"Kotori-chan. Is it appropriate to put this here?"
"Ah, it's a bit crooked. Move it a little more to the left."
"Kotori-san... Is it okay if the ribbons are cut like this...?"
"Mhm. Very good, just keep it up like that."
While Shido and Yutsuki were on their date at the amusent park, the Spirits at the Spirit apartnt were gathered at the Itsuka residence, decorating the living room.
"How nice, Darling and Honey are having a private date at the amusent park." Miku lay on the sofa, dangling her legs while muttering regretfully, "The haunted house, the rry go round, the Ferris wheel—the two of them must be creating sweet, heart-pounding mories right now, right? I really wanted to join too."
"Miku..." Seeing Miku like this, Kotori said helplessly, "Even though I don't force you to help decorate the living room, you don't got to be this lazy. An adult like you occupying such a large sofa is honestly getting in the way."
"Eh—— Isn't Kotori-chan curious? About Honey and Darling's date?"
"I-I'm not—"
"Affirmation. Yuzuru is exceptionally curious."
Unlike Kotori, who spoke contrary to her feelings, Yuzuru quite frankly admitted her thoughts.
Seeing soone support her ideas, Miku's eyes instantly lit up and she nodded.
"Right, right! Kotori-chan, don't you guys have that equipnt to monitor a Spirit's condition? Can't you broadcast Darling's current situation for us?"
"Of course not," Kotori said speechlessly. "Leaving personal privacy aside, even if we did use surveillance caras, Yutsuki-nee would definitely notice."
"Ugh... why is it like that."
Sighing a bit dejectedly, Miku quickly regained her spirits and sat up from the sofa.
"Forget it. Since that's the case, let help too. I'll use my massage techniques to soothe everyone's fatigue. Natsumi-san~ Let help you feel relaxed."
"Eeek—— N-No need! Don't co any closer to !"
Hearing this, Natsumi's body stiffened, and she retreated without hesitation.
"Seriously... I just hope you don't cause more trouble than help."
Kotori sighed helplessly.
"Kotori."
At this mont, Origami waved to Kotori from the kitchen.
"What is it, Origami?"
"How is the seasoning for tonight's dishes?"
"Mhm, very good. Let's go with this flavor profile."
After tasting a small spoonful Origami offered, Kotori nodded in response.
"Good."
Hearing Kotori's affirmation, Origami breathed a slight sigh of relief and continued processing the remaining ingredients.
"But it's truly surprising that you're helping out so obediently. I thought for sure you would tail them to the amusent park." Kaguya said.
"Agreent. Yuzuru also thought Master Origami would do that."
"Ahaha, even I wouldn't do sothing so tactless."
Faced with the Yamai sisters' questions, Origami gave an awkward, bitter smile.
"...Furthermore, Shido has already made his choice. Continuing to pester him would be a bit..."
"Mhm? Origami?"
"No, it's nothing..."
Origami brushed it off sowhat flusteredly.
Just then, the ribbon on Tohka's head twitched. She raised her head, sniffed with her nose, and said excitedly,
"It's the sll of cream! The cake is here!"
As if verifying Tohka's words, the doorbell rang at the entryway.
"Comrades! Honjou Nia has returned victoriously, fulfilling her mission!"
"Ufu. Muku is back."
"Welco back, Nia, Mukuro."
Opening the door to welco the two and looking at the cake box they brought, Kotori couldn't help but sweat drop slightly.
"Even though it was left to you to order, you guys sure took it seriously."
"Ufu. It is Onee-chan's birthday, Muku must pour all her effort into it."
Mukuro answered with full enthusiasm.
"Hehe, Kotori-chan's surprise party is such an interesting event, how could I not put so work into it?"
Nia scratched her nose, looking proud.
"Ooh, what a huge cake."
"Is it really that big?"
The crowd that followed, upon seeing the cake Nia brought, couldn't help but gasp in amazent.
