Chapter 55 A Lone Wolf’s Christmas Carol: Secrets, Santa Suits, and Surprises
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
December the twenty-fourth marked the closing ceremony of the second term. For students facing their entrance exams, it was the start of the final, desperate sprint toward the finish line.
Just before the first term had ended, Aizawa-sensei had appeared with a face so haggard she looked half-dead, but she was nowhere to be seen as the second term drew to a close. During the School Festival¹, specifically the Operation Proposal² event, she had confessed her feelings to me. It had resulted in a stern scolding from the principal and even complaints from the parents. However, she had simply claimed it was all for the sake of the very first festival, a performance intended to drum up excitement. She didn’t care who the target was, she had said.
I heard this directly from Aizawa-sensei herself, so there was no mistaking it. Strangely, this made her quite popular among the male students. “She’s got a great sense of humor,” they would say, or “I hope she confesses to me next year.” She seemed to have regained her confidence. Whether she was joking or not, she apparently asked Manami to ‘lend’ me to her, but Manami flatly refused, stating quite clearly that I was not an object to be borrowed. At any rate, Aizawa-sensei was back to her old self, which was a relief.
It was to be my first Christmas with Manami. However, nature had its own plans, and Manami’s monthly cycle arrived. Furthermore, Yuzuki was tied up with her own family’s party, so the ‘sacred night’ I had imagined didn’t quite materialize. Instead, I shared a deep, intimate moment with Manami, and she seemed genuinely delighted, calling it the best Christmas present she could have asked for.
Then came December the twenty-fifth. From early morning, Manami was a whirlwind of activity in the kitchen. We were hosting a Christmas party at noon. The guest list included myself, Manami, Yuzuki, Emilia, Kotoha-chan, and Mitsuhiko.
Manami had invited Kotoha-chan during the school festival, and the girl had sent numerous emails expressing her eagerness to visit. I had doubted a middle schooler could make the hour-long journey alone, but luck was on our side. Watanabe-sensei had officially become the legal consultant for the school corporation that managed my high school. Since he had a meeting with the principal, he was able to bring her along.
As for Mitsuhiko, he had helped me out in many ways, and since Emilia wanted to see him, I invited him on a whim. He agreed to come. I kept Emilia’s attendance a secret, though, wanting it to be a surprise.
When I returned from walking Bogie³, I noticed two extra pairs of shoes in the entryway. Peeking into the kitchen, I found Yuzuki and Emilia there. All three of them-Manami included-were dressed in rather festive Santa Claus costumes.
”Mitsuhiko is coming later, you know,” I said. “Aren’t those skirts a bit too short?”
”Are you jealous, Hirokazu-san?” Manami asked with a mischievous glint in her eye. “Don’t worry, we have liners underneath. You won’t see anything you shouldn’t.”
To prove her point, all three turned toward me and hitched up their skirts slightly to show the inner layers. It wasn’t exactly what I meant, but before I could explain, they turned away and began whispering among themselves.
”Right?” I heard Manami’s voice.
”Emilia, we really need to start thinking about next year’s racing gear,” Yuzuki said. I couldn’t quite make sense of that.
”You too, Yuzuki-san,” Emilia added.
”I haven’t decided if I’m continuing yet,” Yuzuki replied.
Leaving the three of them to their mysterious chatter, I went to my room to fetch their gifts. With Mitsuhiko and Kotoha-chan arriving soon, this was the only chance I had to give them.
I called Manami over first. I presented her with earrings featuring Peridot⁴, her birthstone, and we shared a soft kiss. I then asked her to send Yuzuki in. For Yuzuki, I had chosen earrings with Tanzanite⁵, and we shared a similar kiss. Finally, it was Emilia’s turn. Since she was born in June, I gave her earrings adorned with Moonstone⁶.
Emilia stood there, her eyes tightly shut, waiting. While kissing Manami and Yuzuki had become a natural part of our relationship, I had never kissed Emilia before.
”Hiro-san, please,” Emilia whispered.
I couldn’t very well leave her hanging and cause her embarrassment. I leaned in and pressed my lips to hers, and immediately, she clung to me. I felt the soft pressure of her chest against mine. Suddenly, she tried to slip her tongue into my mouth. As I parted my lips slightly, she moved with surprising boldness, and as our tongues met, I felt her grip on my arms tighten. We stayed like that for a long moment before finally drawing apart.
”That was my first kiss,” Emilia said, smiling brightly. “My Christmas present to you, Hiro-san.”
A first kiss with that much technique? I wondered who on earth had been teaching her.
”Thank you,” I said.
With a radiant smile, Emilia slipped out of the room. When I joined them in the living room, all three were wearing their new earrings. Watching the gems shimmer near their ears filled me with a quiet sense of happiness.
Before long, Watanabe-sensei arrived with Kotoha-chan in tow. When I told Manami, she came to the door with me. I wondered if she really intended to show off her Santa costume to the lawyer. It was a bit much.
