Christmas That Never Ends
"Sakaki-san, Merry Kurisumisu!" That's Chiyo, a good friend of mine
from high school. She's a genki young lady of seventeen, but she's
already a practicing veterinarian. She's quite an extraordinary girl,
actually.
Me? Konnichiwa, minna. Sakaki desu. I'm a professional athlete, a
florist, and I moonlight as a lingerie model. I'm 23 years old, but I
feel much older at times.
But now I feel young, because of Chiyo-chan's energy and cheer. It's
infectious. "Merry Kurisumisu," I say to her. Today, that may be an
automatic, unthinking greeting; but it isn't when I say it to her.
"What are your best flowers today? What really stand out?" she asks.
"The white carnations. They're gorgeous." I lead her to one of the
glass refrigerators and show her the carnations.
"You're right. They are beautiful." She buys a dozen of them and a
bunch of mistletoe. "I'm throwing a party again this year. I was
really hoping you could make it."
"Arigatou," I say happily. "I would love to!"
"Great! It's at my house; it starts at 7:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
I'll see you there, ne?" With that, she flounces out of my shop.
It may not show that I'm excited, but I am. Last year was the first
time I've missed one of Chiyo-chan's Christmas parties since I've known
her. I really missed going. It's always something to look forward to.
I'll see at least some of the old gang from high school.
Kagura...I don't see her very often. She's always traveling because
she's a TV sports reporter. She spends a lot of time in America these
days, covering Japanese baseball players.
Osaka...I mean Ayumu...as far as I know, she and her husband are still
running that fishing fleet South of Okinawa. When I last saw her, her
twins, Ryoko and Ryu, were only ten months old. By now, she might have
another child. I'll have to ask about that before I go to the party.
Kaorin. I haven't seen her in quite a while either. She works with an
advertising agency. I think she's somewhat responsible for most of the
coffee and tea commercials you see on TV.
(By the way, I'm neither blind nor naïve. I knew that she had a crush
on me in school. She has outgrown it; that's what girls do. She was
dating someone pretty seriously the last time I talked to her.)
Kurosawa-sensei is still teaching, of course. If I remember correctly,
she's also studying for her PhD, so she can teach in college. She's a
busy woman, to be sure.
Her friend, Yukari-sensei, has gotten married and is no longer
teaching. Parenthood did what nothing else could; it calmed her down a
bit. She spends her time raising her son, Hideki.
Yomi and I see each other every two or three months. She develops new
polymers and finds uses for all kinds of synthetic materials. As young
as she is, she's still one of the highest-paid researchers in her
corporation. Her temper has finally slackened.
Tomo's done a lot of growing up, too. There's no coincidence that she
and Yomi get along well. Last year, they finally admitted what the
rest of us had guessed earlier; they are lovers. At first, I thought
that was kind of weird. Now I'm cool with it. I've seen how good they
are for each other.
But getting back to Tomo, I see her pretty often. Anyone who's ever
wondered if there's such a thing as a "late bloomer" can stop
wondering. When she turned 17, Tomo transformed into a svelte, lovely
young lady. She recorded an album that went platinum within a month.
Then there were plenty of photo shoots, of course, and people
discovered that she also happens to be a terrific model. She and I
both modeled for a prominent designer just three weeks ago. Tomo
dragged Yomi along for moral support. When the photographer saw the
two of them together, he nearly had a stroke. Before any of us knew
what was happening, we were witnessing Yomi's first modeling job! Yomi
and Tomo, wearing slinky underwear and posing on a set with a king-
sized bed...they steamed up the shoot. Everyone else left the set
before they did.
Ano, getting back to Chiyo-chan; I see quite a bit of her. At least
once a month, she comes into the shop, asks me for a recommendation,
and buys a dozen of whatever I've suggested. As far as I know, she's
still unattached, so I kind of wonder what she does with them.
With any luck, I'll be seeing all of my high school friends in two
days. I can't wait. It's so great to see how they've all changed and
how well they're doing. Luckily, I'm done with my shopping already,
including the gift for my little Miko, the black and white cat who
loves me dearly. She was a homeless kitten when I met her at the steps
of a shrine a year ago. She didn't bite me! She's lived with me ever
since.
*****
It's December 23. Yomi comes into the shop.
"Konbonwa, Sakaki-chan," she says cheerfully.
"Konbonwa, Yomi-chan."
"Chiyo-chan's Christmas party is tomorrow. Are you going?"
"Hai," I answer.
"Good," she says. Her tone is almost giggly. She looks as though
she's trying to hide a huge grin beneath the small smile she's showing
me. Is it my imagination?
