A Very Mei-rry Christmas

From Team Pigeons, we'd like to wish you a very merry Christmas and a happy new year. Just as with Yuzu and Mei, we hope that all of your wishes will come true!

We hope you'll join us in 2019 as we have many more stories to tell.

Snowblind

The dark Tokyo sky was held at bay by the soft glow of the strings of Christmas lights that formed a glittering canopy of colour across the pathway. Snow silently fell without reprieve, settling gently on the ground to cover the streets in a blanket of white, making it difficult to discern with any certainty just what was underneath.

The cold weather and icy conditions had made for an unusually quiet Christmas Eve, with few couples being brave or foolish enough to step outside into the bitter evening. The roads were empty, save for a few intrepid taxi drivers looking to get an extra fare or two before retreating back to their warm homes. It all made for a level of peace and quiet more common in the early morning; The untouched snow gave a satisfying crunch underfoot, the wind whistled through the labyrinth of buildings and those who had chosen to brave the elements spoke softly, as though a raised voice would somehow spoil the unblemished sanctity.

One such couple who had opted to step outside and stick to their plans for Christmas Eve walked slowly from a nearby shrine. They held each other's gloved hands loosely. The taller of the young couple wore a navy blue down coat, jeans and a brown pair of boots. She would have been a portrait of elegance, but for the tartan scarf that obscured the bottom half of her face, giving her an almost childlike quality. Her slightly shorter partner was dressed less practically, with her red and white varsity jacket providing minimal protection against the elements. The same could also be said for her baggy leggings and canvas shoes.

"Achoo!" Yuzu sneezed, quickly angling her face towards her shoulder. She sniffled, silently wishing that she had followed Mei's example and valued functionality a little more highly when she picked out an outfit for their date.

"Date" was not exactly the correct word. In truth, they had simply stepped outside for a short while to share a moment alone, but Christmas Eve was for couples and Yuzu was determined to do something as a couple before their family meal.

"Achoo!" Yuzu sneezed again, this time in a slightly higher pitch.

With a sigh, Mei relinquished her grip on her lover's hand and began searching her handbag. Yuzu quickly stopped and turned to face her, immediately feeling on edge now that she no longer had the comfort of Mei's soft yet firm grip.

"Mei, I thought we agreed not to buy each other anything…" Yuzu trailed off when she saw Mei's hand reappear from her bag.

In her hand was a handkerchief, which she offered to Yuzu. With a small bow, Yuzu accepted it and quickly set about wiping her nose, being careful not to spoil her makeup. Looking anything other than her best when Mei was around was unacceptable, even when her beloved partner had already seen her in just about every state imaginable.

"You should have worn more layers." Mei set her purple gaze upon Yuzu for added effect as she made no effort to resist delivering a lecture. She could always rely on the tone of voice to have the desired effect on Atsuko, but Yuzu was far more stubborn.

"That's not fair!" Yuzu protested, swinging her arms at her sides. "Most people don't look as good as you do when they're wearing that many layers!"

The two began blushing in tandem as soon as the words left Yuzu's lips. Mei looked down at her coat, partially in a bid to bury her rouge cheeks in her scarf and partially to figure out if there was any truth in her lover's words. Yuzu, for her part, had spoken with complete sincerity, already having had a difficult time in looking at anything other than the shapely figure of her partner, only somewhat obscured by her Winter attire.

"You bought me this, did you not?" Mei asked as she looked back towards Yuzu, thankful that no one was close enough to hear their exchange.

Yuzu's green eyes lit up, Mei's words evidently lighting a fire in them as she settled on how she would respond.

"Hey, yeah! If anything, you should be thanking me, Mei!" She declared with a smug grin settling on her glossy pink lips.

Mei could not allow such a grin to go unchecked and in one graceful motion, she leaned towards Yuzu and gently met those inviting glossy lips with her own. Yuzu tensed up for a few moments before relaxing and bringing her hands around Mei's shoulders, drawing her even closer and preventing the kiss from being a brief one. With nobody around, she refused to let such an opportunity pass her by.

Yuzu opened her eyes and permitted herself to fully take in the situation. Mei's eyes were closed, with her unblemished pale cheeks twitching ever so slightly as she adjusted her lips. She felt the softness of Mei's scarf against her gloved fingertips and soon found the familiar sensation of Mei's own hands placing themselves on her hips. Snowflakes began to settle on her gorgeous glossy black hair, the delicate crystals capturing the many colours of the lights up above them. Yuzu had long abandoned her idea of a fairytale romance but in that short exchange, she found herself right in the middle of one.

