Next up, Fujio-kun and Hazuki-chan. Hahaha...
Once again, if you have a problem with the couple, don't bother complaining. Write your own story with Yada-kun or whoever else you think Hazuki belongs with...
I've always loved something Dickens-based... (A Christmas Carol... DEFINITELY NOT MINE.)
Another fair warning: For some reason... I'm sure Hazuki-chan's at least a LITTLE OOC... Maybe, Fujio-kun is, too... Haha... Well, this isn't a popular pairing, obviously... But we all can't chose what to prefer... Not that I hold anything against Yada-kun... I actually like him and Kotake-kun quite a lot. (smile)
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Carols
The snow continued falling outside as Fujiwara Hazuki sighed, lightly fingering the window from within the cozy, warm library.
The brunette adjusted her bright orange scarf, pressing her glasses up as they fogged, hiding her chestnut colored eyes.
"Tis the season..." she muttered to herself, laughing a bit as she lightly walked through the shelves of endless books, looking quite desperately for the book Momoko had taught her about.
Sure it wasn't probably in Japanese... But this could be the time for the orange witch to finally use her uncanny ability to read the fancy, cursive English words that she had seen the optimistic yellow witch Momo-chan scribble on her paper.
Hazuki let out a light sigh again and she gulped.
Who knew?
The brunette looked around again, and something caught her attention.
For one, someone was reading. No surprise, really. After all, it was a library, obviously.
But this particular book in the person's hands was her book. The book she was looking for!
Second, the person seemed way too familiar for Hazuki's tastes... And she'd know the pair of wicks that stuck out behind "A Christmas Carol" all too well.
There was only one wizard Hazuki knew liked books.
"F-Fujio-kun?" she asked in a startled voice. "Is that you?"
"Huh?" Fujio looked up from the book, his light orange colored eyes meeting Hazuki's. He blushed a light shade of red.
"Hazuki-chan..."
Hazuki blinked furiously behind her glasses, looking down.
"Um..."
Okay, awkward. She thought to herself, fingers tightening in her scarf.
"What are you doing here?"
The answer was short and obvious.
"Reading."
Hazuki hunched her shoulders, cringing at the sudden indifference. "No... I mean... Why are you here? In the Human World?" She really hoped her question didn't sound rude.
"Well... Since Akatsuki-kun's here, killing time with his girlfriend..." he spoke the last line with a hint of envy. "Might as well see what the Human World has to offer... Man..."
He twirled the small book around on the table.
"And I thought Leon-kun's English sounded like nonsense. I should have taken some notes..."
Despite herself, the orange witch giggled.
"Do you not understand it, Fujio-kun?"
A smile played at Fujio's lips.
"Actually, yes."
Then, he frowned.
"What are you doinghere, Hazuki-chan? Shouldn't you be out... shopping for whatever it is going on here?"
"Why bother?" Hazuki shrugged. "My parents could get whatever they wanted easily... All I wanted was some peace and quiet... and here, I find you, Fujio-kun."
"That doesn't sound like you," Fujio objected, blinking as innocently as possible.
Hazuki dropped her gaze, blushing a tiny bit.
"I know..." she sighed, drooping her shoulders. "It isn't me."
Fujio perked up and silence filled the area. Finally he dropped his eyes.
"I wonder why..."
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Okay."
Hazuki's lips twitched. As usual, he was acting weird... But weird for him. She chewed her soft bottom lip before scratching the back of her head, undoing some of her chesnut brown hair from its tight ponytail.
Her eyes darted to Fujio again, who had picked back on his reading.
The orange witch blinked, a blank look on her face before a squeak escaped her throat.
Her counterpart didn't look up.
Finally, Hazuki just pulled up a chair and sat across from him. She cleared her throat, trying to not be too noticable.
He still didn't look up.
Hazuki let out a groan.
"Excuse me... When you're finished... Can I have it?" Sound polite, sound polite...
Fujio nodded, but didn't take his eyes off the page.
The orange witch went back to fiddling with her fingers. Normally... she couldn't help but admit in her head. Fujio-kun would be quite happy to see me... I think I miss him... He may have acted strange... but at least he meant well... I think.