Sensing everyone's astonished gazes, Nia involuntarily puffed her chest out even higher.
"Hehe, amazing, right? I asked a top-tier baker I'm on good terms with to make this. And not only that—"
Showing a mysterious smile, Nia reached for the buttons of her sweater, shedding her outer garnt piece by piece, exposing her smooth shoulders and collarbones.
"Ooh——"
Miku's eyes instantly flashed with brilliance.
"Hey, Nia! What are you doing?"
Kotori hurriedly tried to stop Nia, but in reality, Nia wasn't completely naked under her coat; she was wearing a sleeveless, two-piece ultra short Santa outfit.
"Ta-da! Honjou Nia——Limited Christmas Edition has arrived!"
Placing a Santa hat on her head, Nia struck a pose to show off.
"How is it, everyone? When Biri-chan sees this, won't she be deeply moved?"
"..."
"..."
"...Uh, wait?" Looking at everyone turning their gazes away in silence, Nia seed to realize sothing and asked awkwardly, "Could it be... I guessed wrong again?"
"Um... Nia-san...Yutsuki-san... doesn't seem to like Santa Claus."
After hesitating for a mont, Yoshino explained sowhat awkwardly.
"Really? This is the first Muku has heard of this."
Mukuro couldn't help but be a bit surprised.
"Well, during the Christmas party last night, didn't Yutsuki-chan look a bit lacking in interest? In fact, she was the sa way during Christmas last year. We only found out when Shido-kun told us that it was her birthday."
Yoshinon crossed its arms and shook its small head.
Nia nodded in sudden realization.
"I see, so it wasn't my imagination... Having your own birthday on the exact sa day as Christmas indeed makes a person feel a bit annoyed."
"Is that so? I don't think it's a problem at all."
Holding the completely drained Natsumi, Miku said refreshingly,
"After all, when Honeywent with to pick out her outfit for today, she had an expectant expression the entire ti. It was super cute!"
———————————
Clack-clack—— Clack-clack——!
Accompanied by the slight vibrations beneath the seats, the surrounding buildings were slowly sinking, but conversely, the clear blue sky was closing the distance with Shido bit by bit.
Gulp——
Involuntarily swallowing, Shido felt the thing called courage within his heart growing weaker and weaker.
"The slow build-up before the roller coaster drops really makes a person unable to stop, doesn't it, Shido?"
Sitting next to Shido, Yutsuki's eyes sparkled.
"Y-Yeah. But this——"
Isn't this a bit too high? After unable to resist casting a glance at the ground, Shido imdiately gave up raising his head.
"Wawa!"
Right at this mont, the roller coaster reached the highest point and ca to a brief stop, scaring Shido into tightly gripping the safety bar over his body.
"Shido, are you scared?"
Yutsuki's face was full of a playful, wicked smile.
"H-How could I be——Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!"
Before Shido could finish his sentence, the roller coaster plunged downward with terrifying speed.
"Wahahahahahaha——"
In the end, all that remained in Shido's mory was a spinning world, along with Yutsuki's joyful laughter.
...
"Hah... Hah..."
Sitting on a bench, Shido panted with an exhausted expression.
"What's wrong, Shido, you look like you're questioning whether you're still alive?"
Handing the water bottle to Shido, Yutsuki asked with concern.
"...Who do you think is responsible for this?"
Shido said with a pained face.
——The roller coaster, the pirate ship, the drop tower.
After leaving the haunted house, Yutsuki's mood seed to suddenly spike as if a switch had been flipped, and she proactively pulled Shido to start touring the amusent park.
But before he could celebrate, he found that the attractions Yutsuki chose were without exception the kind that were heart-pounding, scream-inducing thrill rides.
After experiencing a series of heart-wrenching screams and spinning fields of vision, Shido, who newly appreciated the greatness of gravity, only felt his knees trembling continuously. If he weren't careful, he would collapse onto the ground.