With some reluctance, the two finally broke apart, both taking in a deep breath as they returned to reality. They seemed to be taken aback by the cold, as though they had momentarily forgotten the world around them.

"I shall have to think of a way to properly express my gratitude then." Mei purred. It was a nice coat, after all.

She looked forward once again, leaving her hand outstretched for Yuzu to take hold of. The familiar warmth soon returned.

They recommenced walking; Mei taking her usual measured strides while Yuzu almost sashayed with glee. It had been quite a fruitful date - and it was a date. Any trip out with Mei deserved a sense of occasion and excitement.

"Hey, Mei?" Yuzu's gaze shifted to her left.

"Yuzu?" Mei's gaze shifted to the right, her pace remaining constant.

"Do you remember our first Christmas Eve?" Yuzu asked.

Mei sighed. With all that had happened since then, she was glad that she was able to think of such a memory in a positive light. Both she and Yuzu had made mistakes and struggled to be honest with their feelings, so much so that it had threatened to estrange them completely. Things could have gone very differently. Still, Yuzu and her mother had taught her not to dwell too much on such things, especially when they now had access to such a rich well of happiness.

"I do." Mei's eyes returned to looking straight ahead. "I remember how nice the cake you made was. I remember how you and mother dressed up Kumagorou."

She smiled to herself as she focused on the happy memories. Yuzu would not want her to dwell on the regrets of that Christmas Eve.

"Hehehe, this year's one is even better! At least that's what our chief cake inspector told me." Yuzu's smile grew wider.

"Atsuko has told me that several times already." Mei's thoughts returned to the immediate future and her pace picked up a notch, forcing Yuzu to increase her own briskness in order to remain level. They had a warm home and even warmer company to return to.

"I've never seen her so excited, Mei." Yuzu's words were full of love. "She keeps walking up to that tree to check if there are any more presents… I wonder if Mama is regretting putting it up so early."

Yuzu giggled at the silliness of her own speculation. Her mother loved the festive period every bit as much as her youngest sister did; Perhaps Aihara Ume was making up for lost time after a history of Christmases where there was no tree, let alone presents underneath it. At the time, she had simply handwaved such things away and told herself that it was not a Japanese festival anyway. A needless expense.

That was no longer the case.

Tramontana

Aihara Shou relished the simple things in life. There was little time for them in between the endless meetings to attend, flights to catch and emails to send. He had been busy for as long as he could remember and there was once a time when any empty blocks in his schedule would leave him twiddling his thumbs.

He had also grown accustomed to the fact that even when at home, things rarely stayed the same for long. His guilt was only compounded whenever he saw a new piece of furniture or a new addition to his youngest daughter's rapidly growing Lego collection. Life did not stop when he went on his travels and even the knowledge that his work was of great importance did not completely assuage the niggling feeling that he did not have as many precious memories as he would have liked.

Still, there were few things he enjoyed more than the situation he currently found himself in.

Over his shoulder, he could hear the sizzle of the pots and pans, the rhythmic stirring of chopsticks and the soft humming of his beloved wife. He savoured the tight hold of Atsuko as she leaned across his chest to read from the storybook he held in his hands - a welcome change from the bulky historical accounts that she often insisted on studying; A story about a cat being late for work was a little more easy to handle than having to explain to his daughter what kokudaka meant, or recall the details of some obscure space mission.

"Hey, Papa?" Atsuko's head rose as she moved to sit up straight.

Perhaps he had been tempting fate by thinking about how easy to handle the storybook was.

"Yes, Atsu-chan?" Shou rubbed the back of his neck nervously, irritating a patch of sunburnt skin in the process.

"A girl in my class said that she's having fried chicken for Christmas tomorrow… But Mayu-chan said that her family eat a big lunch with turkey." She raised her finger to her chin in contemplation.

The question being worded as a statement caught Shou by surprise and he took a few moments to process what he had just been asked and how best to respond to it. His instincts as a teacher soon kicked in and he turned to meet his daughter's bright green eyes.

"Well, darling… Those things are both traditions. Some families like to do the same thing each Christmas, like how we always go to the shrine for the new year." He explained.

Atsuko too paused to process his words before nodding emphatically several times in satisfaction.

"I think I get it. Is it like how Nee-san runs the school now?"

"Hmm… A little bit like that, but I think that M- your sister would be in charge of things regardless of tradition." Shou chuckled nervously, seeking to move the conversation to more solid terrain. "Great, Atsu-chan, now you've got me thinking about fried chicken!"

The two smiled at each other before a loud clang rang out behind them in the kitchen. Both immediately pivoted in the direction of the sound and were greeted by the sight of Aihara Ume, hands on hips, staring back at them.

