Slight puffs of snow were coming down all around the student council building.
Yuu was hanging up the mistletoe over the door while Touko was decorating the Christmas tree.

"I really don't see the point of this when none of us will be here during Christmas," The pinkette muttered.

"It's the spirit that counts." Touko smiled at her.

"Are you sure you don't have any ulterior motives senpai?" Yuu deadpanned while pointing at the mistletoe.

Seiji smiled to himself, observing Touko's obvious blush.
"Don't be so suspicious," Yuu's girlfriend grinned self consciously. "This is just something fun for us to do.
The student council shouldn't be all about work all the time. It's nice to decorate our office together, isn't it?"

"Humpff," The other girl grumbled while hanging up a festoon with Sayaka.

"What's the matter Yuu?" Suguru chuckled. "Don't you like Christmas?"

"I just don't see what's so special about it. It's just some American import."

Touko took note.

"Oops! You shouldn't have said that" Sayaka casually remarked.
Everybody except Touko looked at her.

Seiji took the tree-topper out of the box and handed it to the president while staring at the girls hanging up the festoon.
"Why is that Saeki-senpai?"

"Well, because Touko loves Christmas," The brunette answered with an almost imperceptible grin. "She is very much into it. She even likes to celebrate it in American style as much as possible."

Yuu glanced at her senpai but looked away when she realized her girlfriend had been staring at her.

"What's so bad about that?" Suguru laughed.

"Nothing special," Sayaka sighed. "Except that she can become really annoying with people who don't like it. She thinks it's her duty to teach them to appreciate the Christmas spirit."

Yuu watched the snowflakes outside, pretending she was not a part of the conversation.

"Sigh. You're exaggerating again Sayaka. You'll scare them with such tall tales," The student council president sweated.

Sayaka looked at her friend with a sly smile.
"Tall tales? I'm sure ex-president Kuze would be all too willing to tell them how you got us to dress up as the three ghosts from A Christmas carol because he said the only special thing about Christmas eve was him getting spoiled by his girlfriend.
Not that he didn't deserve the scare he got." She added with a frown while pinning the end of the festoon.

"No way!" Suguru laughed. "Kuze-Kun never told me any of this.

"It was rather embarrassing for him," Touko smiled while shelving an empty box. "He ended up running through the school halls yelling there were ghosts in the student council building."

Yuu smiled to herself, thinking nobody noticed but found herself caught by Sayaka.
"It wasn't just embarrassing for him though," The brunette interjected. "It took that grime two days to wash off. And we had a talk to by our homeroom teacher."

"Pfft," Touko laughed. "A talk to? He just asked us why we had scared Kuze like that and had a laugh with us when I told him. You have never gotten a talk to in your life."

"Seems to me the student council was a lot more lively when I was still in middle school," Seiji remarked. "Not that you guys don't do interesting things now."

Yuu glared at him.

"One thing you can count on is you'll never get bored with Touko around," Sayaka smiled warmly.

Seiji quietly joined Yuu in the kitchenette where she had gone to make tea.
She looked at him after he had been staring at her for too obnoxiously long in her current mood.
"What is it?" She grumbled.

"I was just wondering what the two of you are going to do on Christmas eve." He smiled.

"First of all it's none of your business," She sighed. "Besides, I have to..." She turned pale and looked at him in horror for a second. Seiji didn't seem to notice anything odd about her behavior though, so she continued.
"We are not dating, so we are just going to spend Christmas eve with our families like every year."

"Are you sure Nanami-senpai is just going to spend Christmas Eve with her family? She seems like the type that'll want to go to town."

Yuu looked at him while putting some cookies on a tray.
"Are you trying to say senpai is some wild party-animal?" She frowned.

"No. Not at all," Seiji answered, waving his hands in a conciliatory manner. "I'm just saying she might not take no for an answer if you tell her you want to spend the evening with your family."

"Well like I already told you many times: we are not dating, so that really won't be a problem." Yuu haughtily replied while carrying the tea and cookies to the table.
She noticed Touko staring at her while she put down the tray but just went to Sayaka and helped her with the last festoon.

"Yuu, wait!"

The small pinkette turned around cringing, while Touko ran up to her.

"Why did you run off like that?" Her senpai asked with a hurt expression once she had caught up with the younger girl.

