Ren had always been fond of winter. Back home, the chilly weather meant ice skating, playing in powder snow, sipping hot chocolate, and eating Christmas cake. It meant a break from classes and his family's annual ski trip.
During his year in Tokyo, winter meant snow festivals and light shows in Shibuya, shopping trips with Ann for a "fashionable" winter wardrobe (whatever that meant), extra helpings of Boss' warm curry, or using the cold weather as an excuse to spend the day playing video games with Ryuji in the Leblanc attic.
But of all the things Ren had loved about winter in Tokyo, time spent with Makoto was at the top of the list by the widest of margins.
The cold gave him just one more excuse to hold her hand as they strolled through the city, to press her close to his chest as they waited for their train, to snuggle with her during the many hours spent together in his bare-bones but cozy bedroom. He especially loved the way winter looked on her, bringing out a rosy color in her cheeks that he usually only got to savor when he said something particularly charming that turned her into a flustered mess.
Now that he was back home, winter no longer held the allure it once had. It would only be redeemed on the day before Christmas Eve–the first time he would get to see Makoto since the summer. Even though they'd made a point to connect each day apart, it wasn't enough to merely hear her voice or see her face through a screen.
There was a noticeable bounce in his step the morning of her arrival, which his mother wasted no time in teasing him about. Having celebrated his eighteenth birthday in September, he was grateful he was able to drive to the train station to pick her up himself. It gave them some time alone together before Makoto was bombarded with an unrelenting number of questions from his parents who were curious to get to know his older, city-dwelling girlfriend. During this long exchange, Ren sat back, smiling and nodding, only intervening when needed. He knew once they got their enthusiasm out of their system, he'd finally be able to have Makoto's attention for himself.
Plus, he had made his parents promise they would leave them to their own devices the next day: Christmas Eve. Makoto didn't know it yet, but he had a lot in store for them, beginning first thing the next day.
Waking up before Makoto, always the earlier riser, required careful planning. Especially when he needed additional time to put his first surprise of the day in motion. But he managed to successfully catch her off guard as she made her way down the stairs in the morning, most likely expecting him to be fast asleep on the couch (which he would be occupying for her visit so she could take his much more comfortable bed, despite her protests the night before. He'd won that argument through sheer persistence, although Makoto had pouted her way up the stairs–which he'd found absolutely adorable and not intimidating in the slightest).
"What...what is all this?" she asked groggily, her voice still thick with sleep.
"Making the perfect breakfast for my Queen," he explained, busy with transferring the contents of the food he had prepared onto two heaping plates.
Makoto approached him, frowning as she leaned against the counter edge. "You should have woken me. I would have helped you…"
"I feel like that would defeat the purpose of a surprise," he teased her, taking the time to place a quick kiss on her temple. The start of a protest was clearly on the tip of her tongue, but she reluctantly followed him to where he had set a table for two, a pot and two mugs of coffee already waiting. "It's not nearly as good as what I could brew back at Leblanc, but it will wake you up. And you're going to need it."
"Why do I get the feeling that I'm in for quite the day today?" she asked with a sigh as they sat down and she took in the spread in front of her. It did not go unnoticed that he had deliberately prepared a selection of her favorite foods.
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Ren did his best to feign innocence as he nonchalantly took a sip of his coffee. "But after we finish eating...you may want to get dressed. And make sure you wear something warm."
Not long after breakfast, they bid his parents farewell for the day and held hands as they walked through his neighborhood. Makoto listened intently as Ren pointed out landmarks from his childhood and early teenage years, humoring her with entertaining anecdotes from his life before Tokyo. It felt strangely intimate sharing this part of his life with her; he hadn't discussed his past much during his probation. But with Makoto, he never felt the need to hide anything. He was an open book when it came to her.
When they finally reached their destination, Ren was taken aback by the number of people, particularly couples, who were already there. Not that he should be surprised–it was Christmas Eve after all, and the skating rink was one of the most romantic spots in town.