She glanced up from behind her glasses, and her lips twitched.
I can't act rude... Doremi-chan would scold me...
"...What part are you on?" she asked, looking up at the ceiling.
"What's a stave?" he asked in return, peeking from behind the book with wide, orange eyes.
"What?"
"A stave. Haven't these people heard of chapters?"
Hazuki just shrugged, grimacing.
"English language was... a little weird in the last century or two..."
"I'll say."
Fujio turned back to his book.
"Well, I'm on Stave Two." he answered, flipping through the pages. "A blast from the past..."
A smile played on Hazuki's lips as she balanced her head on her palms. "I see..."
Fujio smiled himself, though the orange witch couldn't see from behind the book.
"Patience is a virtue, Hazuki-chan... I can't count how many times I told Leon-kun that... How many times Akatsuki-kun told us that." He chuckled, relishing the memories. "Typical of him."
"Someone patient is good for Doremi-chan." Hazuki layed her head down. "Everyone has something they need... Ai-chan needs someone who'll give her some good exercise... but still able to laugh at her jokes... Onpu-chan needs someone who'll believe in her... but also someone she can believe in... I think Momo-chan just needs someone who understands her... And all Hana-chan needs is a playmate."
"What about you?"
"Huh?"
"What about you?" Fujio repeated, each word separate and distinct.
"Me?" A blush colored Hazuki's cheeks as she looked down shamefully. "Someone kind... and someone who cares about me."
"Every girl needs that." the orange wizard sighed, rolling his eyes. "Especially you, Hazuki-chan. Don't you have Yada for that?"
"Huh?" Hazuki blinked, before her blush turned major. "W-What?! N-No, Fujio-kun... Y-You're mistaken... I-I mean... You DO know Masaru-kun has a girlfriend, right?"
Fujio's expression turned blank.
"No, I didn't know that."
Hazuki weakly giggled, shrugging. "Well... Now you know."
"Is that why you're upset?"
The orange witch just nodded. No point in hiding it...
"Christmas is celebrated differently in Japan, isn't it?" Fujio asked trivially, placing the open book down, pages up.
"It's thought of as a romantic holiday, here..." the brunette sighed, poking the table from the intense boredom.
"Different from the book." he deducted, from which Hazuki looked at him rather oddly.
"This isn't London."
"I know that."
Hazuki groaned, wiping off sweat from her forehead.
"You look pale, Hazuki-chan..." Fujio observed, a little worried. "That really isn't like you..."
"I know," Hazuki sighed, shaking her head. "I'm sorry."
Fujio shrugged. "It's nothing, really."
His counterpart merely smiled weakly. "Do you like the story?"
"Yes..." Fujio smiled back at her before sighing.
The orange witch looked out the window.
"It's snowing still..."
The boy across from her nodded, staring out the window as well.
"Yes... It's beautiful."
Hazuki nodded as well, starting to feel a little self-conscious. She cradled her head on the desk, another sigh escaping her lips.
"Hazuki-chan?"
Hazuki glanced at Fujio, her brown eyes questioning. Fujio merely smiled, picking the book back up and handing it to her.
"Did you want to read it, Hazuki-chan?"
The orange witch blinked, completely confused. She raised her hand to touch the book, but dropped it as soon as she made contact.
"N-No..." her voice wavered as she placed her hands back in her lap. "You can have it, Fujio-kun... I'll read as soon as your done."
"Oh... Okay." Fujio pulled the book back, shrugging a bit. "Whatever you want, Hazuki-chan."
Hazuki's smile twitched.
My heart is racing... and I have no idea why.
"Hey..." she gulped before closing her eyes. "Um... Hey, Fujio-kun?"
Faster, faster, faster... I feel so nervous, now... Oh... Why is that, I wonder?
"Yes?" her counterpart replied automatically. "Um... Is there something up, Hazuki-chan?"
Hazuki's eyes opened back up and she smiled shyly.
"Um... Do you mind if..."
She coughed a bit.