"I... I have to get home fast. Grandma sent me a text. She needs me to close the store while she has a doctor's appointment," Yuu lied nervously.

"Are you worried about what Sayaka said?" Touko gently smiled at her.

Yuu looked uncertainly at her girlfriend.

"Really! You all seem to think I have no self-control at all!" The taller girl sulked and blew a snowflake from the tip of her nose.

Yuu smiled to herself.
"That's a reputation you have earned for yourself though, Touko-senpai.
We didn't get to know each other like this because of your self-restraint after all," She preached.

"Well alright. You have a point." Touko blushed.

They walked in silence for a while, watching the snowflakes twirl down around them.
Yuu sneakily observed how happy the other girl looked while gazing at the whitening world.
"You really do love Christmas don't you Touko-senpai," She breathed.

"Hmmhmm."
Touko looked at the sky and giggled while the flakes twirled into her eyes.
Her girlfriend couldn't help but be enchanted by her infectious pleasure.
"It feels like magic to me. It takes me back to being a child.
The beautiful snow falling from the sky, The decorations everywhere,
people making an effort to spend time together with the ones they love," Touko smiled at the impressed girl next to her.
"I think it's beautiful," She continued, starting to blush again.
"I... I want to buy you a present Yuu."

"Senpaiii." The other girl whined.

"But why not?" It's the first time I have a girlfriend! And it's Christmas! We should celebrate together," Touko pleaded.

"It's just not something we celebrate in our family."

"Well, but that doesn't mean we can't! Please, Yuu. Our first Christmas together."

"I told you. I don't want to do too much too obvious couple things together for now."

"What do you mean too obvious couple things?" We already kissed. We went on dates." Touko grinned smugly.

"That's different!"

"How?"

"Look, I really don't like Christmas. You said I didn't have anything to worry about," Yuu looked sternly.

"Alright. Alright." The taller girl sighed.
"Why do you hate it so much though? Did something unpleasant happen around Christmas?"

Yuu glanced up at her girlfriend.
"No, it's nothing like that."
She hesitated.
"I'm sorry. It's just too embarrassing to talk about."

"What! Even to me?!" Touko exclaimed in shock.

"Especially to you," The pinkette sweated.

Touko gave her a strange look.
"Alright. I won't press you any further then."

"I don't believe you, senpai."

"Geez. I really can show self-restraint you know!" the taller girl protested and ceremoniously placed her right hand over her heart. "I promise on my reputation as student council president that I won't ask you any more about it."

"On your honor as student council president huh?" Yuu grinned. "I might take your word on it if you are that serious."

Touko smiled back and slyly took her girlfriend's hand.

"Actually," The smaller girl sweated. "We can't really do anything anyway on Christmas Eve. It's always a very busy day at the bookstore. And I have to help out until closing time. I'm always very tired that evening, so I wouldn't feel like going out together even if I didn't dislike Christmas as much."

"Oh."

They shared a look.

"I'm sorry, senpai. I understand how much you would have liked..."

"That's alright," Touko smiled. "It doesn't matter. I'm happy enough walking through the snow with you like this. There will be more than enough opportunities for dates."

Sayaka watched her friend listlessly stir her coffee.
"You're having a really hard time haven't you?" She grinned.

"What do you mean," Touko asked as she looked up.

"Come on Touko. You don't have to pretend. This thing with Yuu not enjoying Christmas. You hate it don't you?"

The president shrugged. "It's none of my business. Some people just don't care for Christmas. And I can understand how she doesn't feel like celebrating after working the whole day."

Sayaka drank her tea and smiled.
"It's cute how hard you try," She teased.

"Hmmpf. Bah humbug." Touko grumbled.

"Hihihihi."

"Hey look. Isn't that Kanou-san?"

Sayaka turned around towards the black bobbed girl walking into the bar.
"Oh yes. It is," She observed quietly.
She turned back and saw the mischievous grin in Touko's eyes.
"Touko you shouldn't. Just let it go. You know Yuu will just get mad at you if you pursue this."

"I promised one thing: not to ask her why she hates Christmas. But I can ask other people."

The blackette got up from her seat and walked over to the aspiring writer who was just ordering an iced tea.
"Hello, Kanou-san," Touko greeted while joining her hands behind her back.

