her own. "Today… you are all here… tomorrow you won't… so I need to learn… to take care of myself… and be strong, as all of you…" She informed, and Hikari then flinched and covered her ears as if thinking she shouldn't hear Megumi's voice. "It's ok… I'm never using the sketchbook again." She mentioned while pulling Hikari's hands off her ears. "I'm strong… very strong… and will only become stronger… so please… be happy and don't worry about me…" And a tear fell from her eyes, and Hikari noticed it.
"So it was that." And Megumi lowered her face and cleaned her tears away gently. "Megumi… I'm dense, I know. But I can read you as if you were an open book." And Megumi doubted it and made a Yahiro-like face, which Hikari noticed and faced her Kei-style. "I'm serious." She informed. "We may be away. But the Special A will live in our hearts. We can be the Special A without a building to return to." And Megumi was surprised to hear that last. "Well then… there is a last present I need to grapple… I will keep your secret if you keep mine…"
"Secret!" Megumi added, and Hikari nodded, took the present box up, and delivered it to Megumi. "I'm going to give this to Saku… and fix things with Yahiro's family as Hikari did with Kei's one." She explained, and Hikari was proud of Megumi. "You have a secret too?" Megumi asked, and Hikari blushed and nodded in agreement. "I don't have to know."
"No… actually, I need someone to tell it to… and if Akira finds it out… I'm a goner…" And Megumi blinked twice. "Here…" Hikari mentioned and took an object from out of her pocked, which Megumi blinked twice at while she held it in her hands. "Open it carefully… if someone sees it…"
"Eeeeeeeeeeh!" Megumi yelled, and the thieves all covered their ears and curled at the ground and began rolling around in pain. Hikari just covered her ears and blushed madly. "Hikari! This is… is this for Kei-kun?" Megumi flinched. "But that's just wrong!" And Hikari then took the object and hid it at her pocket. "Hikari… are you drunk?"
"Eh? Where did that came from?" Hikari complained. And Megumi felt her eyes shaping themselves as spirals out of surprise. "I'm strong too! I swear to you that this will change nothing. I still, certainly and truly, will defeat Kei someday. Just as you defeated Yahiro-kun!" She informed, and Megumi just faced Hikari with concern. "Everything will be all right!" She added cheerfully, but then, her face turned into one full with happiness. "Losing once again won't make a difference anyway… if it is Kei the one beating me… I'm cool with it…"
"Thank you… Hikari…" Megumi added, and then began walking away. "And good luck!" She continued, and Hikari nodded and walked toward the opposite direction. "Hikari… is so strong… I want to be at least half as strong as she is." And Megumi resumed her walking.
"It's late. Where is Megumi?" Yahiro complained. He was now dressed formally for the party at his and Kei's building, the Yamamoto Entertainment Corporation building. "I know how Kei works. He does everything huge and fancy, and in the end just wants everyone to have fun. So, if Megumi doesn't arrive on time, he will be worried."
"Eh?" Ryuu began. He was also formally dressed, and was currently combing his hair, but interrupted it to face Yahiro oddly. "Unreal… you truly worry about Kei…" And Yahiro felt a vein popping at his forehead. "She will make it in time. Stop worrying. Trust me."
"Eh…? For you to say that it means you are hiding something." And Yahiro went suspicious, and Ryuu just flinched at that last and covered his nose. "Yet… if you are risking your health to cover her… knowing I could punch your nose out of your face as last time." And Ryuu sweat dropped. "It means I should trust her… doesn't it…?" And Ryuu nodded. "Let's go then… but if she doesn't make it to the party in time. You can be certain of me punching you again." And Yahiro left the room, followed by a now more worried Ryuu.
"…Unreal…" Megumi added with concern evident in the tone of her voice, and while she faced a couple in front of her with blue lines drawn on her face. "Now I only need to meet Kei." She complained. After all, Tadashi and Akira were in front of her. "Secret!" She yelled.
"Megumi-chan!" Akira yelled, and then hugged Megumi hard, who then accidentally threw her present box, which was caught by Tadashi, who had a hard time catching it with his head since his hands were full carrying many delicious-looking cakes-boxes. "Megumi! Megumi! Megumi! You look so cute with those clothes!" And then Akira faced every possible direction. "Yahiro is not with you! Then it's time to play dress-up! Let's go shopping! There is still time before the party starts! So let's have some fun together, Megumi-chan!" Akira added while pulling her into a clothing store.
