Author's Note:
Hohoho! A Merry Christmas to you all and a Happy New Year!
This month's release drops a little earlier than usual because I love to write Christmas-themed stories. It's a tradition I try to uphold and I believe every long story or series I have published has a Christmas special written for it.
The next chapter of Sailor Minis will be published at the end of January 2024.
On the "No Matter How Far Apart We Come Together Every Time" front or NMHFAWCTET as I think I'll abbreviate it (doesn't quite have the same ring as TRTCT though) I mentioned how I pondered starting to publish in the new year.
Thinking about it with a little more sense of realism, however, I had to concede that I have a lot of editing to do and I still have the majority of the story to plan.
So I would get into serious trouble if I started to publish now and had to rewrite a bunch of stuff by the middle of the year because the published chapters weren't up to date anymore with how the story evolves.
Apologies for maybe getting people's hopes up.
I really want to share what I have with you because I do think there is a lot of awesome stuff in there even if the way the story is written due to spanning such a large amount of time might not agree with everyone.
But those who like epic fantasy science-fiction will be very pleased, I'm sure.
For now, I leave you to enjoy a whopping over 8000-words long romantic comedy with some slight angsty undertones as our girls and boys spend the most romantic evening of the year with their first love while unknowingly in certain cases already having a future lover in mind.
Secret Santa
Walking hand in hand, Ryo and Ami observed the few handful of people walking ahead of them or standing at the stalls on either side of the street.
The sweet warm scent of barbecued meat mingled with the frosty air that hung over Hiroshima.
Lanterns in every color were suspended overhead to illuminate the German Christmas fair and bathe it in a Japanese flavor.
"You were right, Ryo-kun," Ami observed. "This is a very romantic date on Christmas Eve."
"Yes," Her boyfriend proudly smiled. "And there are far fewer people visiting the fair this evening, so it is a more relaxed walk."
Ami hummed along to American and German Christmas songs like All I Want for Christmas and Weisse Weinacht as the eyes of the young woman whose light-gray skirt reached to her knees underneath her hooded light-blue winter jacket and white shawl wandered from left to right.
Ryo observed her gaze with a gentle smile.
The short young man with the dark-brown hair was overjoyed to have been able to introduce his girlfriend to his mother. As he had hoped, the woman proved full of adoration for Ami after only one afternoon visit to the Hiroshima City Museum Of Contemporary Art and evening dinner.
Ryo thought he could obtain her blessing for a shotgun marriage at the end of the week if he would only ask.
"Oh look, Ryo-kun!" Ami pulled the boy in the red trousers and purple winter jacket out of his reverie.
"What?"
"Those miniature houses," The excited bluette said while pointing to the right. "Let's take a closer look."
Together they walked over to a stall that had an older bespectacled man of European decent with a medium-length beard in a brown jacket stand in front of a table displaying about forty gloriously detailed handmade medieval-looking houses. Some were about the size of a hand. Others were much larger.
"These are all made of ceramic and painted by hand," The man explained in tolerable Japanese as Ami and Ryo looked at each of the houses in succession.
"Look Ryo-kun. That's the Regensburg Cathedral."
"You're right!" Ryo exclaimed in awe. "Look how detailed the Eselsturm has been reproduced."
"You are quite knowledgeable," The vendor smiled. "Most of these creations are indeed reproductions of existing buildings in Germany. This is the Plölein in Rothenburg."
Ami and Ryo saw the man point to a small house that looked like it came straight from a Brothers Grimm tale.
"And if you are impressed by the architecture of European churches, here is the St. Stephen's Cathedral in Passau."
Ami's lower lip sagged at the sight of a beautiful pure white baroque cathedral with striking green domes.
"How much would it cost?" Ryo asked.
"Ryo. You don't have to…" Ami interrupted.
"But you like it, don't you?" Her boyfriend asked.
The bluette whose pale white skin rivaled the beauty of the St. Stephen's Cathedral to more eyes than Ryo's made an annoyed face.
"Yes. But if it was that important to me I would buy it myself," Ami protested. "Besides… We have no way of carrying it home with us."
"That is no problem whatsoever," the crafty German vendor announced.
From behind the man's counter, Ami and Ryo saw him pull up a hard cardboard box which he opend to reveal a padded interior.
"The miniatures are protected from fall or pressure by this semi-resistant flexible material and the firm one-inch thick cardboard case," The bearded man explained. "There is a handle to allow for easy transportation."
Ami turned her exasperated look from the vendor to her boyfriend.
"Is it the one you like most out of all of these?" Ryo smiled.
"Well, yes, but not so much that I would want to buy it. And I still think it's a bother to carry it around with us."
"I have a friend who works at an izakaya nearby. If I asked I'm pretty sure he could get permission to keep it safe there until we pick it up and go home."
"Why are you so persistent about this?" Ami asked her suspiciously eager boyfriend with a penetrating stare.
"No reason," The young man with the neat dark-brown hairdo sweatdropped while trying to remain cool. "I… I think it would be nice when I stay over at your place I'd get to see this beautiful handmade miniature and remember our first Christmas together."
"Oh! Really, Ryo-kun? That's so romantic," Ami gushed while embracing her relieved boyfriend.
Turning bright red, Ryo held the blue-haired genius in his arms and pulled her close.
His eyes wandered toward the vendor who smartly winked at his accomplice.
"Now let's hear the real reason?" Ami sang in a bright and perilous tone.
