Volume 3 Chapter 50 Holy Night
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
We had a feast of Christmas chicken, finished our baths, and then I settled in to wait for Mother to come home.
Since December hit, her overtime hours had spiked. Lately, she hadn’t been getting back until the middle of the night, which meant I’d been spending more and more nights staying over with the Totsuka family.
I worry about Mother’s health-both physical and mental-when she’s this busy, but there isn’t much I can do when work calls. On weekdays, the most I can manage is seeing her off in the morning, waving as I tell her to have a safe trip.
It’s frustrating, being this helpless…
But today was Christmas, and she promised she’d be back while I was still awake, no matter what. It was her one wish: to spend the Holy Night¹ with her family. And I was the only one who could make that happen. “Maa-kun Santa” was on the job!
I’d spent the whole day in a sort of “low-power mode” to save my energy for tonight, but I was finally hitting that wall where staying awake felt like a physical struggle.
”Suu-chan, ready to head to the futon?” Mio asked.
”…Mmm… just a bit longer… Maa-kun…” Suu-chan mumbled.
She rubbed her eyes, which were practically glued shut. They’d had a Christmas party at her kindergarten today, and the excitement must have drained her. Even I, who had been conserving every drop of stamina, was stifling yawns. Suu-chan had skipped her nap, so she had to be at her absolute limit.
She was nodding off in front of the TV, yet she stayed tucked firmly against my side. Whenever Mother isn’t around, Suu-chan makes it her mission to stay close. It’s her way of making sure I’m not lonely-I can feel her stubborn resolve to never let me be alone.
”…Maa… kun…”
Her voice trailed off into nothing, and she finally slumped over onto my lap. I brushed the hair from her face and stroked her head, taking a moment to appreciate her defenseless, sleeping face.
Just then, the front door clicked open. Mio went to greet the newcomer.
”I’m home…”
”Welcome back,” Mio said.
”Where’s Maa-kun?”
”He’s still awake, barely,” Mio replied.
Mother stepped into the living room. Seeing Suu-chan passed out on my lap, she dropped her voice to a whisper.
”I’m home.”
”Welcome home,” I said.
The exhaustion on her face seemed to lift, just for a second.
”I’m going to grab a quick shower. Can you wait just a little longer?” Mother asked.
”Yeah. The water’s already hot… take your time,” I replied.
”Thanks.”
As she leaned down to pat my head, I caught a whiff of her-not her usual, comforting scent, but the stale, heavy smell of a long day at the office. She really had been pushing herself.
She seemed self-conscious about her state, because she hurried back to our side of the house immediately. In less than thirty minutes, she was back in her sweatshirt and loungewear to collect me.
(It’s freezing out, she should have stayed in the bath longer… and her hair is still damp. That’s how you get split ends…)
I had my complaints, but I knew she just didn’t want to waste any more time. I figured I could just dry her hair for her later.
”Ready to go?” Mother asked.
”Yeah,” I said.
I gave Mio a quick nod. She gently lifted Suu-chan-careful not to break her sleep-and tucked her into bed. (Sleep tight, little one. You have to be a good girl if you want Santa to visit.)
Then, Mother took my hand and led me home. It had been forever since we’d spent a weeknight together. I ran the hairdryer through her hair while she applied her skincare.
(…Mio would be having a fit right now. ‘It’s dry as a bone in winter, you have to moisturize the second you’re out of the shower!’)
”Was the party fun?” Mother asked.
”Yeah, it was. They finally put the star on the tree in the lobby.”
”I see. It’s like putting the eye in a Daruma doll², huh?”
”I guess so. We also did a treasure hunt in the library-“
Since we hadn’t talked in ages, the conversation took off. But her eyes were already fluttering; she was in that dangerous zone where she’d fall asleep the moment I stopped talking.
”…Maa-kun, let’s get to sleep,” Mother suggested.
”………Okay,” I replied.
Sensing I was at my limit too, she nudged me toward the bed.
”Goodnight.”
”………Goodnight.”
As Mother stroked my hair, I drifted off into the world of dreams.
* * *
My eyes snapped open.
My brain was foggy, but I managed to crane my neck to check the clock.
It was the middle of the night. Or rather, the very heart of the Holy Night.
I’d become Mother’s human body pillow, which was probably why I’d woken up at such a weird hour. Kids are like little radiators this time of year, so it’s actually “eco-friendly” to sleep together.
But it had been a while since she’d held onto me like this.
I looked up slightly to see her defenseless sleeping face right there. Her breath faintly tickled my cheek. We were close enough to kiss-a thought that sent my heart rate spiking and effectively killed any chance of going back to sleep.
…
Not that I was going to do anything. I’m not some spineless coward.
I’m just working hard every day to be a gentleman. Mio has been very strict about that, using Suu-chan as a reason to keep me in line. I’m not about to trade a lifetime of trust for a moment of physical gratification.
Besides, I don’t know how many more times Mother will let me share her bed like this. I want to savor this happiness for every second I can. And honestly, waking up a woman who is exhausted from work would be a capital offense. She has a job tomorrow, and I have my school’s closing ceremony.
So, I did nothing. I just focused on the “now.”
In the dead-silent room, the only sounds were the ticking clock and her soft breathing. The sweet, peachy scent of her soap mixed with her natural warmth, hitting me with every breath I took. As I shifted in her arms, I felt her softness again through the thin fabric of her pajamas-a softness entirely different from a child’s.
…
I really, really need to sleep.
* * *
Morning arrived.
I’d managed to catch some z’s, but I still felt that heavy, nostalgic weight of sleep deprivation.
Mother was still breathing softly beside me, though she’d let go of her “body pillow.” I felt a twinge of disappointment, but there was nothing to be done about it.
I stayed still, trying not to wake her as I scanned the room.
