The sun rises and shines its pale winter light on the sleepy town of Danville on Christmas morning. Kyoko who has set up an alarm for 6 AM every day since the day she was late for her BoxR meeting, wakes up early. She looks to her side and seeing the sleeping face of Ren smiles and sighs.
"Ohaiyo Ren, Merry Christmas," she calls softly.
Ren smiles first and then opens his eyes. "Merry Christmas to you too Kyoko. And happy birthday."
"Oh!" says Kyoko, clearly surprised. "I totally forgot today is my birthday too. Haven't celebrated it in the last three years."
Ren feels a stab of guilt at her admission. It was all fine and easy to leave someone, imagining you are doing them good. But leaving Kyoko had led to many many consequences, none of them good. But at the time, he had been selfish and thought only of what he had wanted. He takes a deep breath trying to banish negative thoughts. 'Today will be a good day.' he assures himself.
"This is for you," he says and hands her a box wrapped in paper.
Kyoko opens it and her eyes light up and sparkle. And then tears start flowing down uncontrollably.
"What's wrong?" asks Ren, concerned.
"Tears of joy. This is the most wonderful gift, Ren."
She shakes it and the snowflakes inside the globe shift and swirl and come floating around two figures- a man and woman. The woman has her hands outstretched as though trying to catch the snow and the man is standing behind her, with his arms around her waist. Her expression is one of wonder at the snowfall and his is one of happiness at being with her.
"I thought the woman looks exactly like you. And the man definitely feels the way I do about you."
Kyoko gives a watery smile at Ren. But before she could burst into another round of happy sobs, there is a knock on the door.
"Are the newlyweds awake yet?" calls a voice from the outside.
"It's Shin. Let me open the door," says Kyoko setting the snowglobe down. But before she could get to the door, Shin again calls.
"Unlock the door but don't open it yet. Kyoko-ne-san, could you go to the east side window of your room and look outside?"
Kyoko is puzzled but does as he asks. She looks out of the window and is wonderstruck and tongue-tied. Ren joins her at the window and gives a startled laugh.
"Happy Birthday! And Merry Christmas!" calls Shin from behind.
Outside the window, in the snow are two snowpeople - a man and woman, or rather a king and a queen. The king has a paper tied around his neck with the kanji for "Ren" written on it and the woman has an identical paper around her neck which says- "Kyoko".
Kyoko turns around and hugs Shin and then slaps him hard. Both Shin and Ren are taken aback.
"The hug was thank you for making that incredible gift for us. The slap was for not including yourself in it. King Ren and Queen Kyoko are not complete without you too Shin."
Shin rubs his cheek gingerly and smiles, "Thank you."
"Now," says Kyoko clapping her hands together. "My gift to you both." She goes to her bag and takes out two envelopes.
"I hope it is cash," says Shin earning a tap on the head from Ren. Kyoko hands one envelope to each of them.
Shin opens his envelope and it is a one-month unlimited rail pass - to see all of the USA.
"Wow," he exclaims.
Ren's envelope has a one-week vacation in Hawaii with air tickets. He doesn't look all that pleased.
'I have been to Hawaii many times before.' he thinks but says instead. "Thanks, Kyoko"
"Ah!" Kyoko hits her head. "I forgot to put the other ones in." She rummages around in her handbag and comes up with a matching vacation package with her name. Ren stares at it then at Kyoko and then at Shin and his gift. He raises his eyebrow at Kyoko and Kyoko nods.
"No need for coded gestures. I get it already," says Shin."Kyoko-san and Tsuruga-san are going on a honeymoon to Hawaii and poor ol' Shin who up till now thought he was part of the KyoRen Magic Kingdom is going to be slowly chugging across America in a train."
He makes an exaggerated frown. Kyoko blushes but Ren just smiles.
"You'd be surprised what a beautiful country this is when you go by train," says Ren.
"I really wanted you to enjoy on your own terms, Shin. You have been dragged along by me enough, I thought," adds Kyoko. "And you will get a daily allowance from me."
This time there is a coded communication between Shin and Kyoko. Ren is puzzled at it but doesn't ask either of them about it. 'There is a special relationship between these two that it will take me years to understand. And I shouldn't be complaining anyway. I get to spend some alone time with Kyoko. We have a lo catch up on."