"A-hahaha," Ryo shivered in the grip of his beloved Yuki-onna. "I couldn't think of a present to give you at dinner so I hoped we could find something at the Christmas fair."
"Aw…" Ami smiled as she released her boyfriend. "And you were worried I'd be angry if you told me? Honesty is the best policy, Ryo-kun.
But if that's the case of course I would love it if you bought that beautiful handmade miniature for me as my Christmas present."
"That will be 15,000 yen including the protective case," The German vendor smiled. "All's well that end's well, Honorable customer."
"And I would also like the Trier St. Peter's Cathedral," Ami said while pointing at the grand-looking miniature church."
"What?" Ryo nervously reacted.
"And Aachen Cathedral. Wouldn't it be glorious to have the burial place of Emperor Charlemagne in my bedroom, Ryo-kun?" Ami gushed.
"But I…"
"Just kidding," Ami smiled.
Ryo sighed a breath of relief. And the vendor sweatdropped in apprehension as Ami showed him a satisfied wink.
"I will be very happy to own this beautiful reproduction of the St. Stephen's Cathedral from Passau," The bluette smiled.
At the sound of the kitchen doorbell, Makoto looked up from the cooked chicken breast she was slicing.
Her long ponytail of curly brown hair rolled up underneath a white hygienic cap, the young woman in the white chef's uniform left her post to open the door that led to Haru No Ike's backcourt and modest parking lot.
Behind Makoto, her employer was busy preparing a set of exquisite sushi and sashimi while her colleagues and superiors were each busy producing the succulent dishes that had been ordered by a stylishly dressed clientele for their romantic Christmas Eve dinners in the popular high-end restaurant.
'Ebihara-sensei!" The Juuban Municipal High School student called out behind her "I think our emergency delivery just arrived!"
Dressed in a large white apron that he had bound around a green-and-brown checkered sweater vest and gray trousers, Hifumi Ebihara rested his knife beside the mouthwatering plate of seafood and rice preparations he had been working on and reached under his apron.
Meanwhile, Makoto opened the door to a short woman with a short brown ponytail who was dressed in a knitted red sweater with reindeer on it and a knee-length blue jeans skirt with white stockings.
"Good evening," The somewhat reserved but kindly woman who seemed roughly twice Makoto's age said with a bow. "I am Honda-san from Azabu Juuban Supermarket with a delivery of negi and savoy cabbage."
"Thank you for dropping by," Makoto smiled. "It seems we underestimated the popularity of our special Christmas Eve menu and got into trouble with our stock. Where is the product?"
"I have four plastic crates in the back of my car," Eri Honda said. "I'll go and get them."
Makoto saw the woman turn and walk to the red Honda Civic that was parked in the right-side parking space closest to the restaurant.
With the chilly air from outside starting to penetrate her cotton uniform, she hugged herself and blew a puff of misty air from between her lips.
"Good," The tall brunette heard her employer say behind her. "Things were starting to get a little alarming. I warned Bushida-san about his order but he insisted we still had sufficient savoy cabbage in stock. Very unlike him to err on the side of overconfidence."
Makoto stepped outside to allow for Hifumi to stand in the door opening.
At a quarter past six, a cozy winter darkness had covered the city of Tokyo which made itself manifest with a billion lights in response.
The streetlights overhead and the illuminated windows shining over the dark parking lot showed Eri Honda returning with a large crate full of dark-green cabbages from the open trunk of her car.
"Here is the first crate of cabbages," The woman said as Makoto took the load from her hands.
"I'll carry the crates inside as you unload them," Makoto smiled before dragging the blue plastic crate through the door past Hifumi.
Her portly employer slowly made his way to Eri's Honda Civic as the woman at a somewhat faster pace returned to her open trunk and lifted a second crate with savoy cabbage
When the short brunette saw Makoto appear from the backdoor of the restaurant she returned to the young apprentice with the crate in her arms.
Hifumi meanwhile carefully inspected the cabbages in the third crate that was resting in the trunk of her car
"Hmm…" A plume of mist escaped from his lips as he fingered the leaf ends of the vegetables. "These look much better again.
Quality became a bit of a lottery after the takeover but Juuban seems to have gotten over it."
Eri's approach made Hifumi step aside, enabling the woman to lift the third crate of cabbages from the hood of her red car.
"I just finished preparing a plate of festive sushi and sashimi as an entrée for the dinner I'm having with a friend of mine," Hifumi said. "As a show of appreciation for this late delivery, I'd like to invite you to share our entrée and have a drink with us on the house."
Eri looked aside where she saw the man with the neat black hairdo carrying the crate of negi next to her.
"Thank you for the kind offer. But I have a passenger…"
"Oh! Is your husband in the car with you?" Hifumi interrupted the older woman as the two long hairs on either side of his face sprang up to his annoyance.
"The invitation is extended to him as well, of course."
"No… It's my manager," Eri timidly spoke while Makoto took the crate of negi from her employer.
"They could be the same," The tall apprentice remarked. "I almost had a proposal from Sensei myself, but he changed his mind at the last moment and offered me a job instead."
"Nobody wanted to marry you!" Hifumi sweatdropped, giving the dry-witted teen a whack to the back of the head as she brought the cargo inside.
"But Urawa-san can come and have a drink too. I'd like to make his acquaintance."
"I'm afraid Manager-san is asleep," Eri commented while waiting with the last crate in her hands.