"Wait! No! Akira-san!" Megumi complained, and then both Tadashi and Akira noticed how much Megumi was talking, and that her tone of voice was as normal as anyone else's. "I need to deliver a present to Saku Saiga." And Akira then flinched hard.
"Saku Saiga?" Tadashi asked. "Ah! That's the name of Yahiro's father! Scary, scary! But Megumi-chan! It's Christmas Eve, not Halloween! There is no need for a test of valor." And then Tadashi covered his head as if expecting Akira to hit him, but it never happened. "Akira?" Tadashi wondered, and then he waved his hand in front of her face. "What's wrong?"
"Tadashi… take the cakes to the Yamamoto building… and don't eat them… or I will truly hurt you…" Akira added with a low tone of voice, while Tadashi and Megumi both faced her in concern. "I need to talk to Megumi. Before she does something that she will end regretting her whole life." And Megumi lowered her head. "Just go." Akira added, Tadashi nodded, and then she was left alone with Akira. "Megumi…"
"I'm going!" She added with a louder tone of voice, and Akira faced her with concern. "I'm scared… I'm really… really scared…. But I need to do this… I need to… at least try… it is unfair to have a family that doesn't love you…" And Akira lowered her head ashamed.
"I tried to change them." Akira began, and Megumi faced her with interest. "Megumi… I was Yahiro's bride when we were kids… until I could tolerate it no more…" And Megumi then faced her present, as if thinking if it was enough. "Yahiro is happy hating Saku Saiga. As long as he got you… everything will be enough."
"It's not… you didn't see his face when Akemi apologized to him…" And Akira was surprised to hear Megumi being this confident. "Yahiro… the reason he is the way he is… is because his parents weren't there for him… I have… always had everything granted to me… everyone protects me… everyone cares for me… everyone gives me their help… but Yahiro… he never got anything granted… no one ever protected him… until recently, no one ever cared for him… no one ever helped him… so I will be his support… I will help him… so he can have a real family…" And Megumi then felt a cold sensation hitting her nose. Snow began falling, and the cold sensation forced her to face the sky. Akira did the same. "I love… Yahiro-kun… with all my heart…" She added.
"I know… I once did too…" Akira replied. And then she offered her hand to Megumi. "Take care of him… as I did when I used to love him deeply…" And Megumi blinked twice at Akira. "Now… you are the one who will always be there for him… he likes peach-tea by the way…" And Megumi smiled, and then took Akira's hand. "If Saku gets close. Yell as hard as you can and blow his ears off."
"I don't think I will even be able to speak at all." Megumi added and then began shivering hard, and Akira allowed Megumi to enter the Saiga building. "Eeek!" She yelled when the door opened itself automatically, and Akira feared for Megumi's safety, but decided to trust her. Megumi then walked in, and all the workers inside, who weren't released for the Christmas festivities yet, faced Megumi out of annoyance. They knew who she was, and apparently hated her. It was obvious Saku had forced his employers to work day and night with no rest in order of not showing any weakness against the growing Yamamoto Group. "I… I… I…" Megumi began. She was far more nervous than what she had imagined, and the guard just ignored her and stepped aside, allowing her to walk past the security. And she made a reverence at him.
"Top floor. Golden colored doors." The guard informed, and Megumi nodded and walked toward the elevators in silence, being forever nervous about the many looks directed at her. She was even hiding behind her golden present-box.
Megumi finally made it to the elevators, and once the door was opened, she found out, much to her surprised, that the giant, Saku Saiga, was inside. Megumi lost all her valor back then. Her face went pale, she began shaking in fear. Tears began filling her eyes, and her lips moved as if wanting to yell her fear out of her chest.
"Yamamoto?" Saku added, and Megumi fell to her knees and began hyperventilating out of fear. She couldn't stand being in front of Saku Saiga. "Get inside." He ordered, and Megumi nodded several times and rushed inside of the elevator. Her heart was racing more than ever. She even felt she would faint anytime soon. "What are you doing here?" Saku wondered, and Megumi just faced the control panel. Saku's office was at the top floor, and the building was 80 stories tall, so Megumi almost fainted when noticing she was going to stay inside that long. "You are not welcome here. None of the Yamamoto is. But I will hear what you have to say. Is this perhaphs a rendition from your part? I knew Chitose would defeat his brother." And Megumi moved her face in negation. "Face me when I'm talking to you!"