”Sensei, it’s been a long time. Thank you for coming. And welcome, Kotoha-chan,” I said.
”It’s Christmas, after all. Allow me this much,” Watanabe-sensei replied, handing over a Christmas cake.
”And Hirokazu-kun, this is for you. You can look at it later,” he added.
When I did look at it later, I found a blank marriage registration form with Watanabe-sensei’s signature already in the witness column. I wondered if a lawyer should be signing blank forms like that, but I wasted no time in filling it out with Manami.
Bogie appeared and, true to form, began barking at Watanabe-sensei.
”I’m so sorry about Bogie,” I apologized. He seemed to bark every time the man visited.
However, the moment he saw Kotoha-chan, his demeanor changed. He sniffed her and began trotting in circles around her feet.
”Oh, how cute! A toy poodle!” Kotoha-chan exclaimed, leaning down. Bogie immediately began licking her hands. The dog certainly had a preference for pretty girls and cute faces.
”It looks like Kotoha-chan passed the test,” Manami remarked. I felt like she was subtly teasing Watanabe-sensei.
Watanabe-sensei explained he was having lunch with the principal before their meeting and promised to pick up Kotoha-chan at three o’clock.
Mitsuhiko arrived exactly at noon. Emilia went to the door to greet him.
”Hey, Hirokazu! Why is Emilia here?!” Mitsuhiko shouted as he burst into the living room. As expected, Bogie started barking again.
”She just happened to enroll in the same high school,” I explained. “She wanted to see you, so we made it a surprise.”
Mitsuhiko scanned the room and seemed to freeze in place.
”Are you really Hirokazu?” he asked, stunned.
”I’m the real deal,” I assured him.
”This is definitely wrong. I get Nakanishi, and I get Emilia… but why are there so many beauties in your house?” he demanded. He was always the noisy one. Once I explained that Yuzuki was Manami’s best friend and introduced Kotoha-chan as Watanabe-sensei’s daughter, he seemed to accept it.
”Kotoha-chan, he really did bark, didn’t he?” Manami said, causing Kotoha-chan to break into giggles. Mitsuhiko didn’t seem to get the joke, but I felt a twinge of guilt toward Watanabe-sensei.
We toasted with Chanmery⁷ and kicked off the party. The centerpiece was a roast chicken that Manami had supposedly struggled with since yesterday. In truth, her mother had come over to do the prep work.
Every dish was a hit, and the party was full of laughter. To wrap things up, we played a card game with gifts we had all brought, each valued under 3,000 yen. We kept the givers’ identities secret, but Kotoha-chan won decisively and ended up with the teddy bear I had prepared. When I told her it was from me, she hugged it tightly with a look of pure joy.
The only slight hiccup was the gift Mitsuhiko brought: an electric massager. It went to Manami, who immediately pressed it to her shoulder, sighing with relief. Mitsuhiko watched her with a very suspicious grin on his face.”
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Summary:
Hirokazu hosts a lively Christmas party at his home with Manami, Yuzuki, Emilia, Kotoha-chan, and Mitsuhiko. Before the guests arrive, Hirokazu gives earrings to Manami, Yuzuki, and Emilia, leading to an unexpected first kiss with Emilia. Watanabe-sensei drops off his daughter and leaves a signed marriage license as a provocative gift. The group enjoys a feast prepared by Manami (with her mother’s help) and ends the day with a gift exchange game.
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Character Insight:
Emilia shows significant initiative in this chapter, using the gift exchange as an opportunity to claim Hirokazu’s ‘first kiss’ with surprising boldess. Meanwhile, Hirokazu’s relationship with Manami and Yuzuki remains stable and affectionate, though the addition of the marriage license from Watanabe-sensei suggests the stakes of their future together are being taken seriously by the adults in their lives. Mitsuhiko continues to serve as the comedic foil, highlighting how much Hirokazu’s social circle has transformed into one filled with ‘beauties.’
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Behind the Scene:
The use of ‘Chanmery’ is a classic Japanese Christmas staple for parties where minors are present, emphasizing the ‘home party’ atmosphere. The mention of ‘racing gear’ by Yuzuki and Emilia hints at future plot developments or side activities not yet fully explored.
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T/L:
Notes:
• Mitsuhiko – The protagonist’s childhood friend. Hirokazu’s childhood best friend who attends a different high school known for baseball. He’s a good-natured jock and one of the few people who truly understands Hirokazu.
• Emilia – A second-year student, biracial (French father, Japanese mother), with white skin, dark brown semi-long hair, modest chest, and hazel eyes. A talented hurdler known as the Snow Princess. Looks like bisque doll.
• Kotoha – Junior high school student, middle school 3rd year (short height). Daughter of Watanabe-sensei. Energetic, playful, short hair in a ponytail.
• Watanabe – The protagonist’s guardian. He is a lawyer who is skilled at dealing with difficult people and has a history with Yabuta’s father.
• Bogie – A dog whose name is inspired by Humphrey Bogart and serves as a convenient reason for Mana and Hiro to spend time together outside.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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