"Really? I guarantee he'll want to wake up for my Santa Sashimi and my Shochu and Bailey's White Christmas though!" Hifumi laughed.
Eri threw a concerned look at the man who sat in the passenger's seat of her car.
"Manager-san gets genuinely exhausted from work," The woman spoke in an awed tone of voice. "It starts in the afternoon when he grows nervous and irritable.
After closing time, when we were done counting and cleaning, I would find him asleep at his desk.
I didn't think much of it at first and just woke him up. But after I found him in the exact same position a couple of mornings I put two and two together.
Eventually, Manager-san admitted he can't keep his eyes open anymore after counting and in the morning he usually takes a shower in the employee dressing room and has a bento from the store as a late dinner/breakfast."
"Is that Urawa-san you're talking about?" Makoto asked while taking the last crate from Eri. "That sounds like a lonely kind of life."
"Yes," Eri nodded. "That's why I started to bring him home in my car and pick him up in the morning."
"That's very nice of you, Honda-san," Makoto smiled. "As a friend of Urawa-san's nephew, I'm glad to hear he has a kind person looking after him."
"Thank you for your kind offer," Eri bowed to Hifumi. "But if you have no complaints we'll leave now."
Hearing her employer utter some parting words behind her, Makoto dragged the last crate through the kitchen door and was content to leave the cold outside.
back inside, the brunette placed the blue plastic crate on a shelf in one of the walk-in refrigerators.
Makoto picked up a negi stalk with her fingers and admired its crisp freshness.
"I'll be back for you handsome guys soon," She said with a wink before leaving the refrigerated area.
Back in the kitchen, the seventeen-year-old continued her previous occupation of slicing the cooked chicken filets lying on a plate before her while listening in to the conversation her employer was having with the chef de partie under whose direction she worked.
"I keep telling you, Tsuji-san," Hifumi grinned at the short lean man with the sharp nose who was breading and frying the batches of chicken breast Makoto already prepped for him. "Older women are cuter and they are more sincere. If you once capture their heart you'll live a blissful romance with someone who won't keep any secrets and expects the same from you."
"Hahaha. That's quite the generalization, Sensei," Osuke Tsuji laughed at the man who was carrying the plate of sushi and sashimi he so expertly created on his left lower arm. "But I'd hurry to your table now if I were you. Tsukamoto-san may be every bit as cute and wonderful as you say she is, but there is a limit to the powers of your sashimi to cool the fury of a woman's impatience."
"And that is exactly why I am off to fetch our drinks from the bar and delight my ravissant Christmas date," Hifumi grinned while leaving the kitchen.
"That's it for the batch of chicken breasts you asked me to slice up, Tsuji-sensei," Makoto announced while bringing the plate of meat to the workstation of her teacher.
"I'm taking my break now with your permission and I'll start chopping up the savoy cabbage after."
"How about you, Kino-san?" Osuke grinned at the brunette. "Don't you have a young man you like?"
"Well, I used to be like Ebihara-sensei I suppose, and chased after every cool senpai I came across.
But Tsuji-sensei is just a bit too old for my taste." Makoto suavely delivered.
"And here I've been going so easy on you, you cheeky brat," Osuke playfully narrowed his eyes at his tall apprentice.
"Are you honestly telling me there's no place our Snow White would rather be on Christmas Eve than preparing other people's romantic dinners with us dwarfs?"
"Dwarfs?! Speak for yourself, Tsuji-san!" sous chef Botan Bushida called out from his workstation while preparing a set of Santa Sashimi.
"Hahaha," Makoto laughed. "Let's just say I'd rather make other people happy on Christmas Eve than spend the evening in the company of two bitter young maids."
Leaving the hot bustle of the kitchen behind her, the brunette walked into Hifumi's office and sat at Botan's desk where she picked up the speaker of his telephone set.
Pressing a quite familiar succession of keys she patiently waited for the telephone on the other side of the line to be picked up.
"Hello!" A slightly jumpy lazy male voice greeted her. "You reached Hikawa Shrine. How can I help you?"
"I'm just calling to ask if I've been of help to you, Yuuichirou-kun?" Makoto laughed. "Have my instructions been easy enough to follow?"
"Oh, Mako-chan!" Yuuichirou sighed in relief while leaning on the telephone table in the hallway. "Yes. Thank you so much for making us all such a lavish Christmas dinner. Your notes on how to reheat the food are crystal clear.
The chicken is almost ready now. We're just waiting for Minako-chan to arrive."
"You don't have to thank me, Yuuichirou-kun," Makoto smiled while playing with the cable of the telephone. "To be honest I did it in part because I felt guilty for ditching my two single friends on the sad celebration they planned for us three…"
Yuuichirou could almost sense the brunette cringing at the thought over the phone.
"And I couldn't very well subject you and Grandpa to Rei-chan's idea of a delicious Christmas Eve menu or a KFC meal.
That's why I decided to prepare the four of you something myself."
Yuuichirou noticed a spot on the dark-green trousers of his tuxedo and tried to get it off with the nail of his left thumb.
"Again: Thank you very much," He said with a bow of his head Makoto couldn't see.
"I hope those two won't cause you too much trouble today," The latter said.
"Well…" Yuuichirou hesitatingly began. "As sad as it sounds, I'm kind of happy to be celebrating Christmas with Rei-chan every year. Even though we're not celebrating the day as a couple."
"Yes… I understand," Makoto indulgingly sweatdropped on the other side of the line before she heard an excited female voice through the receiver.
