AN: I'm sooo sorry if I took this long to update, i know that this fic was supposed to be a 'chapter a day' type- due to the nature and theme of the story, which is Christmas. But alot of things had piled on top on the others to produce a big problem- a problem bigger than the KKK, SSS, and RRR can provide in Verbena Academy.

To clarify the confused, some of the names have been modified to suit my style of writing, because I don't like to put japanese-styled honorifics (like '-san', '-kun', '-chan', '-sama', '-sempai' etc.) that often- this is an english fanfic for crying out loud, and add to the fact that Nerine's being called as 'Rin' as well- even though Eustoma calls her 'Nerikko'. Rin-chan / Nerine will be assigned as 'Lin', while Primula / Rim-chan / Rimu-chan will be assigned as 'Rimu' and any person designated as a senior like Kareha and Asa may have the word 'senior' infront of their names. Also, gods (shinzoku) are typed in as 'demigods' while demons (mazoku) are typed in as 'demi-humans'.


Second Morning

3:30 AM, Kaede awoke feeling cold- it seems that she had forgotten to wear part of her winter PJ's during her 'deep in thought' period before going to sleep. Well anyways, she quickly assessed the house's heating system and turned it up a few notches before turning on the water heater in the bathroom. At this time, Primula's alarm began ringing, so she attended to it.

"Rimu... wake up. Rimu, wake up..."

"Huh?" the young demi-human (well that's what they say about them- I think) asked drowsily, then yawned. "Time?"

"Come on Rimu, its 3:40 already..."

"Isn't it a bit too early?"

"Are you coming to church this time?" Kaede again asked- it seems that Primula had already forgotten what day it was- day 2 of masses.

"I will... just for a few minutesssss... zzz... zzz... zzz..."

"Oh come on..."

3:58, Kaede had already taken her bath, was fully dressed and preparing a hot "semi" breakfast- to stave off cold and hunger until after the mass. Primula then came in, fully bathed and dressed but still yawning and drowsy.

"What time is it?" Primula asked as they sat down and began to quickly eat- for in a few minutes, someone might pick them up.

Then the doorbell rang, awakening Primula from her drowsy state and prompting her to open the door- quickly. Moments later, with Kaede at the door...

"Sia, Lin, Mikan... what are you..?"

"As usual- church..."

"I finally woke up early for this..." Sia replied, stretching out her arms. "After what Lin told me, I wanted to try out the food... luckily father is not here."

"Or else the lord of gods would have finished each stand..." another voice that was familiar to them butted in.

"Mayumi! Good morning..." Kaede greeted back.

"Morning... and now that we are here, shall we go then? I don't want to stand you know..."

The rest could not answer as they were looking at Mayumi's threads- A Santa getup.

"Ah this?" Mayumi then asked. "This is some harebrained idea of a Christmas job from Itsuki's cousin... he said that helping others is a better option than expecting gifts- 'it is better to give than to receive'- that's what he says."

"Eh... I would like to try it too..." Sia suddenly spoke, drawing attention to all in the group- they know that if she got into the act (along with her split persona Kikyou) people would drop their donations into her box rather than Mayumi's- if that was the case.

Meanwhile at the still closed church...

"I thought you are going to take long..." Father Lopez commented as Inori entered via the personnel doors near the altar, panting.

"Sorry for the last time Father..."

"Rest up... take your time- I'll be talking to you after the mass..."

Inori sat on the piano seat as the priest opened the main doors- allowing entry to the faithful multitudes that were waiting. His mind was on overdrive since last night's announcement from his cousin- wondering who his blind date was for that day- which was today.

"What kind of person will I date today?" he thought as he opened the piano cover and began to ready himself.

"Kae-chan, what's the matter?" Sia asked as she noted while they were walking.

"It's nothing really... just wondering what kind of person Midoriba will bring."

"Eh... I heard from him that he's a nice person- calm, collected and often direct." Lin replied, remembering his first meeting with him in the church choir. "I'm sure that he'll be okay..."

"Okay huh?" Kaede thought as something worried her- thoughts that the person she had met yesterday and the cousin Itsuki was talking about where somewhat related- but she passed it off.

"Don't worry about that Kaede... I somehow trust Lin's judgement on this." Sia then replied, walking to pace up a bit.

At the church courtyard...

"Ah... welcome to my humble stall..." the priest / foreign delicacies hawker greeted the group. "Back for more I suppose... even I would not be proudly advertising my goods- because all of us here depend on one another for other things- speaking of which, here comes my ramen..."

While that was progressing, Kaede had broken off from the group and was wandering, wondering until she found herself sitting near the centre aisle, a good 45 degrees from the piano. Inori and the choir were taking their time warming themselves and entertaining at the same time, using a piece that he himself had written. Unknown to him, Kaede was looking at him again and had noticed as one of the choir leads began to sing, tears were running from his eyes.

"This song..." she thought as she too was absorbed in it. "It's sad... but something loving is inside of it."

"A love song from someone who died- that's what it is..." someone suddenly spoke beside her, making her look to her side.

The one who owned the voice was none other than Kareha- the one demigod who could drift to fantasy land at a whim. But something about her was different, for she manifested of someone being serious and calm- sooo unlike her usual self.

"Senior Kareha..."

"Ah, Kaede... I didn't know that you were here. I just love listening to piano pieces nowadays. I remembered one day when I was shopping... such a beautiful sound. And before I knew it, I could find the meaning of what the keys were sounding... Listen, doesn't it sound a bit too sad for the holiday?"