"Then I'm really sorry. If you're tired, do you want to go back and rest?"
Yutsuki asked.
"...No, it's still early!" After taking a deep breath with effort, Shido answered decisively, "Since we're participating in the event, if we don't stick it out to the end, I'll be very unsatisfied!"
"You really are full of enthusiasm..." Yutsuki chuckled, looking at the stamped flyer in her hand. "But we're only short one stamp, it indeed would be a bit of a pity to give up and go ho now."
"Right?"
"Then next, let's go to the haunted house?"
"...Hey, Yutsuki. Are you doing this on purpose?"
Shido stared at Yutsuki and roasted.
"We're only short one stamp anyway. It won't be too late to finish it at the very end, right? Let's go through the haunted house one more ti. This ti I'll act like a little girl, pretending to be scared and holding onto your arm."
"...What are you plotting?"
Although it was a very tempting condition, Yutsuki's underlying intent was too obvious, making Shido suspicious.
"My—— I just want to try out that wrinkled bald old man mask I found near the exit of the haunted house earlier. When we enter the haunted house and it's quiet, I'll sneakily put it on, and when Shido sees the light at the exit and turns his head to look at ——"
"...Are you a devil?"
Seeing Yutsuki pull out that wrinkled, bald mask, Shido's face turned pale.
If they were inside the gloomy, dim haunted house, and without knowing anything he saw the beautiful girl beside his chest suddenly turn into a deathly pale, wrinkled bald old man, Shido would probably be left with an undeniable psychological trauma.
"Didn't you say, Shido, that watching others get scared is also part of the fun of a haunted house?"
Yutsuki said with a smile.
"...Please spare ."
Shido said sincerely.
"Well, there's no helping it. For the remaining stamp location, I'll let you choose, Shido."
To this, Yutsuki wasn't truly insistent on the haunted house proposal, so she readily handed the right of choice to Shido.
"...Before that, let go to the restroom first."
...
"Phew..."
Standing in front of the sink, looking at his sowhat disheveled self in the mirror, Shido couldn't help but sigh.
(Yutsuki's mood on Christmas really is unpredictable.)
It was the sa during Christmas last year. Every ti this season ca around, Yutsuki's actions would be a bit unusual. She would kindly accommodate him, yet contrast with him in so inexplicable areas.
(Could it be that Yutsuki noticed everyone preparing a surprise party at ho, which is why she's purposely playing with like this, intending to make mad so we go back?)
Shido guessed with so unease. However, he didn't dare confirm it with Yutsuki.
Although Yutsuki wouldn't lie to him, if she hadn't noticed yet, his question would basically be no different from a self-destruct.
(Or is it... Yutsuki just simply finds it boring, which is why she wants to go ho?)
Suddenly, a trace of such anxiety sprouted in Shido's heart.
"Ah—— Seriously, I shouldn't let my thoughts run wild. Do your best, Itsuka Shido!" Turning on the faucet, he splashed cold water onto his face to perk up. Shido opened his pocket and looked at the gift box lying quietly inside, unable to help but mumble softly, "Furthermore, I have to find an opportunity to give this to her..."
Suddenly, Shido's phone vibrated.
"A text from Yutsuki?"
Shido couldn't help but feel a bit puzzled. However, before he could open the text to read it, the phone suddenly flashed and the screen went black.
"Eh? Dead battery? No way?!"
Shido pressed the power button, refusing to believe his luck, but the phone screen only displayed a completely empty battery icon.
"No way... I didn't bring a charging cable or a power bank."
Shido had a bitter face. He thought he had prepared thoroughly before leaving the house, but he didn't expect to drop the ball in such an unimaginable place.
"There's no choice, I can only borrow Yutsuki's."
Feeling embarrassed by his own carelessness, Shido sighed, preparing to go reunite with Yutsuki.
However, misfortunes never co singly.
When Shido returned to the bench from just now, Yutsuki was nowhere to be seen.
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