"If I... sit by you?"
"Huh?"
The orange wizard blinked, as if he hadn't heard right.
"What was that, Hazuki-chan?"
"Do you mind if I sit by you?" she pronounced carefully, like she was explaining this to a kindergartner.
"No. Not at all." Fujio looked down, embarassed. "Whatever you want, Hazuki-chan."
Hazuki smiled, getting up to take the closest seat to her counterpart, scooting close enough to be able to read the pages of the book.
But that wasn't the only reason she had asked.
"Do you mind?" she whispered in a hushed tone, blushing at how she could feel his shoulder to hers.
"Not too much." Fujio managed a smile, and went back to reading.
Hazuki smiled herself, reading along with him.
It always helps to have someone next to you... Especially on a Christmas like this... her mind admitted, a bit cheerfully. It's so nice...
Yes, it really was.
Hazuki's eyelids lowered.
"The Christmas dinner from Stave 3, Fujio-kun... That's my favorite."
"Oh, really?"
Fujio flipped through the pages. "This one?"
"Yes..."
"Oh."
His eyes scanned the page before he just nodded in agreement without saying a single word.
Hazuki straightened herself, placing her cold, pale hand over Fujio's soft, slightly warm one.
Fujio flinched, but pretended not to notice.
The orange witch flushed.
"Um..."
"No, it's alright."
"Oh..." Hazuki exhaled, going back to looking over his shoulder. "...What's your favorite part so far?"
Fujio just shrugged.
A few seconds passed.
Fujio glanced at Hazuki for a few minutes before she returned his stare.
"Yes...?"
"It's... It's nothing..." the orange wizard mumbled, quickly looking back to his book before shutting it.
"You know what? I think I already know the ending."
Hazuki just shrugging, getting up as the same time he did.
Fujio placed the book down on the desk.
"See ya, Hazuki-chan."
"W-Wait!"
The brunette stumbled in a very Doremi-like fashion after him, ignoring the snow that gathered on her shoulders and the goosebumps jolting through her skin.
Wow, what a difference.
"F-Fujio-kun!" she called out, still teetering to him, eventually gripping the sleeves of his brown winter coat as if for dear life.
Fujio paused before looking at the orange witch with wide eyes.
"Hazuki-chan?"
"Where are you going...?" she asked breathlessly, her mouth dry. "Come on... Please stay."
Fujio made a face.
"I have things to do... Notes to take... People to see... I might earn a scolding at this rate..." he rambled a bit before groaning.
"Why do you want me to stay so badly anyway, Hazuki-chan?"
"H...Huh?"
Hazuki blinked, her grip on his sleeves lessening before her shoulders drooped.
"I... don't know." she admitted, her pale cheeks reddening. "I don't know. I really have no idea, Fujio-kun."
"Huh..." Fujio took her hands, feeling how cold they felt and squeezed.
"You really have no idea?"
"N... No." her voice was barely a whisper.
"...Alright."
"Huh?"
Hazuki cocked her head to the side, utterly confused. "Alright what, Fujio-kun?"
"I mean, alright. I'll stay if it makes Hazuki-chan feel better."
The orange witch exhaled a sigh of relief, but her counterpart soon released her hands.
"BUT..."
"Yes?" Hazuki asked, smiling a bit. Fujio smiled back.
"...Hazuki-chan?"
"Yes?" she repeated, only for her eyes to widen with shock and surprise as she felt his soft lips brush against hers.
Hazuki blinked again, and both of the orange magic users' faces were a light shade of pink.
The orange witch finally broke the silence.
"Thank you, Fujio-kun."
"You need a merry Christmas, Hazuki-chan..." Fujio laughed a bit, still embarrassed. "Now, let's go finish that book..."
"Let's go read some more Christmas stories..." Hazuki continued before turning to him and beaming.
"Merry Christmas, Fujio-kun." she then stated, slipping her hand around his.
"You too, Hazuki-chan." he responded, tightening his grip around her.
As the snow continued to fall as the shy couple made their way back into the library...
A group of kids could be heard singing "White Christmas" in the distance.