"Hey Yuuichirou-kun?!" Minako asked in a rather alarmed voice while taking off her shoes in the genkan a few meters behind the young man. "Did you just have a friend over? Or did a late visitor of the shrine just leave?!"
"Huh?" Yuuichirou frowned at the girl who unzipped her beige winter coat and revealed a gorgeous and very expensive white drop waist dress with a light-blue bolero jacket. "We haven't had anyone over in the last four hours."
"What's the fuss out there?!" Rei cried out as she stepped into the hallway.
The appearance of his half-dressed crush in a sharp black princess vest and knee-length skirt made Yuuchirou's eyes pop out of their sockets.
"Ah… Yuuichirou…" The blackette reacted with an acquiescent sigh when she looked to the side and saw the state her revealing outfit brought her friend to.
"Rei-chan!" Minako exclaimed upon seeing her fellow Senshi. "I was nearly molested in the shrine grounds just now!"
"What?!"
"I was climbing the shrine stairs and when I got up I bumped into some weirdo who was stalking around.
When he saw me he quickly hid his face with a newspaper, made some excuse of having lost his way trying to leave the shrine, and ran down the stairs like a hare."
"I'm sorry, Mako-chan but I have to check up on the chicken," Yuuichirou hurriedly spoke into the telephone. "Success in the restaurant this evening."
"You were talking to Mako-chan?" Rei asked as her fellow priest ended the call.
"What did that guy look like, Minako-chan?" A fierce Yuuichirou inquired. "I'll go out and search the grounds.
We can't have a stalker lurking around. I have a duty to keep Rei-chan and you safe."
"Don't bother, hero," Rei smirked while crossing her arms and leaning against the wall behind her as Minako came and stood beside her. "Mina-chan scared that creep out of his wits, didn't you hear?"
"Hey!" Minako exclaimed in protest. "I'll have you know he was blushing before my radiant beauty before he hid his face. And he was not a creep. He looked quite handsome at first glance."
A sweatdropping Rei regarded the blonde with an amused grin as her friend elaborated on her experience.
"To tell the truth… It wouldn't be so bad if he was a shy fan," Minako pondered while resting the pointer finger of her right hand against her lips.
"The guy seemed to have a firm, trained body and I noticed he had a nice hard ass when I saw him run down the stairs."
"You see, Yuuichirou?" Rei smiled while raising her hands in a shrug. "There's no stalker. Just another victim of Mina-chan's charms. Let's just get dinner ready and I'll finish dressing up, alright?"
"Yes, Rei-chan," Yuuichirou nodded. "I suppose there is no point if the guy really did leave the shrine grounds in such a hurry."
Minako saw the young man with the messy dark-brown curls walk off to the kitchen when the spirit of the evening sparked an observation from her.
"I honestly don't see why nothing ever happened between the two of you, Rei-chan," The blonde said. "Yuuichirou-kun is a perfectly nice guy if a little clownesque."
Rei rolled her eyes and slid open the shoji screen toward the living room, inviting her friend in.
"I simply can't return his feelings, Mina-chan," The blackette explained.
Minako walked into the living room with the miko. Her eyes fell on the kotatsu in the middle of the room, which had been dressed up for dinner.
"Usagi-chan has been on my case about him so many times and I did try and give it a shot," Rei elaborated. "But it just doesn't feel right. Yuuichirou is a good friend and I'm content with that even if he isn't."
Seeing as Rei made her declaration while standing before the low heated table, Minako took it upon herself to seat herself on a cushion underneath the table's blanket.
"...And I'm not that hungry or desperate that I'd consider dating some perverted stalker just because he has a tight ass," The blackette said with a teasing grin.
"That… that's a bit presumptuous," Minako blushed in embarrassment. "I'm sure he has other qualities."
"In place of having ourselves some handsome boyfriends with qualities, I'm more than happy to indulge this seemingly pitiful but rather nice idea of yours to celebrate Christmas together with Grandpa and Yuuichirou," Rei grinned while returning in the direction of the hallway.
"I'll just go to the toilet and finish dressing up. Grandpa will join you soon."
Having left her friend in front of the television set in the living room for the moment, Rei closed the door of the shrine's bathroom behind her and walked over to the toilet.
Pulling down her panties, to her annoyance the miko spotted a small furry white ball lying on top of the washed linen in the laundry basket to her left.
"Had a nice beauty sleep, did you?" Rei deadpanned while lowering herself over the toilet.
"Hmmmrrrrr…" Diana started to purr.
Rei closed her eyes and exhaled.
"You have about two seconds to lift your hairy ass from that pile of kosode or you forfeit dinner."
With the leap of an apex predator, the white catten in the laundry basket landed on the floor beside her charge.
"Of course, I'll have to put the top kosode aside to wash with a new batch," Rei dryly remarked while she started to pee.
"Sorry about that, Rei-sama. I'll try to watch where I sleep next time. Is dinner ready?" Diana asked.
The teenage feline casually wandered back and forth while staring at Rei.
"Yuuichirou is working on it," The miko smiled at last while pulling a few pieces of toilet paper from the roll to her right. "Dinner will be ready in a few minutes.
You know… I understand that Luna and Artemis want to have their own little lovey-dovey time on Christmas Eve and so you're on your own," She continued. "But rather than hang around me today, don't you have a boyfriend in the future you'd prefer to spend your time with?"
The miko frowned curiously at the exasperated look this comment earned her from the white cat in front of her.
