A huge bundle of letters few down the shoot and into the bin next to my little table labeled 'in'. The 'out' box on the other side only had about fifteen in it. I sigh heavily. I enjoyed my job, but during the high season, I always had to work overtime. I didn't need much sleep anyway. I grab a letter from the 'in' pile and open it. Ritsumi Takashi wants a graphic novel by Wataru Yoshizumi and a new argyle sweater. I flip through The Book and put her wish down in the correct, alphabetical section. Ah, the joy of being an elf during Christmas.

            The name is Satoshi. I used to be on of the toy makers, but ever since I accidentally forgot to put Barbie's shirt on, they didn't trust me too well. Hey, don't' get me wrong! I can make one mean nutcracker. Woodworks are my specialty. But after the top-less Barbie incident, I was demoted to Santa's List Representative. I read all the letters coming in and write the wishes down in his Book. Peachy job, but it is very repetitive.

            I grab for my mug full of gingerbread latte and take a few good sips before grabbing a letter from the pile. The return address said Wee Angels Orphanage. Orphans always had the same wish list: a family. I wondered if this one would be the same. Gently gliding the envelope open and taking out the paper, I prepared for the typical.

            I read:

            Dear Santa Claus,

                        My whole life I always had a hole in myself. I never knew my father, my mother passed away when I was six, and I was always resented by my three sisters (all older). So, for this Christmas, what I want more than anything is to have this hole filled. If possible, send me that special someone. Someone who will love me for me and who doesn't force it because of blood relations. This Christmas, I wish to find my true love.

                                                            Love eternally, Kasumi

P.s. for this request: suki ni shiro. I know well enough that love is not something you can buy or receive in a wrapped box. You have to search for yourself.

            Well, that was a little different. I looked over at the envelope and saw a point sticking out. A second letter? I pull it out and find a picture. Kirei! Shiny red hair, pulled back into a ponytail; brilliant blue-green eyes; fair skin, everything was so nice. She was beautiful, this Kasumi. But, her wish wasn't possible. I'd have to put a word in with the big man.

            I pocket the letter, folded around the picture, and leave my post. I had to abscond the mail office and trek across the frozen tundra of the North Pole. The snow was slowly falling, dancing under the luminous light of the moon. No elf was out at this time. They were all inside their houses or still at the workshop making toys. My footprints were the only ones to be seen. I come to the largest building and stop before a candy cane post. Pushing a few buttons as a password, the doors opened and the smell of sugar enveloped the entryway. I walk in and take off my little hat. The secretary at the desk down the way looks at me.

            "Konnichiwa, Satoshi." She smiles.

            "Evening, Hikari-sama." I bow my head quickly.

            "Sama?" Hikari puts a hand on her cheek, blushing slightly. She was the newest secretary, so she was still quite young. Flattery, in this case, could help my cause.

            "Hai, Hai." I nod twice. "Anyways, I was wondering if Santa was still in the workshop."

            "He is indeed." Hikari answers.

            "Would it be possible for me to speak with him?" I ask. "O-negai shimasu?"

            Hikari smiles again. "He's over in the clothing department."

            I wink her a good-bye. "Arigatou gozaimashita."

            I head down the west corridor in search of the guy in charge. There were many departments I had to go through before reaching the clothing. First there was  the Woodworks, the place I was aiming to be placed. I loved the smell of the sawdust and varnish. The walls were hidden by all the desks and chairs stacked near them. There was a special corner reserved for wooden toys, such as pull trains, dogs, or boats. The next ward down was cosmetics. I could almost gag from all the 'eau de toilette' in the air. The girls working on face lotions giggled as I walked by. I just look down at the floor. I knew I was in for it. But the next door led to the clothing department. A few more steps and I'd be free.

            "Sa-to-sh-i-ku-n!" The girls behind me sing. It was too late.

            I turn around to see three of the girl elves. "Hi, there. Nice to see you again."

            "Oh, you're always so polite, Satoshi-kun." Said Tomiko, coming up beside me and latching herself onto my arm.

            "And kind." Akari takes my other arms.

            I had to get out of this, but wasn't quite sure how I would. The third one, Tsubasa, comes up to me with her arms behind her back and a smile on her face. I felt like such a trapped animal. No doubt that these elves were cute, but they were predators, that's what they were! Endearing, but vicious! What was a guy like me to do? I had horrible luck with girls, and if I tried to persuade them to let me go, I could bet that it would just make things worse.

            "Tsubasa-chan, I can see that you're wearing one of the new blushes. The color fits you well." I try to bribe myself out of it. I probably sounded like such an amateur. Who would blame me? I know nothing about make-up.

            "Arigatou, Satoshi-kun. Though, I do have this coral one that I tried, but it made my cheekbones stand out too much." Tsubasa replies, taking a blush container from behind her back. "With those lovely brown eyes of yours, and the dark hair, I bet a coral would be perfect on you."

            Oh, great.

            "Oh, uh," I stumble around. "You're probably right, but I really have to get going. I have someone waiting for me a few departments down. I have a note for him."

            "But this will only take a second!" Akari smiles.

            "How about a honeyed plum, Tsubasa-senpai?" Tomiko takes a lipstick out of her pocket and puts it next to my mouth.

            "And then a late-blooming rose, Tsubasa-senpai!" Akari takes out an eye-shadow and puts it by my eyelid.

            "No, really, please, I have to get going!" I protest.

            "It's not often we get a younger willing guy elf to help us with our research." Tsubasa comes closer to me.

            "Who said I was willing?" I say.