Ren glanced over at Makoto, and he couldn't help but feel nervous at her seemingly unenthusiastic reaction at where he had brought them. "You mentioned once that your father used to take you and Sae skating when you were young. But if you don't want to, we can go somewhere else–"
Makoto cut off his anxious ranting by taking hold of both his hands in hers, a smile finally appearing on her features. "No, not at all, Ren. This is a lovely idea, I was just surprised, that's all. And it's been so long since I've been skating...I'm looking forward to it. Shall we?"
It became very obvious, very quickly, that it had indeed been a long time since Makoto had last skated.
"I don't remember this being so hard," she sighed, a hint of a whine in her tone as she attempted to make her way towards him on wobbly legs. She scowled as he effortlessly spun around her in a circle. "How are you so good at this?"
Ren shrugged. "I used to skate a lot as a kid with my cousins. There isn't much to do around here in the winter." Makoto pouted; she seemed unsatisfied with his explanation.
As she tried to move forward once again, she began to stumble only to be saved from falling as Ren grabbed her by the elbow to steady her. "Here, let's try this." Ren took hold of her hands, placing one so it clutched his forearm while holding the other firmly in his. "Now, just hold onto me, okay? And let me lead, even though I know how much you hate it."
They began to advance slowly while Makoto focused intently on Ren's movements as he guided her. Eventually, they settled into a comfortable pattern and Makoto seemed to finally be enjoying the experience, much to his relief. As they rounded a corner, he leaned in to plant a kiss on the tip of her nose, earning an uncharacteristic giggle as her cheeks, already tinged pink from the cold, seemed to flush just a touch deeper.
Just as he was thinking that she couldn't look more beautiful, her eyes lit up and her smile widened as she looked towards the sky. "Look, Ren, it's starting to snow!"
Sure enough, large flakes of snow had begun to descend around them. Makoto let go of his arm momentarily to reach out and catch a handful of it. Ren mentally added a fascination with snow to his already long list of things he found absolutely adorable about his girlfriend, alongside her obsession with Buchimaru and the way she would still blush every time he held her hand in public, even though they had been dating for over a year.
At that moment, he was overcome by the feeling that if Makoto's smile was the only one he got to see for the rest of his life, that would be perfectly fine with him.
They remained at the rink until the early afternoon, following their skating excursion with a walk through the seasonal stands and festive decorations that had been set up at a nearby park. It wasn't until Makoto mentioned she was hungry that Ren guided them to their next destination: a charming little restaurant off the beaten path, which he explained to her was his favorite in town. "It's not Leblanc, but it's the best this place has to offer."
A lively older woman quickly came over and greeted them with a bow. "Ah, Ren-kun! I was wondering when you'd get here." She then turned to Makoto with a bright smile. "And you must be the beautiful girlfriend I've heard so much about!"
A slight blush made its way to her cheeks at the unexpected compliment. "I'm Niijima Makoto. It's nice to meet you…?"
"Hayabusa Shizue," the woman introduced herself. "Come, let me show you to your table."
"Ren-kun has been coming here with his family since he was a little boy," Hayabusa-san explained as she led them to a table in the corner of the restaurant. "He used to flirt with all the waitresses and ask them to marry him when he grew up."
"I was six!" he protested weakly, as Makoto hid her laughter behind her hands.
"He's always been quite the charmer," Hayabusa-san teased him. "But don't you worry, since he came home from the big city you're all he's talked about. I've never seen a young man quite so enamored before. You've sure got him wrapped around your finger." Ren covered his face with his menu so neither woman could witness his embarrassment.
As they enjoyed their meal, they discussed school, what the rest of the former Phantom Thieves were up to over the winter break, as well as his parents' enthusiasm to get to know Makoto better. Hayabusa-san came by often to check on the quality of the food (which they assured her was excellent) and to further tease him, much to his chagrin and Makoto's amusement.
Just as they were about to leave, Ren turned to Makoto. "Can you wait outside for me? I just need to talk to Hayabusa-san about something quickly."
She gave him an odd look but stepped out without asking him what he was up to. He approached the older woman at the counter, who had a large, nondescript box waiting for him. "Thank you, Hayabusa-san. I really appreciate this."
She waved off his gratitude. "No need. It was my pleasure to prepare this for you and your lovely girlfriend. Just make sure you don't screw it up, okay? She seems like she's too good for you."