"The irony of hearing this from you is not lost on me," Diana peevishly spoke while averting her countenance. "I'll tell him so when I find an occasion to revisit the future."
"More time-traveler secrets, I suppose," Rei sighed as she got up and briefly played with the little rose decoration at the top of her panties before pulling them up.
"Those are nice," Diana slyly deadpanned as revenge for future Rei's decree that she should be sent to the past on her own to fulfill her mission. "They look similar to the pair Usagi wears."
"Hahaha!" A mortified sweatdropping Rei laughed upon feeling caught.
About two months ago the miko became fascinated by a pair of cute panties with a pink rose decoration which she noticed Usagi wear during a sleepover.
Eventually, she couldn't help herself buying a similar pair with a red rose to set them apart from Usagi's.
"I bet that's just a coincidence though," Diana huffed while she left the bathroom.
Wondering at the last remark, Rei looked down at the rose decoration on her underwear before lowering her black skirt and instantly pulled it up again in shock.
Wasn't… Wasn't that little rose pink?
The miko contorted her body to let the small decoration properly catch the light of the lamp hanging from the ceiling and confirmed her observation.
Thinking back on how this could have happened Rei remembered how - after the sleepover that saw her hosting Usagi and Asuka in her room last night - she let the duo wash themselves before her that morning.
Eager to join her friends for breakfast after having enjoyed her own bath time, she dressed in the pair of panties that was lying on the chair in the bathroom.
Only that was not where she had placed her fresh pair before entering the bath.
The night before, Rei had placed a fresh pair of red rose panties with the rest of her clothes for the next day near her head pillow.
Having found an identical pair of panties on the chair in the bathroom which she a minute ago discovered to be decorated with a pink rose instead of a red one as she then assumed, the miko could now only come to one conclusion:
Usagi must have carelessly taken Rei's panties from beside her head pillow while dressing after her morning bath because Rei had not found them there among the rest of her clothes when she dressed herself that morning.
This meant that Rei had been wearing Usagi's panties since that morning and Usagi had been…
Impressed by the situation she found herself in, Rei ensured the five minutes of privacy she would need by locking the bathroom door.
As she found herself a comfortable spot for what she was about to do, the miko remembered the teasing comment about the guy in the shrine grounds she left Minako in the living room with and realized what she had become.
"You're very excited about this, aren't you?" Mamoru asked his girlfriend while each of them sat on either side of the low table in his apartment with a beautifully gift-wrapped package in their hands. "I know you love opening presents, but you look quite red in the face."
"Yes. I'm feeling ticklish in weird places for some reason," Usagi muttered while wriggling about on her chair.
"What?" Mamoru frowned.
"N… nothing," His brilliant Christmas date grinned sheepishly. "You go first. I want to see what you think of it before I open the present you got me."
"Such admirable restraint, Usagi-chan!" A female voice over on Mamoru's bed called out. "You're growing up into a fine young woman at last."
The twin-tailed blonde in the pale-pink mermaid dress aimed a foul look at Luna and turned her eyes back on her boyfriend.
"Somehow it feels as if I'm on a romantic date while my mother's cheering me on," She huffed to Mamoru's embarrassment.
"Yes," Artemis peevishly commented from the bed. "When I was invited to a night out on Christmas Eve this wasn't quite what I had in mind either."
"Ah…" A subdued Luna sighed while making herself seem small among Mamoru's bedsheets. "I suppose I should learn to let go.
I'm sorry, Artemis. Let's go and enjoy the roasted chicken Mamoru-kun served us in the kitchen."
"That is an admirable show of restraint on your part, Luna," Mamoru smiled encouragingly.
"If there is anything you want just let me know. I prepared a nice warm cat basket for you next to the washer/dryer."
"Thank you very much, Mamoru-kun," Artemis smiled as he and Luna jumped from the bed.
The white cat felt a nice warm body rub up against him from his right as he walked into the kitchen.
"Forgive me?" Luna asked in her sweetest voice while purring seductively.
"Hmm… We'll see." Her mate happily purred in return. "I think I'll need someone to lick my nose clean after dinner. Do you know someone I can count on to do me that favor?"
"I know a certain someone who would be very happy to do so if she can be returned the favor."
Mamoru and Usagi awkwardly sweatdropped as they saw the amorous pair disappear behind the corner.
"To be honest though I'm more surprised by your choice to open our presents before having dinner," Mamoru smiled as he slowly unraveled the large package in his hands.
"Haha. It's because the soup you made was so delicious I can easily wait for the chicken, Mamo-chan," His girlfriend cooed.
"It was, wasn't it?" The young man in the light-blue suit excitedly spoke while looking up. "I discovered this clam chowder in the U.S. and loved it so much I learned how to make it myself."
"I hope you'll love the Christmas cake I made with Mako-chan's help just as much," Usagi smiled while leaning her head in her hands.
"I'm looking forward to it," Mamoru answered.
Upon finally having unfolded the silver wrapping around a quite stylish outfit, Mamoru carefully held aloft the mouse-gray waistcoat of the ensemble.
"It's very handsome," The black-haired young man smiled. Only frowning a little when he saw a printed ribbon on the breast pocket of the waistcoat.
An amused smile appeared on Mamoru's face when he similarly inspected the navy-blue shirt and trousers included in his new outfit.
"Very handsome indeed," He repeated to Usagi's joy.
"Are you pleased?" The blonde in the pale-pink dress asked sprightly. "I wanted to buy you something stylish and handsome.