"Oh! Hello Nanami-senpai," The younger girl perked up. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything. I saw you sitting when I came in, but I didn't want to disturb you."

"Oh, you are not disturbing anything," Touko smiled amiably. "In fact, I was coming over here to ask you to join us."

"Huh?" Koyomi sweated. "I was actually planning on sitting alone to write."

"Well, you can still do that after we've left can't you? We are not planning on staying much longer."

"I... I guess?"

"Oh thank you, manager. I will be paying for the iced tea. Can you bring it over to our table please."

"Oh? Yes, of course." Miyako replied.

Koyomi seated herself awkwardly while Sayaka greeted her with an apologetic smile.
Touko looked at her, grinning broadly.
"You are good friends with Yuu aren't you Kanou-san?" She began her inquiry.

"Yes, we have been friends for a while," The small blackette replied while eyeing Sayaka.

"You must spend a lot of time together?"

"Sometimes. I spend a lot of time reading and writing. But we often talk at her grandmother's bookstore and we meet up and go to movies and stuff."

"That's right," Sayaka interposed, hoping to lead the conversation astray for the sake of Touko's better half. "You want to become a writer, don't you. Your script for the play was really good. You must have felt very satisfied with the applause we got."

"Well, you all performed your parts very well," The younger girl replied as a slight blush spread over her cheeks.
Sayaka suddenly thought she looked very cute.

"It was easy to do though," Touko decided to steer the conversation back on course.
"You wrote the characters to fit our personalities. Which made our job that much easier. And Yuu helped you, didn't she?"

Koyomi visible shrank away from her senpai's overbearing enthusiasm.

"You must spend a lot of time at Fujishiro Bookstore?" Sayaka tried.

"Well... I guess I am a regular customer. I've seen you there too Saeki-senpai."

"Oh, call me Sayaka."

Touko gave her friend a surprised look.

Sayaka didn't really know herself why she had said that. She supposed she wanted to make the younger girl more at ease. There was something about her animated manner and the way she kept trying to make a connection with her.

"Huh?" Koyomi frowned while the brunette reddened in embarrassment. "Thank you... Sayaka-senpai... You go there often don't you?"

"I go from time to time. I'm in an online book club. And I often go there to buy the book we are discussing that month."

"That's right. I've noticed you buy some interesting titles."

"Oh, really?" The older girl smiled.

Touko saw how relaxed Koyomi was while talking to her friend.
She noticed something special was happening and she decided to relent for her friend's sake. She was very interested in how this story would turn out.
Koyomi didn't get any writing done that day. And the three of them stayed a lot longer in the bar than any of them had planned.

Touko was getting really upset with herself.
She was lying on her bed trying to fight the urge to do the most underhand thing she could do.

"How can she hate Christmas! It's the most magical time of the year!" The blackette groaned.
She put her pillow in her mouth and clenched her teeth in frustration.

At last, she couldn't take it any longer.
She nervously typed a text on her smartphone and sent the message to the only person she could think of to help her now.

"Hello, Koito-san. I hope I'm not disturbing you. I wanted to ask you something about your sister. I wanted to buy a present for Yuu to thank her for being such a great help in the student council. But she doesn't seem to like the idea of celebrating Christmas very much."

With a sigh of relief, Touko fell down on her bed.
She suddenly felt much better. Yuu had to be helped somehow. There was no way she was going to allow the most important person in her life to miss out on the miracle of Christmas.

She jumped up in delight when she heard the melody signaling the receipt of a new text message from her smartphone not much later.

"Oh hi, Nanami-san. You don't have to be so formal with me. I'm happy to talk to you anytime.
Yuu doesn't like Christmas, but it's no big deal really.
The problem is that Grandmother always wants her to help out in the bookstore on the day of Christmas Eve.
Now, that wouldn't be such a problem. But she has a very peculiar reason for this and she won't take no for an answer. The reason is that she is convinced she'll sell more books by emerging the customers in the spirit of Christmas.
Because of that, and because Yuu has always been smaller than average, she has made her dress up as an elf every Christmas eve since she was a little girl.
You can imagine how Yuu feels about that considering she hates her short stature lol
So every year she tries to get everyone she knows to stay away from the bookstore on Christmas eve with all kinds of excuses.
She really makes too much of a fuss of it all. And to be honest I think it might change her mind about things if you came and told her how cute she looks. So if you want to surprise her or buy her a present you can count on me to help."

