The chill of winter blanketed the neighborhood, casting a serene hush over the streets, save for the distant laughter of children and the occasional rustle of skaters on the frozen lake. Inside her cozy room, Sakuno glanced at the calendar. Her breath caught, and warmth flushed her cheeks—December 24th was just around the corner, and it marked not only Christmas Eve but also Ryoma's birthday.
As she closed her eyes, the thoughts of what to give him swirled through her mind like snowflakes dancing in the wind. A cozy scarf? A new racket? Or perhaps something more personal? The idea of celebrating his birthday together ignited a spark of excitement within her. She decided to think it again later and went downstairs to prepare dinner.
Sakuno made her way to the kitchen. The sweet aroma of ginger and broth filled the air as she rummaged through the fridge. "What are you doing, Sakuno?" Sumire asked, her voice smooth and encouraging.
"I'm going to cook dinner tonight, Grandma. How about oden?" Sakuno suggested, her heart racing at the thought of sharing a meal with Ryoma.
"That sounds wonderful," Sumire replied, her eyes twinkling with approval. Sakuno grinned widely, which quickly turned into a frown as she realized she needed to buy ingredients.
"I'll go buy the ingredients then!" she announced before rushing upstairs to put on her warm winter jacket.
When she stepped out of her room, she was met with a curious gaze from Ryoma. "Where are you going?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.
"I'm going to buy some ingredients for oden," Sakuno replied, feeling her cheeks warm again.
"I'll go too," Ryoma declared. Without waiting for an answer, he grabbed his own jacket, and they made their way to the supermarket together.
The soft crunch of snow underfoot accompanied their silent stroll, and Sakuno felt a flutter in her chest. Inside the store, Ryoma pushed the trolley confidently. Sakuno wandered towards the sports accessories, her heart beating faster than usual. She hesitated, and when Ryoma glanced back at her, she quickly collected herself. "Uh, maybe next time," she stammered.
Ryoma raised an eyebrow, clearly puzzled, but they quickly moved on to the wet food section. Sakuno picked out konnyaku, daikon radish, tofu, fishcakes, and beef tendon, her mind still occupied with ideas for Ryoma's gift.
Amidst the aisles, an old woman at a food tasting stall called out to them. "Oh, beautiful couple, come and taste this!"
Sakuno's eyes lit up at the sight of daifuku, the delectable rice cakes stuffed with sweet bean paste. They took one each, and she asked excitedly, "Isn't it good?"
"Yeah," Ryoma said, his lips curving into a rare smile that sent her heart racing.
The old woman watched them with a knowing grin. "Are you both newly married?" she asked cheekily.
Sakuno's face paled, and she quickly shook her head, "Oh, we're still in high school!" She could feel her face warming at the suggestion, her mind racing with thoughts of what it would be like.
The woman chuckled, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "I see! Well, we have a discount for this daifuku for Christmas. Would you like to buy some?"
"Sure." Sakuno blurted out, taking two packs.
As they lined up to pay, Sakuno exchanged glances with Ryoma, who seemed to sense her internal struggle. Her gaze wandered to the gift section nearby, and as if reading her thoughts, Ryoma asked, "You want to buy something there?"
Caught off guard, she stammered, "N-no."
Ryoma's expression turned thoughtful, and they finished paying. "Let me carry these," he offered, picking up the heavier items without a hint of hesitation.
"Wait, let me take one," she insisted playfully, wrestling a bag from his grasp.
"Just take this one," he said, handing her the lightest bag, a teasing smile playing on his lips.
As they strolled back home, Ryoma broke the silence, glancing sideways at her. "Are you perhaps thinking of my birthday gift?"
Sakuno flinched visibly, her heart racing anew. He always remembered that his birthday coincided with Christmas, a fact that left no room for forgetting. "Is it obvious?" she murmured, her gaze dropping to the ground.
"Yeah, very much," he replied, a hint of amusement in his voice.
She felt embarrassment wash over her again, but Ryoma continued, softer now, "You don't need to do anything special. It's just a birthday."
"But I want to do something," Sakuno protested, disappointment pooling in her heart. Her spirit fell, and Ryoma sighed, a look of defeat crossing his face.
"Fine," he conceded, "You don't need to buy anything, but how about we go on a date on that day?"
Her face lit up with surprise and joy. "Okay!" she said, her heart soaring.
Ryoma smirked knowingly at her reaction, satisfied with the happiness radiating from her.
Sakuno giggled nervously, her mind whirling at the possibilities. "Where do you want to go?"
"I don't know. You decide," he replied, his tone relaxed.
Back at home, they prepared the oden together, laughter filling the kitchen as Sakuno stirred the bubbling broth while Ryoma arranged the ingredients. Sumire entered, her eyes glinting with mirth as she watched the two.