            She just laughs and takes a brush and starts to dab the blush pad. "Don't be silly, Satoshi-kun. Men are supposed to want to always help a girl in need."

            I laugh sheepishly. "But I'm only fifteen! That's practically a baby in elf-years. Look at the headmaster of sleigh repairs! He's 164. Now that's a man."

            My words were being drowned out by the giggles of the three girls. Every protest I made only made them advance farther. I had to get to the Big Man. I had to talk to him about this Kasumi. Her picture was still so fresh in my mind. I wanted her wish to come true. For her to be happy. But that's one of the biggest Christmas rules there is. We, the elves of the North Pole, will not deliver the gift of emotions. We only have the power to give items, such as toys, clothes, cosmetics, electronics, calendars, etc. Love is something totally different! We may make the rings for engagements, but we deliver those to the jewelers down on earth and they sell them. We don't just give them away. Love is beyond our control.

            "Santa!" I call down the clothing department.

I could see him towering over the elves down by the pants section. He was looking over a newly pressed pair of corduroys.  He set them down and nodded his head at the elf who made them. I push my way through the crowd that was busy sowing shirts, gowns, onesies, and slacks. Some of them looked at me and just laughed, but I had to get to Santa! I finally reach him and pull on the sleeve of his shirt.

"Santa!" I say again, slightly out of breath.

He looks down at me. "Oh, Satoshi, nice to see you. What? Boy, you're face is covered in make-up."

"I've been trying to get to you."

Santa looks down the ward to the door that led back to the cosmetics. "You bumped into that girl Tsubasa again, didn't you? I swear; she likes you a lot, Satoshi."

I clear my throat and wipe off the honeyed-plum lipstick. "I have a question to ask of you. I was reading through the letters and I came across a Code K."

K for Koi. There was also a Code A for Ai, but that was for much worse cases.

"Code K, you say?" Santa picks at his beard. "Do you have the letter with you?"

"Uh, Hai!" I take it out of my pocket and hand it to him.

Santa reads it while twisting the ends of his mustache. "This girl is smart. She knows she won't be getting it. Though I feel bad having this is the only thing on her list."

"She sent a picture with it as well." I take out the picture and hand it to him.

He takes it and looks at it. "Yes, Kasumi. I remember her now."

I always thought it would be such a burden to know everybody in the world. But this old guy never fails to amaze me.

"She says her sisters hate her, but all three on are on the good list." Santa mumbles to himself. "Maybe I should look that over again."

"Are her sisters living at the orphanage too?" I ask.

"Oh, no." Santa chuckles. "Kasumi is volunteering at the Wee Angles Orphanage over the Christmas holidays. She doesn't live there."

"But what about we going to do about her wish, Santa?" I say. "I really want to help her out, but I know a Code K is not possible."

Santa looks out into space for a second and then puts on that cheery smile of his. "Satoshi. Do you really want to help Miss Kasumi out this year to get her Christmas wish?"

"Yes, I'll do anything. She's so pretty, and I'd hate to see her spend a sad Christmas. It's the best time of the year! Nobody should spend it being disconsolate." I reply.

"Alright." Santa leans back on his hips. "Satoshi, you are fired from your current job of being my list representative."

"Nani?" I jaw drops. "What am I now?"

"You are going to be too busy down south." Santa points to the floor.

"I don't quite understand."

"Kami-sama ja nai, Satoshi." Santa says. "But I do know how to work some miracles. I am going to send you to Tokyo, Japan to meet Kasumi. And if luck is on our side, she'll get her wish."

Everything clicked in my brain at once. "You want me to get her to fall in love with me? Isn't that just playing with her heart?"

Santa shakes his head. "All depends on if you fall in love with her too."

I blush. The make-up that I still had on my cheeks made it look worse. I was too much in a daze that I didn't realize that Santa had left and was walking back toward the cosmetics ward. I run after him.

"Matte! Dono!"

Santa turns around as I almost run into his belly. "You start now."

"But it's the middle of the night!"

"Not in Tokyo. It's only ten o'clock there. And it so happens that Kasumi is out doing a little Christmas shopping." Santa says.

"Why now?" I ask.

"If you go, you'll find out." Santa says.

"But it would take me days to get to Tokyo."

"Not with me." Santa says and snaps his fingers.

I feel fuzzy. The next thing I knew, my butt hits pavement and I was in the outskirts of downtown Tokyo. I was not longer in my elf clothes, but in jeans and a t-shirt. I had on a nice winter coat and gloves with a matching scarf. Everything was passable for human. I quickly feel my ears. They were still pointed! I could thank my mother right now. She had unusually stubby ears for an elf, and I inherited that trait. I get off my butt and look around. I had no idea where to start. How was I going to find Kasumi in a place like Tokyo? At ten o'clock at night at that matter? Daisukete! Doushiyo? I was so confused. Yet, I start walking towards the father outskirts, keeping my eyes open for a flash of red hair.

______

Japanese Romanji Translations! (In order of appearance)

Suki ni shiro – do as you like

Kirei – pretty

Konnichiwa – hello

Sama – a suffix that is uses for people with high rank (ex: queen, lady)

Hai – yes

O-negai Shimasu – (basically) Pretty Please

Arigatou Gozaimashita – Thank you very much

Arigatou – Thank you

Koi – love ( like between boyfriend and girlfriend)

Ai – love (like between husband and wife)

Nani – What

Kami-sama ja nai – I'm not some god

Matte – Wait

Dono – Sir

Daisukete - Help me

Doushiyo – What should I do