Knock knock knock.

Ding-dong.

"Everybody, up!"

Headmaster Azami merrily gestured for his students to stand up. The remaining members of the Elite Ten (Rindou and Tsukasa had skipped the start of that morning's meeting) rose to their feet and followed him to the front door. It was Christmas Day, after all, and everyone was expected to watch the grand finale of the caroling spectacle.

The Council gathered on the lawn, where three rows of bleachers were set up, containing all eleven carolers, who were dressed in matching choir robes and arranged by voice pitch.

"Hello, Uncle Azami!" Alice called from the soprano section.

"Merry Christmas, Alice," he replied. "I don't see the newest member of your choir..."

"Just listen," she mused. "After all, today we've prepared one very special Christmas carol for you!"

"Let's hear it!" He challenged, crossing his arms and smiling cheerfully.

The conductor of the pipers tapped his baton, and the flutist let out a starting note.

With that, the carolers began to sing:

"Hark the herald, angels sing: glory to the newborn king!"

Their voices rang out in an epic five-part harmony. Meanwhile, Tsukasa's maids and Soma's ladies had joined together in the background to add in an angelic 'Gloria in ex celsis deo'. The choir of eleven smiled to each other, continuing with their song;

"Peace on earth, and mercy mi-"

"STOP RIGHT THERE!" Azami boomed, and all was silent.

The headmaster's face was bright red, and riddled with a terrible scowl. Loudly, he demanded, "What... IS...THIS!?"

A cow mooed.

Alice smiled innocently, pondering "Whatever do you mean, dear Uncle? We've worked incredibly hard to prepare this song for you!"

The rest of the choir mumbled in agreement.

"We've been practicing non-stop since yesterday," Rindou explained before adding, "Hey, Professor Shiomi, we totally CRUSHED that alto harmony!"

The tiny teacher nodded in agreement, as the two high-fived.

"NO! No nonononono," Azami interjected.

Rindou and Jun looked at him with hurt expressions.

"Wait, no, I didn't mean... Your alto harmony was great, but my POINT is, what happened to The Twelve Days of Christmas!? After all that build-up, you're just going to throw it away like this? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!?"

Hayama shuffled over to Kurokiba, whispering, "For the headmaster's sake, PLEASE tell me you have that shrub hidden around here somewhere."

After a few moments of silence, Alice descended from the bleachers, taking off her robe to reveal a white turtleneck sweater and gray leggings. "Well, Uncle Azami, if you really want us to continue with that song, there just so happen to be twelve drummers over there." She gestured to a group of obviously prepared percussionists, before continuing, "But someone would have to pay them."

"I'll pay!" Azami shouted, "I'll pay whatever you want!"

His niece grinned mischievously, as Kurokiba joined her in front of the stands to chime in, "Uh, Headmaster, there's still one more thing you need: a new choir member."

On cue, the second seat suddenly called, "Hey, Tsukasa, don't we need another tenor?"

Caught off-guard, the first seat stuttered, "Huh? Well, I kinda thought Takumi-kun and I are singing the part pretty-" She elbowed him in the gut. "A-a third tenor would be great, actually," he quickly corrected.

"Hayama-kun's a tenor," Jun blushed from her bleacher spot.

Everyone's eyes turned to the ninth seat, who simply muttered an "Oh no."

Headmaster Azami begged, "Please, Hayama-kun!" practically on his knees.

Alice persuaded, "It'll be fun!"

"Or are you too chicken?" Kurokiba taunted. A hen clucked.

The proposed tenor shook his head, slightly smiling. "So, this was it, huh? You did all of this just to get me to sing?"

The pair of choir leaders exchanged a glance, before looking back at him silently.

"Fine, I'll do it," he finally conceded.

There was a general cheer among the choir, the Elite Ten, and the swans, as Alice and Kurokiba rushed to either side of Hayama.

"Ok, so the line is 'Twelve drummers drumming'," coached the former.

"Don't mess up," said the latter.

"Wasn't planning on it," snipped the last.

With that, the pipers played the opening chord once more, this time with the drummers accompaniment in the form of an epic drum roll.

Everyone stared expectantly at Hayama Akira, who, with an eyeroll followed by a moment of hesitation, began:

"On the, um, twelfth day of Christmas Headmaster, um, Nakiri Azami gave to me," he rushed awkwardly, clearly unprepared. "Twelve drummers drumming!"

"Eleven pipers piping," added Jun, coming up to squeeze Hayama's hand, then give him a hug.

Suddenly, the rest of the Elite Ten decided to join in the choir on the bleachers:

"Ten lords a-leaping," sang Mito, along with new fifth seat Shoko.

"Nine ladies dancing!" chanted Yukihira Soma and Saito Somei.

"Eight maids a-milking," Tsukasa belted alone, helping Rindou board one of his cows, which was wearing a Santa hat.

"Seven swans a-swimming," Takumi and Julio-senpai continued,

"Six geese a-laying," caroled Hisako and Kinokuni,

"FIVE GOLDEN RINGS!" Rindou yodeled, completely savoring her last few moments in the spotlight.

"Four calling birds," chirped Momo and Megumi,

"Three French hens," proceeded Marui and a hesitant Eizan Etsuya, who had secretly wanted to join the choir this whole time,

"Two turtle doves," Alice slowed, taking Kurokiba's hand and resting her head on his shoulder.

"And a partridge in a pear..." Kurokiba suddenly paused, looked around, then called out, "Everybody!"

"TREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" everybody finished, then cheered, wishing each other a Merry Christmas.

Headmaster Nakiri Azami, practically in tears, cheerfully announced, "Today's meeting is... Canceled! So are all the meetings next week, take some time off, MERRY CHRISTMAS!"

The Elite Ten echoed the greeting, some rushing off to make plans. Tsukasa and Rindou rode up behind Alice and Kurokiba to hold mistletoe above their heads; both couples began fervently kissing.

"Hooray!" cheered Shiomi Jun to her assistant. "Now, thanks to your friends, you can come home for the holidays, Hayama-kun!"

The ninth seat suddenly looked up: that was it! They had done this caroling stunt because... He frantically searched the area for Nakiri Alice and Kurokiba Ryou, but they were gone. Like ghosts of Christmas' past with their mission completed, the couple had simply disappeared.

Hayama cursed his own stupidity: he should've realized it sooner. He just couldn't believe that even after his harsh betrayal, his closest friends would still want to annoy him, to tease him, but most of all, to make him smile, and yet that had been their goal all along. Nakiri and Kurokiba hadn't given up on him, and they used twelve days, twenty-three birds and one heck of a song to tell him.

Hayama couldn't think of a way to thank them enough, so instead he mused, "Hey, Jun: Do you think we could go home and make Christmas cookies for Nakiri and Kurokiba?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "I'd like nothing better." After a pause, she sniffled, "You know, I've missed you, Hayama-kun."

Taking her hand, he gently whispered, "I've missed you, too."

"Merry Christmas, Hayama-kun."

"Merry Christmas."