"You and Tomo will be there?" I ask.
"Of course. I wouldn't miss an opportunity to sing with my Tomo-chan."
Yomi has never been a good singer, but I don't want to say anything
about that to her.
"It was a joke," she laughs. "I know I can't carry a tune in a bucket.
You don't need to fear for your eardrums."
"You aren't bad," I lie.
"Sure I am," she chirps back. "Demo, I know they're out of season; do
you have any tiger lilies?"
I show them to her and she buys nine (she tells me it's Tomo's and her
nine-month anniversary.)
"Have you got your outfit for tomorrow picked out yet?" she asks.
"Iie..."
"Well, make sure it's nice, okay?" With that last suggestion, she
leaves.
I'm still wondering what she meant when I close the shop for the night.
I'll take her advice.
*****
It's Christmas Eve. It's 5:41 p.m. precisely. I've just fed and
brushed Miko, and now she's watching me try to decide what I'm wearing
tonight.
"Help me out here, neko," I say.
She mews very cutely at me.
"Arigatou gozimasu!" Luckily, searching through my closet doesn't take
very long, because I haven't got a big selection of formal clothing.
Don't get me wrong, I like dressing up. But I don't do it very often,
and I'm not the type of person who buys things I won't use.
There it is, the black velvet knee-length dress with the red lace.
I've forgotten when I last wore it, but it's a classic design that
doesn't go out of style. I don't think any of the gang has ever seen
me wear this dress, either. My forest green shawl goes well with it.
I'll go with my silver snowflake earrings and my scarlet hair ribbon,
too. (That's my favorite hair ribbon. Chiyo gave it to me six years
ago, when she noticed how cute I thought her ribbons were.) Now that
I've decided on my ensemble, I can take my time getting ready.
A bath, a bit of makeup, a little work on my hair, and I'm set to go.
Takes me just under an hour. I'm proud of that. Most women with hair
as long as mine take much longer than that. "I'll see you soon,
Miko-chan," I say confidently. I pick up the bag of gifts for everyone
and head out the door.
I arrive a little early. I'm a bit anxious as I ring Chiyo's door
chimes. As an introvert, I'm used to the jitters. They go away
quickly when I'm with my friends.
Chiyo opens the door before my finger has left the button. She's
looking beautiful in an emerald party dress with a short, pleated skirt
and a crimson sash. She has white ribbons in her hair. She hasn't
worn the pigtails in a while, but there they are! Very nice!
"Merry Kurisumisu," I say.
"Come in! Merry Kurisumisu! Minna, Sakaki's here!" She's genki...I
love that about her. She's even more cheerful than usual tonight,
which makes sense. It's Christmas. Everyone's already having a good
time (except for Ayumu and Yukari, who aren't here yet.) Much to our
surprise, they both arrive by 7:00. For Yukari, that's a first.
We're all joking and catching up with each other. We'd all have a
great time just doing that, but Chiyo throws fantastic parties. Soon
we're playing games; dancing; singing (thank goodness Yomi keeps her
word); snacking; playing with Tadakichi-san's puppies, Atsuko and
Akira; and watching as various couples "test out" the mistletoe. At
9:00, the gift exchange starts. Lots of great, thoughtful presents
change hands. For me, this is always the most fun. I like seeing the
reactions my friends have when they receive especially nice things.
Once the exchange is over, Yukari, Minamo, and Kaorin beg off from the
party, citing various reasons. The rest of us stay. Karaoke follows.
Tomo graces us with her beautiful voice. Then...
"Ano..." Chiyo says to me, "...I want to do this next song, but it's a
duet. Will you accompany me?"
Usually, I just stay seated during karaoke. But Chiyo...I guess you
could say I have a soft spot for her.
"Sure," I relent.
The song we sing is "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me." I've never
really liked it, but it's fun to sing it with Chiyo. Every time I turn
her way, she's looking at me. For some reason, my cheeks feel warm as
I smile at her.
"That was great!" Yomi applauds.
"Definitely," Tomo agrees.
"Youse look so cute up there, too," Ayumu adds. "That was betta than
any otha time I heard that song."
"Arigatou," Chiyo says modestly. Then she leans toward me. "I loved
singing with you," she whispers.
"Mm," I whisper back. My mouth seems a little dry.
"Yeah, you two really do look kawaii," Yomi snickers. I can't say why,
but I blush a little and take my seat. I glance at Chiyo. She's also
blushing.