It was the same as last year. December 25th could only mean one thing.
The Christmas present.
Call me childish, but waking up to a present by your pillow is a thrill no matter how old you are.
I kept my head down, looking right at Mother, then left. Right, then left.
…Wait.
It’s not there?
Was I… not a good boy this year?
I mean, I suppose I do have my share of secrets…
Just as a wave of dejection hit me, I looked up past the top of my head. There it was.
A box wrapped in red paper with white polka dots. Very festive.
A wave of relief washed over me as I studied it. The box was huge-big enough that I could probably curl up and fit inside it myself.
Wait, I could fit?
…
Suu-chan isn’t in there, is she?
Mio might be eccentric, but she wouldn’t box up her daughter and leave her at the neighbor’s bedside. That’s a bit different from playing in a laundry basket.
…
I closed my eyes and listened. Nothing but Mother’s quiet breathing. No human presence from the box.
I reached out and gave the cardboard a soft “knock-knock”, but it was silent. Mother tossed and turned beside me.
…What am I even thinking? There’s no way Suu-chan is in a box. If anything, it’d be the other way around. Sleep deprivation really is the enemy of logic.
I ducked back under the covers. After a few minutes, Mother started to stir.
”……Morning… Maa-kun,” she whispered.
”Morning,” I said.
Our eyes met, and she reached out to stroke my hair with a lazy, content smile.
”…You’re up early. Were you so excited for your present that you couldn’t sleep?”
I just nodded.
She giggled at that and pulled me into a hug. I felt the soft touch of her lips on my cheek, wrapped in her warmth.
”…Want to open it?” Mother asked.
”Is it okay?”
”Of course. Santa brought it for Maa-kun because he was such a good boy this year.”
”……”
”…Well?”
”I want to stay like this a little longer…”
There was no rush. It was freezing outside the blankets, anyway.
We lounged there until the heater finally kicked in, and then I finally tackled the gift. Under Mother’s watchful eye, I tore into the wrapping.
It was a cardboard box, just as I’d guessed from the knock. The label made the contents crystal clear.
”…A bicycle?”
”Yeah, looks like it,” Mother said.
It was a bike with training wheels.
I remembered Suu-chan looking jealous when she saw the other kids riding their bikes at Yuma’s house, even though she’d never cared before. Since our presents are always the same every year, that had to be it. Looks like our winter break is going to be spent outdoors.
I turned to Mother to thank her.
”Thank you, Mom.”
”You’re-wait, no, Maa-kun. You have to thank Santa.”
”…Right. Thank you, Santa,” I said.
I turned toward the balcony and gave a small, respectful bow.
—
Summary:
The protagonist spends a late Christmas Eve waiting for his overworked mother at the neighbors’ house. Upon her return, they share an intimate night at home, highlighting their close bond and his internal struggle to remain ‘gentlemanly.’ The chapter ends on Christmas morning with the reveal of a shared gift, a bicycle.
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Trivia:
- Mother’s smoky smell: Indicates the harshness of her workplace environment and potentially foreshadows future conflicts regarding her job.
- Protagonist’s heart rate spike: Signals that his mental maturity is increasingly clashing with the physical proximity of his mother.
- Bicycle with training wheels: A symbol of childhood and gradual growth, contrasting with his adult-like internal dialogue.
- Mio’s strictness about ‘gentleman’ behavior: Implies she may be aware of the protagonist’s unusual maturity or the potential for complicated dynamics with his mother
—
Character Insight:
The boundary between ‘mother and son’ and ‘man and woman’ is subtly blurred in the protagonist’s mind, evidenced by his acute awareness of her ‘softness’ and ‘peach scent.’ However, his loyalty to his ‘gentleman’ code and his care for her fatigue keeps him grounded in a supportive role.
—
Lore And Worldbuilding Context:
The chapter reinforces the ‘modern Japan’ setting, focusing on corporate work culture (overtime) and typical domestic traditions (Christmas chicken, kindergarten parties). It establishes the ‘Totsuka family’ as a vital support system for the protagonist’s household.
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TL Notes:
The term ‘Holy Night’ (Seiya) is used to give the Christmas setting a more romantic/solemn weight. The Daruma doll analogy for the Christmas tree star highlights a specific Japanese cultural perspective on ‘completing’ something.
—
TL Notes:
Notes:
• Totsuka – The neighbor family consisting of a husband (Mitsuhisa), wife (Mio), and daughter (Suu-chan). They are hardcore gamers who provide hand-me-down consoles to the protagonist’s household.
• Mio – 28‑year‑old pregnant Totsuka mother, round belly, bed‑resting; wife of 164 cm, 57 kg, baby‑faced Mitsuhisa (elegant in gray, G‑cup curves). Former relay runner and badminton star turned teacher, cook, photographer; bakes strawberry shortcake and chirashi‑zushi, adores babysitting Ma‑kun, subtly pushes his marriage to Suu‑chan, avoids crowds, devotes herself to her daughter’s education, playful, theatrical, neighbor/family‑friend in a joint‑destiny child‑rearing unit. Suu‑chan’s mother, aka “Producer” Mio‑P, orchestrates cute birthday interactions with a sketchbook, narrator’s elementary‑school best friend, mother of Suu‑chan, Fuu‑chan and Kyo‑chan, partner to Mitsuhisa, longtime “Love Guru” matchmaker, described as the cute type.
• Yuma – Frail, sickly kindergarten boy with an idol-like face from a wealthy land-owning family; his real-estate parents shape his quiet, observant nature. Member of Rose Class and Rose Group, younger brother of Miyu-oneesan, close friend of Makoto and neighbor of Shiho-chan. Learns paper-airplane folding from his father, offers technical insights on the Skytree’s triangular base, and now leads the block-building activity.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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