"Yaaaaaaaaaah! Yes!" She yelled and faced Saku in fear, who in return smiled at her fear. "I apologize for being a burden… I… well… I…" But then she went into silence and gulped hard. She couldn't connect the words, she was that scared.
"If this is a plan of my once son. He surely is wasting his time." Saku added, Megumi gulped, and the door finally opened at the top floor. But when it opened, Megumi found another monster outside, Chitose. "If you grow some spine, I will wait for you inside of my office. Otherwise, quit wasting my time. It's Christmas Eve, and there is a lot to be done." Saku mentioned and walked out of the elevator and into his office. Just then Megumi was able to calm down a little, but found herself with Chitose, who entered the elevator, and pressed the open-door button.
"What are you doing here?" He added, and Megumi faced him with annoyance. "I will never forgive you for what you did to my brother! One day I will break your spell, witch!" And Megumi grew a vein at her forehead when hearing that last. "How in the world can Nii-chan love an old lady like you?" And another vein popped at her forehead. "Ugly!" And another. "Fatso!" and more and more. "Mute psychopath!" And she had enough, grabbed his neck, and forced him to face her.
"I'm mute no more." She added with a scary look drawn on her face. "Despicable!" She yelled to his ear, knocking Chitose out. She then went to the board, clicked every button, and send Chitose in an endless trip toward the basement. "How rude!" She complained and then walked her way toward Saku's office, this time losing her valor and gulping hard while softly knocking his door.
"Are you ready to give up now?" Saku mentioned, and Megumi flinched, but moved her head in negation while walking inside and seeing Saku facing the falling snow at the window at his back. "Then… what do you want…?" And she gulped once again, walked toward his desk, and placed the present there. "What is this?" He asked, and Megumi was about to reply when she noticed her voice was hiding inside of her throat. "So… you are trying to buy my favor with money? Perhaps you and I aren't that different. But it doesn't matter what you bought, nothing will convince me to accept you as part of our family. You will never be a Saiga!" And Megumi lowered her face, but then she smiled, and took her gloves off.
"True… I will never… be a Saiga…" She mentioned while showing him her wounded hands. "I'm a Yamamoto… and so is Yahiro-kun." And Saku rubbed his chin with interest when hearing that last. "Sewing is too hard… it took me… almost a month to do it correctly…" She added, and Saku faced her with determination. He then opened the present box, and took from out of it a long and pink colored scarf. The pink color of the scarf matched almost perfectly the color of both, Saku's and Yahiro's hair. And labeled at one of the corners of the scarf, was the name Saku Saiga, written in golden colors. And below it were the kanjis reading 'resemblance of the lord'. "Merry Christmas… Father…" And in that very moment. Saku found himself lost in space and staring at the scarf, and at the wounded hands of Megumi, who then placed her ring on. "It's cold!" She complained, and once again Saku faced the scarf. "Father…" She began, and Saku faced her once again. "Are you… having fun…?" She finished, and Saku slowly closed his eyes.
"Get out of my building…" He added calmly, and Megumi made a reverence, and began walking away. "This is not over… Yamamoto Megumi… I will not acknowledge this relationship, not ever. I don't care about what you, or Akemi, or Yahiro, have to say… he will lose…" He sentenced.
"Then we will have to play again… until we win… don't we…?" And Saku rubbed his chin with interest. "All I can do… is try… and maybe someday… we will all be happy…" And Megumi opened the golden doors and prepared to leave. "It's cold outside, Father… please at least use it until you get back home… and Merry Christmas." And Megumi closed the door, and once outside, she breathed out heavily. "It didn't go as planned… and yet… his eyes… were so warm…" She admitted, and then the elevator's door opened.
"Megumi Yamamoto!" Chitose yelled, and Megumi faced him with hatred. "How dare you send me down like that? You will pay for that!" Chitose complained, and Megumi placed her hand at her mouth, coughed cutely, and freaked out Chitose. "Eh! Stay away from me! I'm still hearing bells from last yell!"
"Merry Christmas… I hope Santa brings you coal." She added and then stuck her tongue out at him. "Chitose Baaaaaka! Baka! Baka! Baka! Baaaaaka!" And she stuck her tongue out once again at him, closed the door of the elevator, and went down. That last confused Chitose a lot. Megumi was never open-minded, much less rude or childish.