Ayumu sings a song then. When she's done, she says, "I oughta get
goin'. The twins'll probably be wreckin' stuff at the house if I ain't
there to tuck ‘em in." She leaves, and we all wish her a Merry
Christmas.
Chiyo clears her throat. "Yomi-chan, Tomo-chan, could you do a song
together?"
"Are you sure?" Yomi says dubiously.
"Yeah!"
"C'mon, sing with me," Tomo urges her. "You know you've gotten a lot
better."
Chiyo sits next to me on the couch. Tomo and Yomi sing "When I See You
Smile." I'm amazed. Yomi really does sound wonderful, singing with
Tomo. I notice that during the song, my arm has draped itself around
Chiyo's shoulders. She doesn't seem to mind, so I leave it there.
Yomi and Tomo finish the song.
"Very nice," I say.
"Awesome!" Chiyo says, clapping. "Yomi, you've improved!"
"Only when I sing with her," Yomi admits. "I'm still rotten by myself.
Datte, thank you."
"Yes, thanks!" Tomo says loudly. "We'd better get going now. This is
our first Christmas together. I want it to be memorable, if you know
what I mean..."
Everyone blushes at that. "You don't have to just blurt it out!" Yomi
complains, slapping her hand over her forehead.
"Gomen nasai," Tomo says, looking at Yomi with huge, tear-filled eyes.
I doubt that she means it, and I bet Chiyo doesn't buy it either. Yomi
does.
"Oh, it's all right, my sweet love," Yomi breathes in consolation.
"You're right, we should be going."
Chiyo and I rise to see them off.
"You two have a super Christmas, ne?" Chiyo says fondly.
"And you too," Tomo says. "I hope it's great." She pulls Yomi close
and kisses her.
"I'm glad that mistletoe got plenty of use tonight," Chiyo chuckles.
"Doushite?" Yomi asks. "That was because we're girlfriends. We aren't
under the mistletoe..."
"...But you and Sakaki are," Tomo finishes with a grin.
We all look up at once. My face grows pink. So does Chiyo's.
"Come on, let's see it then," Yomi urges slyly.
"You know you want to, Sakaki-chan," Tomo half-kids.
My heart pounds wildly. "...We got caught. Demo...is it okay with
you, Chiyo-chan?" I ask quietly. She looks so pretty, suddenly I'm
hoping...in a way that I've never hoped for anything...that she'll say
yes.
She bashfully makes eye contact with me and nods. I bend slightly and
touch my mouth to hers. The contact is brief and innocent, but my
heart starts working even faster! How could a kiss that short be
that...GREAT?
"They really are cute," Yomi says.
Tomo agrees. "You got that right!"
Chiyo's blush gets even deeper, but I'll bet it can't compare to mine.
I feel like my cheeks are frying.
"So, thanks for coming here, you guys," Chiyo says after a short
silence.
"No prob!" Tomo chirps. "So, was it fun, kissing Sa-"
"Don't embarrass them, dear," Yomi interrupts. "Thanks for having
us." She pulls her lover out the door.
Another silence starts to grow. "Ano...I guess I should go too," I
tell Chiyo.
"Oh, don't!" she says. "It's not late yet. Let's talk a while; we
haven't had the chance to talk in a long time."
"I'm not much of a talker."
"Sakaki-chan, I've known you for how long? Sure, you don't talk a lot,
but you're the best listener I know. That's one of the things I love
about you. Besides, when you have something to say, you say it very
well. Please stay?"
I mentioned earlier that I have a soft spot for Chiyo. I don't think
I've ever said no to her, actually. Before I know it, I've made tea
for us and we're sitting on her comfortable sofa.
"And it's too bad that Kagura couldn't make it," Chiyo is saying.
"She's got the strangest sense of humor. But she's a great person. I
wonder if she still considers herself to be your greatest rival."
"Probably," I say. "She runs well."
"That wasn't enough to beat you. I remember that first sports
festival. You bailed me out, big time."
"Iie...you cheered very well. You pulled your weight."
"Thanks for saying so, but you won it for us. You kept your promise."
"Nani?"
"You promised me that it would be all right. Then you made sure it
was." Chiyo smiles at me and I find myself getting embarrassed...and
I don't know why.
"I try to keep my promises," I stammer.
"That's important. But as happy as I was when we won, I was even
happier with what came next: the folk dance. You remember that, don't
you?"
"Yes."
"Good, I was afraid you might not." Chiyo sips her tea. "I've always
meant to ask you why you did it."
"I don't understand."
Chiyo's gaze penetrates me. "I think you do," she says. "You didn't
have to dance, but you did."