But I'm not that much of an expert on men's wear. so I asked for help from…"
"...Meiou-san."
Usagi blinked as Mamoru finished her sentence.
"That's right!" Usagi smiled. "How did you guess?"
"Well…" Mamoru grinned. "Before I answer that question perhaps it would be more fun if you opened your present first."
"Huh?" Usagi blinked again. "Alright. If you think so."
"Meiou-san is impressive when it comes to keeping secrets," Mamoru observed while Usagi unwrapped the red ribbon around her shiny pink present.
"She's highly competent when it comes to fashion too," An absorbed Usagi added when she folded open the wrapping around her present. "Oh! It's…"
Mamoru burst into laughter when his confused girlfriend grimaced at the sight of the gray waistcoat with the ribbon print and matching miniskirt.
Folding up the two items, the blonde chuckled while inspecting the navy-blue shirt that was part of her ensemble.
"I think we can surmise here that Meiou-san saw an opportunity to pull one on us when we each asked for her advice and eagerly took it," Mamoru chuckled.
"An opportunity to dress us up in cute matching outfits too," Usagi giggled. "She sure is impressive when it comes to keeping secrets."
Meanwhile, in the outers' apartment, Setsuna and Chibi-Usa were slumped back on the sofa opposite the television set after their dinner of KFC chicken wings and shredded cabbage salad.
"We were smart to keep dinner modestly sized," Setsuna said while smiling at the generous slice of white Christmas cake with strawberries on her plate.
"So true," Her 13-year-old companion agreed. "It was important to leave our stomachs enough space to house half of this delicious cake each. We absolutely can't let such craftmanship go to waste."
Setsuna laughed at a joke Namie Amuro made in the quiz show on television that featured the idol and her colleague Seiko Matsuda among others.
Chibi-Usa fondly observed the handsome greenette in the beautiful burgundy dress who sat right next to her and forked another piece of biscuit cake into her mouth.
"Are you having fun spending Christmas Eve with me, Small Lady," Setsuna asked while smiling at the cute pinkette on her right.
"You bet!" The teen in the yellow-and-white empire dress eagerly replied. "It's so nostalgic to celebrate Christmas with Puu while drinking chanmery and eating cake."
"I'm having fun too, Small Lady," Setsuna nodded with a faraway smile. "Let's spend lots of time together in the coming months."
"And this way Hotaru-kun and Shingo-kun can hopefully have some privacy in his room at home," Chibi-Usa said in between bites of her sweet cake.
"Yes," Setsuna said curtly. "But we both know why I asked you if you wanted to spend this Christmas with me. And I know why you were so happy to oblige me."
Chibi-Usa turned sad for a minute but felt comforted to have her left hand intertwined with Setsuna's right one.
"Don't be sad, Small Lady. I will always be there for you in your own time."
"Yes. I know," Chibi-Usa nodded.
You and I. We are forced to keep so many things from our friends," Setsuna softly spoke. "Knowledge about the future can be a dangerous thing.
That is why we felt it necessary to keep you in the dark about certain things when your younger self so bravely sought the help of Sailor Moon to save the future.
Even feeling forced to alter your memories temporarily, Small Lady."
"Hmm…" The greenette's companion went while pulling a sour face. "It wasn't very nice of you and my mothers to do that, but I understand why you felt it was necessary."
To her surprise, Chibi-Usa received a warm hug from her older friend that left her balancing her slice of cake and fork on the plate in her right hand.
After an embrace of half a minute, Setsuna let go of the girl and observed her fondly.
"You know now what horrible things are going to happen in the future, Small Lady," The greenette smiled. "As you travel between your time and this one, you will have to tread extremely carefully.
There will also still be things your mothers nor I or anyone else will be permitted to inform you of.
But we are by now convinced that you are more than up to the task of filling my shoes for our friends in this era."
"Yes. I know," Chibi-Usa reacted somewhat peevishly. "Because after next year you can never exist anymore until your rebirth."
"Exactly," Setsuna nodded. "For several reasons. One of which you know. One of which we sadly cannot inform you of yet.
But my dearly beloved Small Lady, always take courage from the fact that I will be reborn."
"Yes. And I can see you whenever I visit my own time," Chibi-Usa smiled. "I can always see my friends in the future and the ones in the past whenever I want.
And I can watch over Hotaru-kun and Shingo-kun and protect their love."
A minute twitch in the left corner of Setsuna's lips passed unobserved by the pretty pinkette in the yellow dress as she took another bite of her delicious cake.
"That you will, my admirably selfless Small Lady," The young woman smiled. "But you'll soon have your very own love to be absorbed in."
"Huh?!" Chibi-Usa exclaimed as Setsuna took a sip from her glass of chanmery. "No way! Who will it be? Please tell me, Puu!"
"Hmm?" Setsuna slyly grinned while looking at the celebrity game show on television. "I might tell you if you beat me at a game of Marhoi."
"Ugh… That's impossible," Her younger friend reacted with a defeated sigh. "You're unbeatable at Marhoi."
"So you don't want to know?"
Chibi-Usa looked into Setsuna's glittery dark-red eyes and watched her amused smile.
The person who had been there for her whenever her mothers couldn't be because of the tumultuous future times she had been growing up in had been her guardian, her teacher, and then a dear friend.
During her youth, the pinkette spent about half of her education in the past and half in the future.