"Come to think of it, it is..." Kaede replied, seems that her anger over the unnamed pianist had evaporated a bit. "And why is he crying?" she then thought.

As soon as the piece was finished, Inori quickly stood up and motioned the choir to wait a bit. He then placed himself outside and looked at the time- fifteen minutes before mass starts. For some reason, he could barely contain the tears that just came out.

"Mika... I still can't get over you- your song..." Inori thought as he knelt down. "It's just..."

At that same moment, Kaede hears a heartbeat- not just one, but a pair. She feels her heart and it was beating as well.

"What does this mean?" She thought as it subsided and the pianist returned.

And so the mass began and soon enough, it was homily- the priest was taking center stage.

"Good morning to all of you once again..." He greeted the congregation.

"Good morning to you too father..." the congregation replied.

"Well, well, well... second morning." He began his speech. "Some new faces around here... well anyways, now that you have accustomed to the tune of this time, let me tell you a story- a not so typical story of Christmas. It concerns someone I knew from way back then- someone who did not believe in this festive spirit, someone I met in my boarding house- believing that this period was just another excuse for so on and so forth- a typical rich scrooge to be exact. Well, I noticed that each Christmas that we've spent; he always goes to the nearby orphanage. So I decided to keep a look- and there he was giving gifts and all the things that you would associate this period. So I decided to ask him- 'Why?'... And his reply; 'Haven't I told you that this season is an excuse for people to buy things and give them to someone else? The children often remind me of myself before my wealthy relatives found me... and it's such a cold season and so...'- I can only laugh at that reply he made... he was just angry at the fact that he could not go to each orphanage and give gifts to the kids there... And the point of my talk- this season of giving, the way to give is expressed in many forms- it may be material, or it may be immaterial; in a form of a smile, a hug, a sign of forgiveness, or a plain kiss. This season, it is a time of giving joy, peace, happiness and all those positive things in life..."

And so the homily and mass continued. And as soon as it was over and only a few people remained- Inori was one of them, still at the piano.

"I heard that sad piece of yours..." The priest's voice came in from behind. "Was it her's?"

"No matter how many times I read the lines, as long as I play it- it makes me remember..."

"Come on Makoto... this is the yuletide season... who knows, maybe you can find that someone here..."

"No one can ever replace Mika... no one..." Inori thought as the priest left and he began to practice again- the same sad piece- but this time solo with a CD player to add the missing instruments.

Unknown to him, Kaede was also the few who remained after mass. She also noted the vocal in the recording, it sounded like it was her- but with a much broader tonal range- like her but totally not her.

"Such a sad song..." she thought but unknowingly brushed against a lamp post, making it fall with a metallic sound, making him stop and turn around.

This time their eyes formally meet, and the boy spots a glint of a tear from Kaede's eyes. But then she begins to run away.

"Wait!" he then called, amazingly stopping Kaede. "You did notice- what the song really meant... sorry that I had to play such a sad song..."

"No... I... was... really... touched..." she slowly and softly said as she again ran from the scene, with the boy unable to stop.

And those words echoed on in Inori's head as he simply stood there- until the priest came in again.

"Hey, what are you standing there for? Come on, I'll treat you to breakfast and maybe we can talk some of that misery out of you. Come on, some ramen will clean those negative thoughts from your mind."

Later- at the nearby ramen shop- sponsor of the ramen cart...

"Ahh that girl is driving me nuts!" Inori screamed like he was drunk from his drink.

"Hey, that's only orange juice and yet you are drunk?"

"I know that it's only orange juice! And I know that I'm only acting drunk... but this is the only was I can blurt out my misery for the world to absorb!"

"Control yourself as you act drunken okay? I don't want any police to cart you off- I would lose my senior pianist if that happens- and you're still a minor for your info." The priest spoke, sipping a bit of warm sake from his cup.

"I know- another bowl!"

Just as the cook began to prepare another, Inori's cellphone alarm rings- 8 AM.

"Wah! It's already 8? Mister, stop that and I'll pay now..." Inori rapidly spoke, taking out his payment. "Sorry father, but I have to ready myself for a blind date my cheeky cousin had cooked up for me- he told me I'm meeting some nice human girl from his class- unlike the demigods and demi-humans that my other cousins and consultation agencies present at the whim of my mom..."

"Okay... good luck though... and don't be surprised..."

"Yeah... and mister, keep the change..." he then waved off and went out- giving the cook a huge tip as well.

"Fate has such a twisted mind..." the priest thought as he continued his meal and drink. "Could it be acting its plans for him now?"

Fuyou house, Kaede was in some sort of a similar situation- almost. She was looking for the appropriate clothing for that blind date Itsuki had cooked up- even though it was winter, she still needed to look okay, and after all, this was her first blind or real date for that matter.

"Um... hmm... um..." she could only mumble as she sorted her clothing. "Hmm... um... hmm..."

"Kaede, can I help?" Primula asked as she entered the room.

"What shall I wear?"

"First date?" the young demi- human asked- being someone with precognition.

"It- it- it's not like that!" Kaede replied quickly, showing signs of embarrassment- it was after all her first. "It's just that I don't know who Midoriba will bring."

At that same time, Inori was now in his room, looking at his most favored winter clothing set- snow white jacket, fur cap, mittens and pants, with a black undershirt- similar in concept to a polar bear, which he also calls his 'polar bear set'.

"I wonder who could it be? But seriously, I hope that it's that girl..."

Little did those two know that they would be in a long, long day.