They sat down to eat, the savory warmth of the oden wrapped around them like a comforting blanket. Each bite felt infused with the spirit of togetherness, and as Sakuno looked at Ryoma, she couldn't help but think about the upcoming birthday and the promise of a date that held the potential for something more.
On the 23rd, the scent of vanilla and strawberries wafted through the quaint little kitchen, wrapping the room in warmth and sweetness. Sakuno stood at the counter, her delicate fingers deftly icing a cake adorned with fresh strawberries, each one glistening like tiny jewels under the soft kitchen lights.
Sumire peeked in, a knowing smile creeping across her face. "Did you make a cake?" she asked, her voice a lilting melody that added to the ambiance.
Sakuno felt her cheeks flush, the warmth of her embarrassment mixing with the heat from the oven. "Yes, it's for Ryoma-kun's birthday tomorrow."
"I see," Sumire said, tilting her head slightly with a teasing glint in her eyes. "Are you planning to go out or stay home?"
Sakuno brightened up, her thoughts bouncing to their plans. "We will go out," she replied with a hint of excitement.
"Have fun then! I'm meeting some old friends myself," Sumire winked, making her way back to her own adventures.
As the clock ticked towards ten at night, Sakuno felt butterflies flutter in her stomach. She knocked gently on Ryoma's door, her heart racing as it creaked open to reveal him looking adorably disheveled, half-asleep. "Sakuno?" he mumbled, rubbing his eyes. "Do you need anything?"
"I didn't realize you were asleep... I'm sorry, you should continue your sleep." she murmured, preparing to turn away, but Ryoma's hand caught her wrist.
"Wait," he said, still groggy but curious, "if you woke me up, you must have something to say."
"Oh...um it's not really urgent, I just wanted to wish you at midnight..." she admitted shyly.
"Then you want me to stay awake until twelve?" he asked, his voice a mixture of sleepy amusement and intrigue.
Sakuno nodded eagerly, her heart skipping. "Yes.."
"Still have 2 hours. What should we do to stay awake?" Ryoma asked.
"Then, let's play games." she declared, pulling out a deck of cards. Laughter filled the air as they played, yet the evening took a more competitive tone during daruma otoshi, where Sakuno found herself losing again and again.
"Ugh, I lost again!" she groaned, slumping against the bed.
"Show me your forehead," Ryoma said suddenly, a playful smirk dancing on his lips.
"Don't do it too hard!" she protested, closing her eyes in anticipation.
With a gentle flick, he proved his prowess. "You keep losing; want to try another game?"
"I'm just not good at games…" she sighed, rummaging through the box and pulling out a kendama ball.
She tried put the ball on it's place, but she kept failing.
Ryoma, losing his patience, taking her hand and guiding her from behind. Her heart raced as she felt his breath on her neck, so close yet so electrifying. "Focus on the ball like you would a tennis ball."
Ryoma guide her hand, the ball landed perfectly, made her beamed, "I did it!" she exclaimed. Their eyes locked when she turned her head, breaths holding in the quiet room, until her phone chimed.
Sakuno looked at the phone and said "it's midnight." she squeaked. "Happy birthday, Ryoma-kun!"
"Thanks," he smiled softly.
"I didn't get you anything," she confessed, feeling a little deflated.
"I told you it's okay." He tried to reassure her.
"But..."
Then, a mischievous spark ignited in his eyes. "Well if you insist, you can give me something right now."
Startled, she blinked, unsure of what he meant.
"Come on, you said you wanted to give me a gift," he teased gently. Her face heating up as he gestured playfully to his lips.
"Right now?" she gasped, a swirl of nerves and excitement crashing through her as Ryoma nodded.
She leaned forward, eyes fluttering shut as their lips met in a soft, tentative kiss. The world around them faded into a blur, leaving just the two of them in that magical moment. Ryoma pulled her closer, deepening the kiss, and when they finally broke apart, Ryoma enveloped her in a warm embrace.
"I like you very much," he confessed, making her heart swell with joy.
"I… I like you too," she stammered, her heart racing.
"Oh! I made you a cake." She suddenly remembered. Running down quietly, she grabbed the beautifully iced cake—its white icing and strawberry topping perfect under the soft light—and returned to Ryoma's room.
With a small candle flickering, she sang a quiet rendition of Happy Birthday. Ryoma, smiled warmly, blew out the candle, and they shared a slice, laughter mingling with sweet moments.
The next day found them at Tokyo's bustling ice skating rink, surrounded by laughter and festive cheer. "So, you want to date here?" Ryoma asked, bemused.
"Yes." Sakuno replied, pulling him toward the entrance. "Let's go!"
They rented skates and hand in hand, they entered the ice, they fumbled with their balance, but soon enough, as laughter and playful shoves ensued, they found their rhythm, gliding across the ice together, hearts entwined with the magic of winter.