This situation was explained to the schools she attended in the past by her extremely busy father's desire for his daughter to be by his side whenever he had to work overseas.
During those times when she attended school in the future, it was mostly Setsuna and another person who cared for her when her mothers were absorbed by their enormous political responsibilities of the time.
"Who cares if I lose again," The young teen grinned. "Marhoi is always fun."
"That's the spirit," Setsuna winked. "I'll go get the dulpins from the vault in my room."
After dinner and dessert, the older inhabitants of the Tsukino residence settled themselves in front of the television set.
Their son and his guest, however, at that same moment made their way up to his bedroom.
In her loose-fit black trousers and white-and-blue deep V-cut knitted sweater, Hotaru pushed open the door with Shingo following her in a pair of beige trousers and a blue hooded sweater.
"This was a very enlightening dinner party, Shin Shin," Hotaru chuckled as she seated herself on the side of her boyfriend's bed while he closed the door behind him.
"I didn't know your father was such an accomplished drummer."
Shingo couldn't help a snigger escape him. He didn't mean to laugh at Kenji's antics, but his father didn't ordinarily loosen up in the way they witnessed earlier when dinner started.
"A KFC drumstick drummer," He laughed while seating himself next to his girlfriend. "I'm surprised Mother gave up so quickly on her protestations when he placed the bucket in front of himself on the table and told me to get my guitar from the living room."
"Well that's just because your talent on the guitar saved him from embarrassment when he said the two of you should play We Wish You A Merry Christmas together," Hotaru laughed. "Are you also going to grow up into a cute father who tries to act cool in front of his son's girlfriend?"
Shingo showed his black-bobbed heroine a clever grin.
"They still don't know that you're my girlfriend though," The young man simply stated.
"They must be on to us after tonight," Hotaru smiled adoringly while gently caressing his head.
"It's not the first time Chibi-Usa-chan had a sleepover at Meiou-san's place," Shingo shrugged. "They trust her to take care of Chibi-Usa-chan."
Hotaru pulled her boyfriend closer and kissed him. The two of them gently rubbed their noses together while gazing into each other's eyes.
Shingo's right hand rested in Hotaru's left hand, her right hand on the back of his neck.
He wasn't wrong about Setsuna. The young woman had been introduced to Ikuko and Kenji by Chibi-Usa as the person whom her parents used to babysit her when she was a toddler. Having met the greenette, the Tsukinos were quite impressed with her polite manners and good sense.
"But it is rather strange how I just happen to sleep over at your place on Christmas Eve while Chibi-Usa-chan is having a sleepover at my place without me.
Wouldn't your parents think so, Shin Shin?" Hotaru whispered before kissing her boyfriend again.
"Have you decided on my nickname?" Shingo whispered back while his hands moved on his girlfriend's firm back and right knee.
"Because you look so peacefully silent when you play the guitar," Hotaru explained before kissing the dark-blonde young man again.
"And because you are as beautiful as fresh falling snow."
Shingo said nothing, but instead of sharing another kiss he rested his face against Hotaru's and pulled her closer.
He wanted to be as close to her as possible.
All was silent in the house. Shingo thought he could actually hear the snow they had seen gathering outside through the living room window earlier twirl down onto the white carpet already laid out in the garden.
"I love you, Teruko," The boy expressed his feelings for his girlfriend.
Hotaru thought he was super cute
She brought her left hand to his cheek and lowered it until it cupped his chin.
Then she kissed her boyfriend on his lips and slightly to the left.
"I love you too, Shin Shin," She smiled. "Right now is the happiest I've ever been."
Taking and fondling each other's hands, the pair exchanged several adoring kisses.
The lamp over the head end of Shingo's bed was the only illumination in the room, enhancing their sensation of privacy and closeness.
Gradually though, they became aware of a melody - probably coming from the television Shingo's parents were watching downstairs - audible through the floor of the bedroom.
"You know," Hotaru said. "With so many of my friends being engaged in music right now, I wonder if you can all participate in the Sailor Starlight reunion concert.
Michiru-chan has been on stage with them before. Maybe Minako-chan will be invited to join the concert and maybe if we ask you can get on stage with them for a song or two."
"Chibi-Usa-chan did say they'd hold a reunion concert soon," Shingo reacted.
"I thought Usagi would know better since they went to school with her. But she said she didn't have a clue about it.
I'd love to see them again but I don't particularly want to be on stage with them."
"Usagi-chan was close to them," Hotaru smiled. "But her correspondence with Seiya-kun dwindled into nothing. It's been mostly Chibi-Usa-chan who kept in touch."
It wasn't entirely a lie. But Chibi-Usa only knew of the concert because she was told by her mothers in the future that the Sailor Stars would bring a visit to Earth in the winter of 97.
"Yes. I can see that happening with Usagi involved," Shingo sweatdropped.
"Say, Shin Shin…" Hotaru started with a pained grimace. "Maybe we should tell your parents about us after all. "I'm starting to feel a little bad about lying to Usagi-chan too."
"Hmm…" Shingo frowned. "I've been thinking the same thing. But right now everything feels so great between us. I want to enjoy having you to myself for a while longer without our friends and family getting involved."
"Can't argue with that," His girlfriend grinned. "It's a good thing Setsuna-chan can be trusted to keep the secret for us."
Hotaru only wished she could share her biggest secret with her boyfriend.
The black-haired tomboy frowned and felt a little jealous of Haruka and Michiru who could confide in each other about everything.