"What the hell was that?" He yelled out of annoyance and walked to his father's office. "Father? What did the Yamamoto witch want?" Chitose asked, and once he entered the room, he was surprised about what he was witnessing. "Where did… where that scarf came from…?" Saku Saiga was wearing the scarf around his neck, surprising Chitose a lot, who then noticed the open present-box. "It can't be… father… are you…?"
"Work hard… Chitose… I will not tolerate failure." Saku mentioned, and Chitose just stared at the scarf. "Yamamoto Megumi shall not win this race. This changes nothing." And Chitose nodded, and began walking away, and once Saku knew he was alone, he rubbed the scarf carefully. "No one had ever… done something like this for me… yet I will never call you my daughter."
"Where were you?" Yahiro yelled hard at Megumi upon her arrival to Kei's party at the Yamamoto Entertainment Corporation. "You worried Kei, he was about to go looking for you." He mentioned, and Megumi then noticed Yahiro was blushing, which of course stole a smile from her lips. "It doesn't matter. Let's eat something with the others." Yahiro added, and Megumi jumped toward Yahiro's arms and hugged him hard. "Oi! Not in front of Kei!" He complained, and then Kei just faced him oddly. "Give the darn speech already."
"Can't you respect my effort a little more? I have been breaking my back covering every damn detail, Yahiro!" Kei added. He was actually mad, which won everyone's attention. Kei looked extremely tired, same as Yahiro, but then again, both worked so hard that it was almost a natural state nowadays. "I kindly welcome you all to the first Yamamoto-Takishima Christmas Eve Celebration. Let there be more in the future." Kei added while taking a wine cup up. And all the former members of the Special A lifted their cups as well. Sakura was also there, but she was drinking orange juice instead of wine since Yahiro forced her to it. "Now that we are all together… and considering we may not meet that often anymore due to our studies outside. Yahiro and I took the liberty of preparing a special present for you all." Kei mentioned. "You deliver them, I made the speech!"
"I'm not delivering them! You deliver them!" Both complained, and Megumi rolled her eyes and faced the many presents bellow the tree and began picking them up. "I'm not reducing myself to such low level! I still got some pride left!"
"Merry Christmas!" Megumi began, and delivered the present-boxes to everyone. "Merry Christmas!" She continued delivering presents. "Merry Christmas!" And everyone was surprised to hear her voice now more open and often. "Merry Christmas!" She finished, and delivered her present to Yahiro.
"Umm… right…" Was Yahiro's reply. "Everyone open your presents." Yahiro ordered, and they all sweat dropped after noticing the order-like tone Yahiro was using on them. "Just do it!" And they all opened their presents, and what they found inside surprised them all.
"Wait a second… these are…" Akira began, and a soft smile was drawn on her face as she took from out of the box a peculiar looking uniform, one that Akira loved a lot, and apparently, someone else did.
"The Specia A uniform!" Hikari mentioned while taking the uniform out and admiring it, since for Hikari, such uniform meant all her hard work wasn't gone to waste.
"Eh? There is one for me too? But I was never Special A!" Sakura mentioned, but then saw Jun with his own and her eyes sparkled. "Match!" She mentioned and modeled the uniform on top of her clothes. "Don't I look smart with this?" And Jun sweat dropped.
"Why do I have one too?" Yahiro complained while pointing at his Special A uniform and speaking to Kei. "You enjoy making fun of me, don't you? If I were on the Special A, your first place would have been compromised!" He complained.
"Oh, I would love to see you try. Mr. Number Two!" And Hikari fell to the floor when hearing that last. "Sorry, but he was number two before you." Kei confessed. And Hikari felt like crying. "Anyway, you are in this with us." And Yahiro breathed out in defeat.
"Oi! There is a key here!" Tadashi mentioned, and everyone took from out of their present-boxes, a golden colored key. "What is this for?" Tadashi wondered, and Yahiro took his key out.
"For the elevator." He explained and walked toward the elevator. Inside there was a key-hole, and once placing the key inside, it displayed a new floor on top of their current one. "Get inside already!" He yelled, and everyone grew a vein at their foreheads but entered the elevator. "You better not lose these keys. They are really important, but if you don't believe me, then take a look." And the elevator's door opened itself, and once it did, they all saw it. "Welcome to the Special A." Yahiro added. The last floor was an exact replica of the insides of the Green House. "Everything is here. It is an exact replica, so no matter how far we all go… we will always have a place to return to." And then Yahiro heard a sobbing, and he noticed Megumi was crying. But not just Megumi, all the members of the Special A were crying. "Merry Christmas you all." He added, and everyone began walking around the building very surprised and happy.
