"You're not very cheerful for a Santa," Mai muttered.
The so-called Santa's ears heard her words, and with a furrowed brow he added, "And how many Santas have you met?"
"None," Mai admitted.
"So you don't have a lot to base that assumption on."
"Well, no."
"Besides, you would not be cheerful if you were forced into this job considering the circumstances."
"What circumstances?"
A silence enveloped the two, Mai's face burning with impatience.
"In any case, you have put me behind schedule."
"Behind schedule?! How is that my fault?"
He did not dignify her a response. Instead, after a quick review of a list procured from his pocket, he turned to her with a wry expression.
"You will work for me."
"N-No. No way." She scooted as far away from him as she could in the crammed sleigh.
"You injured my assistant elf."
She froze, eyes wide in terror. Who on earth was he talking about? She racked her brain, but her memory was fuzzy.
Then it struck her.
She remembered that tall man breaking into Keiko-chan's house. The nerve of that guy!
"I… I didn't."
"You sprained his ankle, putting him out of work and thus wasting my time. I had to return all the way to the North Pole with him in tow."
"It wasn't my fault! He was breaking in!"
"Are you honestly so idiotic to not even understand that he was doing his job and delivering presents?"
"Santa's not real," she laughed, "You're just playing pretend. I don't know how you got this sleigh to fly, or if we're just in a studio or something, but… I-I was just trying to protect my friend!"
"While your actions would likely warrant you an automatic place on the Naughty List, your justification for your actions is sound."
"Huh?"
"It appears you are doubtful of my career choices, but as it stands, you can either work for me, or freeze to death on the streets."
She shut her mouth, forced into an uncomfortable silence. But nevertheless, he continued.
"You almost died after pulling such a stunt on Lin. I saved you."
"So? I didn't ask to be saved! If you want to gloat about saving me, go ahead! You should have saved them, not me."
She huffed, the cold air entering her lungs. She could not believe this guy! There was no way she would work for someone so stuck up!
"What will it be?"
She thought it over rather quickly. If she asked to be returned to the streets, he might deposit her anywhere. That would make getting her bearings difficult. If she took him up on his offer, she could at least enjoy the warm sleigh ride.
Right now, she was safe and her hunger satiated by that delicious cookie. Who knows, maybe he would bring her more from his breaking and entering. Though the idea of eating stolen goods that poor, ignorant children had left out for a phony like Santa Claus left her conflicted.
She was better than that. She held no desire to be affiliated with a cookie stealing criminal.
Nevertheless, she lowered her head, bit her lip, and clenched her fists. Choosing to not help would essentially seal her fate. She would be crazy to turn down an offer to sit inside a warm comfy space and hand presents to the bearded man so he could fulfill his crimes.
She was feeling selfish, but maybe it was self preservation.
She blinked before focusing her determined gaze on him.
"Okay."
"Good. In order to remain on schedule, we will have to work efficiently."
"I find it hard to believe you can, since you look like a stuffed turkey…"
He sighed.
"That's why you're going to deliver presents."
"You want me to break in?! I am not breaking into someone's house!" She stomped her foot in defiance. "That's it, I don't want to do this! Just drop me off!"
He complied and angled the sleigh downwards until he came to land on the roof of a nearby house.
"Well, get out then," he said.
"We're on a roof!" she complained. "You can't leave me on a roof!"
"I can."
"Jerk."
Begrudgingly, Mai climbed out. She shivered as the wind blew, immediately regretting her decision.
"Stop being noisy, take this present and climb down that chimney."
He threw a brightly coloured box at her, which she caught clumsily.
"What am I supposed to do?" she hollered.
"Be quiet and don't wake the occupants, unless you want the police on your tail."
"I'd probably be better off…" she grumbled.
"Catch."
Another wrapped package fell into her hands.
"Why did you throw another one?"
"Two children live here, stupid."
"Is this all kids get these days? Just one present each?"
"We provide one gift for every child, whatever else they receive comes from their family and acquaintances."
"Don't you mean friends?"
But he never replied.
Mai shimmied down the chimney, aided by a rope thrown from the back of the sleigh. As she landed, she dusted soot off of her blackened clothes and made her way to the vibrant Christmas tree in the living room. It towered over her small frame. Tinsel reflected the light's brilliance all over the room.
It was beautiful.
Dressed in rags, Mai felt very out of place. The room looked like a scene from a Christmas card. Certainly the supposed Santa on the roof above her fit the image more perfectly than Mai could.
"Imagine if the children were up and saw me," she mumbled, depositing the gift underneath the tree's branches. She saw other gifts each wrapped up in colourful, sparkling paper.
The one Santa provided was also brightly coloured, but had a traditional feel to it. Mai reckoned that the ribbon that held it together must have been tied by hand as one side of the bow was considerably smaller than the other. She wanted to even it up but refrained as she was too scared of breaking anything.
She turned around, catching sight of a tall glass of milk and a plate full of cookies.
Her stomach growled as she pocketed the the edible goodies and gulped down the milk. It was sweet and smooth and almost made her hunger subside.
She returned to the chimney, where the rope swayed before her.
"Hurry up!"
"Coming!"
She climbed, her palms burning from the harshness of the rope. If she had to endure more of this tonight, she would lose her mind.
As she reached the top, a harsh winter wind jostled her hair.
Santa remained where she left him, as if he had not moved an inch. Perhaps he was too bloated to move around. She giggled, finding some amusement in the terrible arrangement she found herself in.
He turned to her, eyes cold and calculating.
"Let's go."
"Okay, okay!"
She climbed back into the sleigh, wondering just how many more deliveries she would have to do before this suspicious 'Santa' would drop her off on the streets. She yawned, leaning against the back of her seat as the sleigh lifted off into the sky.
Assuming this was even real, he would use her and forget her by the following morning.
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