Ren chuckled, tucking the box under one arm. "Believe me, I know."
"Well, enjoy the rest of your night, Ren-kun," she told him with a wink. "And make sure you bring Niijima-san around again before she leaves town. I have some more stories to share with her."
By the time they returned home, the sun had long set. The whole way, Makoto eyed him curiously, as he hadn't divulged what was inside the package under his arm. But she knew better than to press him for details.
"Thank you for today, Ren," Makoto told him as they crossed the threshold, squeezing his hand. "Everything was perfect."
"Do you really think that's it?" he asked her with a grin to which she rolled her eyes. "I need some time to prepare something down here. Can you give me like...ten minutes?"
When Makoto returned, Ren had a fire going in the living room, a large pile of blankets and pillows set out in front of it. He turned as he heard her approach. "There you are. Come here, my Queen."
As she moved towards him, Ren wrapped both arms around her middle to draw her in for a tight hug. With one hand, he nudged her face upwards so he could kiss her gently. "Let's sit down, I've got something for you."
Ren took a seat on the soft pile he had created, pulling Makoto down along with him so she was practically sitting on his lap. As he reached for the box from earlier, she craned her neck to get a better look as he propped it open.
"Christmas cake?" she asked with a laugh. "Is that what you've been so secretive about?"
"Not just any Christmas cake," he said, tapping her playfully on the leg. "Our first Christmas cake as a couple. And since Hayabusa-san baked this herself, I guarantee that this will be the most amazing cake you've ever tasted. Only the best for my Queen."
Makoto didn't respond at first, chewing on her bottom lip and not quite meeting his gaze. "Ren, why did you go through all this trouble today?"
He frowned, recognizing from her tone that something was troubling her. Not what he had been expecting as a response from the simple reveal of a Christmas cake. "What do you mean?"
She hesitated, fidgeting and bringing her hands to rest on his arms which were holding her. "All day, I feel like you've been trying to prove something. To impress me. I'm used to your grand gestures, but this is a lot...even for you. I just don't understand what brought all this on."
He sighed, shifting his weight so he could more easily look at her face, illuminated by the light coming from the fireplace. "It's because I messed up." At her confused expression, he kept going. "Last year was our first Christmas Eve together, and I messed it up. Instead of it being romantic, I made you paranoid and then I disappeared the next morning. It's been bothering me all year. I know we spent Valentine's Day and White Day together, but Christmas Eve was our first real holiday as a couple. It should have been special. And I ruined it."
She shook her head. "Ren...you don't need to make anything up to me. You were willing to sacrifice your freedom to keep me safe. I was mad at you for not confiding in me, but you didn't ruin anything. You never do. You….you always make things better."
Overwhelmed by his affection for her at that moment, Ren drew her in closer, resting his chin against her shoulder and nuzzling his cheek against hers. They sat in a comfortable silence for several minutes, relishing the feeling of just being together. At times like this, he wondered what he'd done to deserve a partner as amazing as Makoto and hoped he never did anything to screw things up and lose her.
She was the one to break the silence. "So...are we finally done with the surprises for today?"
Ren looked sheepish. "Not quite, I do have one more thing."
One arm still wrapped around her middle, he reached over to pick up a rectangular, velvety box laying nearby which she hadn't noticed before. He watched her intently as she opened it. Inside were two stainless steel necklaces: one in the shape of a puzzle piece, the other a dog tag with a cut-out whose outline matched the first bit of jewelry. They were designed to fit together perfectly.
"I know it might sound kind of cheesy," he said, rubbing the back of his neck nervously, "but when we're apart I don't really feel...quite like I'm a whole. It's like there's a part of me missing. That's why I thought of you when I saw this. I figured we could each keep one. That way when we're not together, we still have something that reminds us of each other."
"That is the...corniest thing you've ever said to me," she admitted with a small laugh. "But I know what you mean. I've missed you so much this year."
"I can't wait to be back in Tokyo," he sighed, resting his head against hers, "so I can see you whenever I want. Just a few more months. "
"I can't wait," she agreed with a breathy whisper, leaning in to kiss him slowly and tenderly. As she began to pull away, Ren chased after her lips, not quite ready for the moment to end.