But then a passionate kiss from her boyfriend filled her with the spirit of Christmas again.
Or some warm glowing and ticklish sensation in any case.
One part of the much-envied couple was at that time feeling not so very fortunate as she stood outside Haru No Ike with her cell phone in hand.
Clad in a brown jacket over a beige knitted sweater and brown trousers, Haruka sullenly watched the snow twirling down all over the street.
"So where have you taken the captivating Michiru Tenoh-san on Christmas Eve?" A female voice asked her.
"Just some restaurant," Haruka answered in a gratingly annoyed tone.
The line was silent for a moment.
"Hmm… None of my business, huh? Fine. I'll just imagine you're having a romantic dinner at Ichiran."
"You do as you please," Haruka sighed.
"Well… Enjoy…"
'...As you always do."
The blonde's conversational partner heaved a sigh.
"I think we're both satisfied with the amount of liberty you've been enjoying yourself these past few years," She replied not unkindly. "Although you're well aware of my concerns.
At least you've been safe this year if I can believe what you tell me."
"Hah," Haruka chuckled contentedly. "Yes. Still living the dream. Hoping that it'll last forever."
"But you'll come?"
"I've been there every year, haven't I?" Haruka replied. Her voice turned peevish again.
"Good. Look forward to a lavish amount of presents from the U.S.
And bring her."
"Hahaha! You're joking, right?!" The blonde spitefully laughed.
"No, I'm not," The woman on the other end of the line simply stated. "Not at all."
"You only need me there. So I'll come alone. And I'll always come alone," An angered Haruka stated firmly.
"Fine. I won't bring it up again for fear of sparking another outburst like last time.
Just enjoy yourselves together tonight."
The previous remark had left a bad taste in her mouth, but Haruka decided to humor her caller with her best behavior.
"We will," She said. "I'm hanging up now. I kept Michiru waiting long enough."
"Yes. All five minutes of leaving the restaurant, talking to me for three minutes, and getting back to her."
To her annoyance, the celebrated race driver in the dashing brown suit felt somewhat guilty about her curtness.
"You enjoy your evening too," She said. "Thank you for calling me."
"Keep each other safe," The other person said, seemingly happier after Haruka's kind remark.
With a heavy sigh, Haruka hung up and slipped the cell phone into the inside pocket of her jacket.
"Dammit. Why did you have to call me this evening of all occasions?" She grumbled. "Hoping Michiru would pick up, probably."
Once she took her seat in the restaurant again, the blonde tomboy's mood was considerably ameliorated by the amused smile on the face of her dazzling lover.
She just about looked like she wasn't going to drop the next guy who gave her a funny look.
"Who was it?" Michiru asked.
Haruka took a sip from her caffé Americano.
"Just family."
"I see," The greenette in the silver-embroidered gray dress grinned. "Demanding your attendance at the yearly New Year's dinner as usual so you can talk politely to their friends while wearing a becoming dress and strategically decline every offer from the handsome young men at the table?"
"Something like that," Haruka dryly replied while chewing on a piece of Christmas cake.
Michiru leaned over the table, putting the blonde on alert with her mischievous smile.
"I want to see the poor besieged maiden Haruka-sama in the pretty dress with the stern eyes of her parents upon her," Michiru teased. "I would like to see her distraught blushes and plaintive looks."
Her fork lingering above a half strawberry, Haruka smiled fleetingly and lowered her eyes.
"Nothing breaks my heart quite as much as having to disappoint you, my love," She attempted to suavely reply while her lips curled up in a childlike grin. "But such a thing will never happen."
Michiru chuckled at the stubborn young woman who brought the strawberry to her lips.
"I would swing down from the balcony like a veritable Tuxedo Moon and abduct you under the shocked countenances of your outraged parents," She amusedly narrated. "Then I would lock you up in my castle where for the rest of your life you would be subjected to my reprobate love."
"That sounds too alluring for any woman to resist," Haruka grinned. "But I'm afraid I must decline or I will condemn my soul."
"You certainly would," Michiru smiled while stealing a strawberry from her lover's plate.
Haruka watched the sly greenette bring the sweet berry to her lips with her fork.
Smoothly pursing her lips, Michiru sucked the fruit into her mouth.
"You've met my parents," The artful violinist smirked.
That was a direct hit and Haruka couldn't resist bursting into laughter at the absurd falsehood.
Michiru regarded her triumph with glee and drank her cappuccino.
"What year, what month, what week, what day, and what hour did that illustrious assembly take place?" Haruka laughed while wiping the tears from her eyes.
"So you question the veracity of my words, you fiend?" Michiru playfully glared. "Need I remind you of the two expert models of the great Yoko Masuda and her internationally celebrated husband Junichi Kaiou, whom I introduced you to when you first spent the night with me?"
"The dolls?" Haruka grinned while raising an eyebrow.
"Please don't call the proxy-parents my nanny crafted with love and attention dolls."
"You said you made them yourself in middle school as a joke," Haruka challenged her lover while leaning over the table and stealing her cappuccino.
"If I made them I can change my mind as to their origins whenever I want," Michiru smiled.
Haruka sipped from the cup of cappuccino and placed it before her lover again while Michiru pricked another strawberry on her fork.
"Merry Christmas, my love," The greenette smiled while she held the berry in front of her lips. "I'm glad I managed to cheer you up."
"Merry Christmas, my beloved," Haruka said before the two young women leaned over the table and shared the succulent red fruit.