"I...well, you know...there weren't enough guys."
Her expression is strange. "Anyway, I'm glad you've got a pet. Her
name is Miko, you said?"
"Hai," I say, glad for the subject change. "She's so kawaii! You've
got to meet her!"
"I'd like that. When?"
I'm on the spot again. I'm not used to that. "As soon as you want
to," I hear myself saying.
"Thank you. I want to give her a present for helping you. You don't
look as lonely as you did before she came into your life."
I can't respond.
Chiyo stands suddenly. "I've got a surprise for you," she says.
"Close your eyes."
What can she be up to? I'm nervous all of a sudden. But I close my
eyes. I feel her hand grasp mine.
"I'll guide you," she says. "Trust me."
She leads me through rooms and hallways, and up a flight of stairs.
"You danced the folk dance so you could dance with me, didn't you?" she
whispers. My eyes are still shut.
"Hai," I say, swallowing hard.
"You knew where that mistletoe was, didn't you?" she asks in the same
soft voice.
"Hai...but you did, too."
"Open your eyes and look up," Chiyo bids me.
The ceiling of her large bedroom is totally blanketed in mistletoe, and
we're right smack in the center of it. What kind of courage did it
take for her to ask me to come up here?
"You'll need to kiss me a lot to earn your way out of here. I ask for
one kiss per step!"
I look into her sparkling eyes. I lean in and kiss her. It lasts
longer this time. It feels very, very good. We take a step.
"The door's over there," Chiyo giggles. "You went the wrong way."
"No, I didn't." I put my arms around her slender waist. I pick her up
and kiss her again. I start carrying her farther into the room. I run
my tongue across her lips. She takes the hint and opens her mouth.
There's nothing innocent about this kiss now, but it feels wonderful.
I can feel her nipples pressing into my breasts; she can probably feel
mine, just beneath hers.
I reach the edge of her bed and set her on her feet. Reluctantly, I
break the fantastic kiss. "Chiyo-chan...I love you," I say quietly.
"I've loved you since I met you," she says. (I start breathing again.)
"Sakaki...you are what I need." She looks, smells, feels, tastes so
good... "I have to go back home tomorrow," I begin, "but may I stay
with you tonight?"
Chiyo gently wipes the tears from my face...tears I hadn't realized
I'd shed. "You'd make me the happiest woman alive," she answers.
A strap that clasps behind her neck supports her backless dress. I
have it open before we hit the bed.
I never truly believed that I could be anyone's lover, but as I lie
next to Chiyo, watching her sleep peacefully, I realize that it's a
miracle. No one expects miracles, do they? But I wonder, as I gaze at
the beautiful young woman I love, how I could have ever doubted.
*****
Chiyo wakes me with a kiss. It's new. It's wonderful. I melt and
kiss her back tenderly.
"What do you want for breakfast?" she gasps after we pull away.
"Chiyo."
"I'm listening..."
"...Iie. I mean that's my answer."
She's totally cute as her face goes lavender. I wrap her in my arms.
"You're so beautiful," I sigh into her ear. I run my hands along her
perfect, nude body. Then I gently put her on her back and I have my
breakfast. In bed. Chiyo is breakfast in bed, I think with a giggle.
Some time later, when Chiyo's been satisfied several times (can I help
it if I'm good at anything that takes skill and patience?) we get up
and stagger to the bath.
"Who are we going to tell?" she asks while we're getting dressed.
"Minna," I answer.
"Some people are going to be sad to hear it," she chuckles.
"Um, Kaorin's over me."
"But is Kagura?"
"W-what?" I sputter. "She-"
"I don't know if she still does, but she's had a thing for you for
years! Even when I saw her and you at the Christmas party two years
ago."
Two can play at this game. "And how jealous will Nyamo be when she
hears that I beat her to you?"
Now it's my turn to watch Chiyo become embarrassed. "Kurosawa-sensei?
She never-"
"She did!" I sing. "Osaka may have gotten over you, but I don't think
Nyamo ever did."
"Well, it's her tough luck," Chiyo laughs. "Because I'm yours."
"And I'm yours," I say, grinning. "Anyone else who wants you is going
to have to get through me.
"I have to go see to Miko now. Will you come with me?"
"I've done that a few times." Chiyo snickers; then she sees my cheeks
flush and she really laughs.
"What've I gotten myself into?" I groan.
"You have no idea," she says. She offers me her arm and I take it. We
walk out of her house and into a beautiful Christmas morning.
End (possibly)
Back to Azumanga Daioh Shoujo-Ai Fanfiction