The maddening sound of manic jingle bells resounded throughout the room. The decorations seemed to come to life and twirl around in their bright burning colors.
A sinister glow emanated from Touko's eyes while she emitted a peal of low rumbling laughter.
A plan was slowly forming inside her mind. She was going to save her girlfriend. No matter the cost.

Garlands and festoons were hung up all over the inside of Fujishiro Bookstore.
Customers were leisurely walking around the isles, smiling at the attention that had been put into the decorations.
The only person who was not having a good time was the cute little elf working the register.

"Yuu-chan. You need to smile more. The customers will become unhappy if they see a sad elf," Her grandmother reprimanded while the pinkette handed a young man his books.
"Here let me rearrange the bow on your hat."

"My bow is fine Grandmother. I'll smile more if you'll just let me be. Look there is a young woman who is trying to hail you with a question."

"Oh, my. You are right," The woman walked off towards her customer.

At the same time, with a woosh, the front door opened and a pair of soft woolly boots entered in the company of a draft of gentle snowflakes.

Yuu sighed in relief at having been able to get her grandmother out of her face for a while.
With every customer currently looking at the shelves, she started to categorize the books people had left at the counter because they changed their mind at the last minute.

"Ho-ho-hooo! My beautiful elf. I am so glad to see you. I hope you haven't had to work too hard to be dazzled by the joy of Christmas?"

yuu's heart skipped a beat. She slowly turned around to see a far too jolly Santa Claus grinning down at her.
"Hello, senpai." She sweated.

"Ooow!" Santa whined. "You knew it was me just like that?"

"Of course. Who else would come to the store dressed like that after I explicitly told them I didn't like Christmas and didn't want them to come over?" Yuu replied as blasé as she could.

"But that was just a cry for help though!" Touko enthusiastically exclaimed. "It's a terrible thing not to be able to enjoy Christmas Yuu, and I am going to help you overcome this."

"Touko-senpai..." Yuu sighed. "I know you mean well. But I'd really much rather have you go home and leave me be. There's still a lot of work to do."

"Well, then we'll do this together," The older girl winked.
"Come on Yuu! Smile your brightest smile. Let's put on a show! There's no better way to get into the Christmas spirit than making other people happy."

A man in his forties just transformed himself into the head of a long queue.

"Ho-ho-hooo! Welcome to Fujishiro Bookstore young man. How is the weather today?" Touko cheerfully greeted in her baggy outfit.

Yuu took his books, charged him for the total price and wrapped them in.
She saw Touko entertain customer after customer with her infectious enthusiasm as she handled their purchases.
People genuinely enjoyed engaging with her.

Yuu smiled blissfully as she observed the blackette doing what she did best and she started to realize what attracted her girlfriend so much to this particular holiday. Christmas really was tailor-made for Touko.

After closing the shop the young couple went to Yuu's room to change their dress.
Yuu noticed the blackette slyly observing her.
"You really are a pervert senpai! Turn around!" She exclaimed and pointed at the wall behind her.

"It's not that," Touko blushed. "... You look so cool in that outfit. Can't I take a picture at least?"

Yuu turned around, dumbfounded. "You really are so unfair senpai." She quietly muttered. "First you come here against my wishes, now you want to take a picture of me in this stupid outfit?"

"Well, it looks so great on you. You look good in a hat too. I'm going to buy you a hat to come to school in. Matching hats for both of us!" Touko exclaimed.

"What? No!" Yuu whitened in horror. "Alright, maybe for if we go on dates. But we can't wear hats to school!"

"No, I guess not," Touko smiled sheepishly. But you can't deny me a picture. Please..."

"Oh very well," Her girlfriend relented with a sigh. But you can't show it to anybody senpai. You have to promise me." The pinkette demanded sternly.

"On my honor as a student council president," Touko swore once more while blushing violently.
She grinned salaciously as Yuu posed for her in her once so hated elf costume.

"Oh, Nanami-san! Have you come to visit Yuu-chan?" Rei convincingly acted when they came down while she was dressing the table for the KFC dinner's she and her boyfriend had gone for.