"Hey… Kei…" They both heard Hikari say, and Megumi blushed madly at that last when thinking about what it could mean. "There is something I need to give to you… it is not a Christmas present though." She informed. "Can we go to Yahiro's office?" And this time, once seeing how serious she was, enough to ignore the shocking sensation of having the Special A building back, Kei refused to joke about it and nodded in agreement.
"Again… where were you?" Yahiro asked once they were left alone, since everyone was admiring the greenhouse, or in Kei's particular case, busy with Hikari. "I got this feeling of you doing something stupid that will much likely bring me a lot of troubles." But in the end, Megumi just smiled for Yahiro and took both of his hands. "What did you do?"
"I had fun!" She admitted, and Yahiro couldn't hide his smile. He hugged her back, and forced her into a kiss, one he broke momentarily to admire his wife's beauty. "Merry Christmas, Yahiro-kun." And then they shared another kiss.
Below, at Yahiro's office, Hikari was nervously tapping her foot at the floor. Waiting for the moment when her heart would stop racing, and she could deliver to Kei the item which freaked out Megumi. She stared at the night sky, and at the falling snow. Trying to find the courage needed.
"Hikari?" Kei asked, and the girl flinched hard. "Don't force yourself to tell me something you don't want to tell me." And Hikari moved her head several times in negation, while placing her hand inside of her pocket. "Hikari… I'm serious… you should not."
"Takishima!" She yelled, and Kei was surprised. "Please be my husband!" She continued, and then took a couple of golden rings from a box at her pocket. Freezing Kei's heart, and forcing a smile to appear on his lips. "Let's go to the United Kingdom… as husband and wife…"
Daniel: You know… I finally found out why I take so long to update. Because each time I post a chapter it got to have a nice plot and not just be a filler chapter. Each chapter so far had got something special, and I always seem to receive the: "This is the best chapter ever" review. So, if all chapters are fav chapters… then I guess I'm doing a good job writing this.
Chibi-Tadashi: You are not! (Smacks author strongly at the back of his head!)
Daniel: jfekgfswevbe (What he wrote with his face), right… Chibi-Tadashi-Moron!
Chibi-Tadashi: Welcome to Christmas's Eve special Chibi-Tadashi Show! (Sound of recorder with claps). Today, after an eternity of writing nothing, baka-author finally updated! You are awful, why can't you ever be constant in your updates?
Daniel: Because I work! Some of us aren't rich as in the story!
Chibi-Tadashi: Lame excuse! You write other stories too! Some of the readers got author-alert! They know you post something almost every week!
Daniel: Romance is complex! This is the first story ever I write that is full romance and no action! Of course it's hard for me!
Chibi-Tadashi: That's because you have never had a girlfriend before!
Daniel: I have had girlfriends! Just because I'm having a bad year doesn't mean I have never had a girlfriend before! What about Grecia, Alica, Pin, Silvia and most recently, Kari? (Author goes emo) I miss them a lot… so sad… Why did I had to move from my home city to this place T_T.
Chibi-Tadashi: Enough talking about you! Let's talk about important things already! (Author grows a vein at his forehead) How come every chapter it is the same? You never give good lines or situations to incredibly handsome Tadashi-kamisama! In this story he only got two or three filler lines! Just as if you suddenly remembered he existed!
Daniel: Who is Tadashi? (Chibi-Tadashi smacks author hard with a giant taco) Hey! that's mine!
Chibi-Tadashi: Quit being unfair to Tadashi-kamisama! He wants some loving too! There is always Yahiro for Megumi and Jun for Sakura, but never Tadashi for Akira! He mostly only gets hurt for comic-relief!
Daniel: Who is the author? You or me?
Chibi-Tadashi: Maybe I should be since you take so long to update! (Author goes to emo corner)
Daniel: He is right (harvesting dark mushrooms) I will only get coal for Christmas for being so cruel)
Chibi-Tadashi: So meet us next time. If there is a next time! For another Chibi-Tadashi show! And let's hope this lazy-good for nothing author writes the next chapter sooner.
Chibi-Megumi: (New challenger approaches) Despicable! (Yells at Chibi-Tadashi and leaves him deaf) I want more Meguhiro!
Daniel: My mind just died.