"Ah, right. As for a Christmas present, I'll pass."
Just as Shido was thinking that, Mikoto suddenly clapped her hands softly and said that.
"Eh? Why?"
Shido froze. He had never imagined Mikoto would refuse a Christmas present from him, so he felt a little confused.
"What do you an, why…? Are you planning to run all the way from ho to here and then back again in the middle of the night?"
Mikoto asked with a wry smile.
Although Shido himself would definitely co over without hesitation, Mikoto did not want him to work so hard for her on such a snowy day. Not to ntion that it would also trouble everyone in Ratatoskr who would be supporting him.
"No, I really don't mind."
Although the distance was not far, going out on a snowy night this late was indeed troubleso. But Shido would not give up on delivering Mikoto's present because of that.
"But I still don't want Shido to go through so much trouble. So, the Christmas present I want is…"
Mikoto took two movie tickets out of her handbag. Beneath the snowy night sky, the girl held the tickets up to hide her sowhat shy face and softly asked:
"Tomorrow, will you go watch a movie with ?"
She had bought the tickets earlier. But if she had taken them out at the Itsuka house and was discovered, things would have beco very exciting, so she had prepared to take them out only when the two of them were alone.
"So, in other words, a date? Mm, of course I don't mind."
Shido nodded. Rather than saying this was a Christmas present for Mikoto, it felt more like he was the one gaining sothing.
"Ah, let say this first. If you already have plans, it's fine if you don't go."
Although she had asked Shido out successfully, the boy was far too kind, and on top of that, he had a full harem. Maybe he had actually already made another promise for tomorrow, but forced himself to agree because he did not want to disappoint her.
"No, I don't have anything."
Shido smiled wryly, then asked:
"But is that really enough? Just watching a movie together?"
It was a rare Christmas. If possible, he still wanted to give Mikoto sothing.
"Then? How about dressing up as Shiori-chan?"
The girl touched her lips with a fingertip, thought for a mont, and then smiled slyly.
"Pfft! That's still a little… well…"
Shido tried to refuse, but in the end, he sighed.
"Hehe, I'm joking. It's getting late, Shido. Hurry back."
In the end, Mikoto said that.
After saying goodbye to Shido, Mikoto returned ho.
The girl did not hurry to change out of her outdoor clothes. Instead, she opened the refrigerator. Inside, a long, narrow, beautiful gift box was lying quietly.
"Ehehe. Compared to receiving a present, I really do want to give Shido a surprise."
The girl took out the gift box.
It was a Christmas special yokan 1from a famous wagashi shop, which she had bought yesterday after waiting in line for two hours.
Inside the clear and beautiful yokan were red strawberries, white nata de coco1, green lon, and all sorts of candied fruits. The candied fruits had been made into cute shapes like tiny Christmas trees and Santa hats, making it look almost like a work of art.
That was right.
What the girl was about to do now was sneak into Shido's room while he was delivering presents to the Spirits, then place this cute little present beside Shido's pillow.
"Then… Christmas-chan is heading out."
Mikoto took the present, locked the door, and once again stepped onto the road toward the Itsuka house.
The snowy street was very quiet. Only the sound of her boots stepping on the snow accompanied her.
Although it felt a little lonely, when she thought about how she was going to deliver a present to Shido, she did not feel lonely at all.
Then, that peace was completely broken when she arrived near the Spirit apartnt and the Itsuka house.
"Stop!"
"Pursuit. You cannot escape!"
For so reason, Kaguya and Yuzuru's voices rang out in the street.
"Eeeeh?"
Although Mikoto did not dislike Kaguya and Yuzuru, she had a feeling that if she t the two while holding a gift box, things would beco very troubleso. So she turned around and hid in an alley.
As for what exactly had happened…
It's probably just Shido in a Santa disguise getting discovered.
Mikoto thought helplessly.
Then, at that mont, a red and white figure darted into the dark alley where Mikoto was hiding.
"Shi…"
Mikoto thought it was Shido.
However, she imdiately realized she was wrong.
That was right. Not only was that red and white figure much smaller than Shido, but the curves outlined at the chest, waist, and hips were also things Shido could not possibly have.
The Worst Spirit, Tokisaki Kurumi, was currently standing in front of Mikoto while wearing a mini skirt style Santa outfit.
In other words, a Christmas-limited version.
"Ya… Ya… Yakumo-san?"
Before she could even catch her breath, Kurumi raised her head, and her eyes t Mikoto's.
"Why…"
Mikoto was about to ask why Kurumi had appeared here, but when she saw the gift box in Kurumi's hand and her Santa outfit, she felt that there was really no need to continue asking that question.
"Over there!"
"Lock on. We will not let you leave!"
Just as Kurumi's mind went blank and she did not know what to say, the Yamai sisters chased after her.
"'Us'!"
She snapped her fingers. From the shadows, countless arms grabbed Mikoto, and the two of them sank into the darkness.
Why did it beco like this?
Kurumi asked herself helplessly.
Originally, she had only wanted to give Shido a Christmas present. For Kurumi, that did not require much effort.
However, when her self from five years ago, who liked wearing an eyepatch, took out a gift box whose contents she did not know—
Then her self from six years ago, who liked wrapping herself in bandages, suggested dressing up as Santa Claus to avoid being discovered—
Then her self from seven years ago, who liked sweet lolita-style clothes, changed the plain Santa outfit into a mini-skirt version—
Things had started to beco a little wrong.
Especially when she looked at Mikoto, who was wearing a beautiful white coat, a cute hat and scarf, fluffy gloves, and looked completely adorable while holding a gift box in a very girlish way, Kurumi felt as if sothing inside her heart had shattered.
I want to give Shido-san a present in a normal way too!
Kurumi cried in her heart.
As a result, the Yamai sisters had not slept because they wanted to catch Santa Claus. In the end, they saw Shido dressed as Santa and Reine dressed as a reindeer. After losing those two, they mistakenly chased Kurumi as if she were Shido himself.
And when Kurumi hid in the alley, she bumped into Mikoto, who had also co to deliver Shido a present.
Sohow, she felt that another heavy stroke had been added to her dark history.
"Ara, ara. This won't do, Yakumo-san."
Thinking that, Kurumi showed a broken smile.
"Eh? What do you an?"
Mikoto looked at Kurumi's expression and felt that today's girl was a little dangerous.
It was different from Kurumi's usual murderous danger. It was more like a dangerous feeling of soone who had given up on everything.
If she had to describe it, it was like Kurumi was radiating the feeling of, "Ahh, nothing matters anymore. I don't care anymore. Being forced by myself into sha play is so fun."
"If you are going to deliver a present to Shido-san, how can you not dress like Santa Claus? Yakumo-san's understanding of Christmas is lacking."
Kurumi said with a mad smile.
"Wait, are you saying you want to dress like you…"
Mikoto showed a shocked expression.
If it was Shido himself who wanted it, wearing a Santa outfit would not be a problem. But based on Mikoto's understanding of Shido, if he accidentally saw her, he would probably only be shocked.
"Heeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheehee. That. Is. Right."
However, to Kurumi, what Shido thought no longer mattered.
What mattered was—she could not be the only one tricked by her own dark history.
"Co, 'us.'"
At Kurumi's command, countless Kurumis surrounded Mikoto.
"Wait… ee… eek!"
In the shadow beneath the snowy sky, no one heard the girl's scream.
a treat made of red bean paste, agar, and sugar. It is usually sold in a block form, and eaten in slices.
a chewy, translucent, jelly-like food produced by the ferntation of coconut water
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