"Senpai came to help out in the store, but she is just leaving, Rei-chan."

"Oh really? Can't you stay for dinner? We bought more than enough," Yuu's sister smiled.

Touko looked at her girlfriend.

"Mother?" Rei turned. "Is it okay if Yuu's friend spends the evening with us? She did help out in the store after all, which was very nice of her."

"Well, of course, she can stay for dinner," The woman replied. "Yuu! How cold of you to send your friend home after she helped us out so much. Please sit down Nanami-san and join us for dinner."

"Thank you very much. You are so kind," Touko grinned.

Everybody enjoyed themselves over dinner and Touko was happy to see her girlfriend share in the fun.
She didn't even mind it too much when her senpai and her sister ganged up teasing her.
They were all having a wonderful Christmas eve together.

"Now! The moment you've all been waiting for..." Rei smiled mysteriously while coming back from her room with a large package.
"Presents!" She smiled at her boyfriend.

"Oh, my! Is this for me?" The young man smiled.

Touko hesitated for a moment before going into the bag she had brought with her to put her Santa outfit in.
"I hope you don't feel uncomfortable about this," She whispered to Yuu. "I didn't expect you to have bought me something since you told me you hate Christmas. I'm just happy to spend this evening with you," She smiled.

Yuu's father frowned.

"Ooh! What's that?" Rei exclaimed

"It looks like a jellyfish!"

Yuu smiled brightly as she surveyed the plastic jellyfish hanging off a cable.
"It lights up in the dark," Touko informed her. "But it's not too shiny, so it won't be a nuisance."

"Wait here, senpai," Yuu said excitedly.
The pinkette quickly disappeared to her bedroom.
When she came back she sat down next to her girlfriend with a plastic bag in her hands.
"There's a shop in the city where you can get these made to order," She blushed, feeling very conscious of her family watching.
"I got the idea you might like something like this."

Touko unwrapped a beautifully detailed plush doll. The doll bore an uncanny resemblance to the girl sitting next to her.
The student-council president's bright pink cheeks attested to how pleased she was.
"Thank you, Yuu. This is beautiful. I'm very happy."

The intimate exchange was observed by a grinning Rei and a father who was scratching the back of his head.

Yuu watched her sister being spoonfed by her boyfriend after they had cut the cake and realized how happy she was to be able to spend Christmas eve with Touko.
She looked to her left as she felt something against her hand and smiled, realizing Touko was trying to casually hold her hand under the table so nobody would notice.

The taller girl glanced at her as Yuu took her searching hand. "Thank you for coming, Touko-senpai. Christmas is a lot more fun when I can spend it with you," She whispered as they shared a loving look.

Sayaka delightedly took in the sight of the beautiful lights hanging all around them in Toomi's main shopping street.

"Are you having a good time, Saeki-senpai?" Koyomi asked with a hopeful look in her eyes.

"Yes, I'm having fun. How are you?"

The curious Kohai reflected for a moment.
"This is exactly as I hoped it would be. I'm having a really good time," She eventually smiled, making Sayaka blush.

"You are quite daring to have asked me out on a date just like that and to have told me what you did," The brunette observed.

"I felt I was given an opportunity, so when Nanami-senpai went to the restroom I decided to take my chance.
I hadn't planned on asking you out, but I've been wanting to get to know you better for some time now," The blackette stated.
"I have never been interested in girls before. I always fantasized about older men, so it came as a surprise to me when I finally realized I might be feeling attracted to you."

Sayaka looked at her date.
Koyomi was daring and honest. She liked that. She had to admit she was starting to feel intrigued by this talented and unusual girl. Whether she might take over Touko's place in her heart remained to be seen.
But this was fun. It was nice to be with someone who sought her exclusive company.
She rather hoped Koyomi could conquer her heart, not just for her own sake.

"Euh?..." The black bobbed girl looked up at her nervously. "Can I hold your hand Saeki-senpai?"

"Of course," Her date smiled.

Koyomi felt a gentle glow inside, caused by the sensation of the other girl's soft warm hand in hers.
She was happy to learn that that girl was every bit as cool as she knew she would be.

The pair walked on contentedly hand in hand through the winter wonderland, sharing comfortable conversation and easy laughter, enjoying the budding feelings in their hearts.