"Oh, so you don't like mine and Yuzu's cooking, Shou-kun?" She asked quizzically.

Shou's cheeks turned bright red. No matter how many ruses his wife would engineer, they still always put him on edge. He looked towards Atsuko for help, but she too was now looking at him with some degree of impatience. Perhaps he should have just felt thankful for the fact that his two older daughters were not home to join in with the teasing too.

"I- Hey, that's not what I said!" He protested his innocence.

Ume's expression softened instantaneously and she doubled over with laughter, her cooking apron partially coming undone from the sudden movement. Atsuko soon followed and then, with some, reluctance, so did Shou. It was foolish of him to entertain the idea that fast food was even remotely close to the quality of the culinary skills that his wife possessed and had passed down to his oldest daughter too. The only real danger was to his waistline - he had only returned home yesterday and had already been subjected to a small banquet. It was going to be an interesting two weeks before he had to fly out again.

Mercifully, the sound of muffled talking on the other side of the door to their apartment provided a welcome distraction. The sound of the handle turning and the door swinging inwards on its hinge caused all three to stop what they were doing and look towards the genkan.

"We're back!" Yuzu declared, raising a hand in triumph as she casually strolled into the entryway.

Mei followed wordlessly, closing the door behind herself and bowing.

"Welcome back, girls!" Ume called out to them.

The pair swiftly removed their shoes and stepped into the pairs of slippers that were already waiting for them. They then set about removing their various layers of outerwear, still flecked with dull white snowflakes, as the warmth of the room rapidly began to wrap them in an almost stifling caress.

"Thank you for having us." Mei directed her words of gratitude to no one in particular. In truth, she herself did not know who she was thanking. It could have been her parents for hosting or thanks to the house itself for providing much-needed relief from the near-blizzard conditions outside. Still, she was never one to regret time well spent with her beloved Yuzu.

"Nee-san!"

Shou could only laugh to himself as he and the book were immediately abandoned by his youngest daughter, now a blur of the trademark black hair as she barrelled towards Mei with wild abandon. They could always come back to reading another time - he made a note to himself to make time for it if he had to.

Atsuko was quickly attached to her equally black-haired sister's legs and waist as she delivered one of her typically enthusiastic hugs.

"Good evening, Atsuko." Mei drew her even closer and made no effort to hide the smile that had already formed on her lips.

"You're cold, Nee-san." Atsuko declared, now feeling the chill in Mei's body from the snowy conditions. "I won't let go until you're warm again!"

"And what about me, Atsu-chan?" Yuzu asked, putting her hands on her hips for added effect. Like mother like daughter.

Atsuko did not need to reply, she simply drew one arm away from Mei and invited her blonde-haired sister to join the hug. Yuzu was never one to pass up on getting a hug from Mei or Atsuko, so the situation suited her just fine.

"Did you two enjoy your date?" Ume asked while keeping one eye on the boiling pots.

"We sure did, Mama!" Yuzu exclaimed. "Right, Mei?"

Mei nodded in response, not wishing to elaborate too much on hand-holding and soft kisses under the blanket of snow and fairy lights. Being seen doing such things was not cause for Mei to feel conspicuous, but she still remained bashful when it came to verbalising matters relating to her relationship with Yuzu. To love and to feel loved was all that she ever needed and more.

"It does still look terrible out there. I can't believe you went out in that! If you'd called, I would have sent your Papa to pick you up." Ume directed attention back towards Shou, who had been quietly observing proceedings with a wry smile. "Yuzu, do you know what he said? Your Papa said he'd rather eat fried chicken than our cooking!"

Shou's mouth opened in shock and he sat upright in his seat, waving his hands to once again protest his innocence.

"U-Ume!" He pleaded. "That's not what I said!"

"Now that's not very nice, Papa!" Yuzu tilted her head and set her suspicious green eyes on her flustered stepfather, quietly sharing in the glee that her mother was creating.

Shou could only sigh in response. This was a situation that he would not come out of looking good. There was little point in adding extra fuel to the fire and encourage further teasing from the pair. His sigh became one of relief when he saw Yuzu heading towards the kitchen to help her mother. Despite his off-hand comments, the two were a formidable pair and had a knack for discovering all manner of small accoutrements to add extra flair and depth to their dishes.

"We'll have to teach him the error of his ways, won't we darling?" Ume stepped sideways and allowed her daughter to stand at her side and see to chopping some vegetables.

Mei then found herself being gently guided by Atsuko, still gripping at her sweater towards the Christmas tree. No words of explanation were needed as she allowed the emerald-eyed child to lead her towards the slender tree situated in the corner of the living room. This one was decorated by her mother, while she and Yuzu had prepared the one in their own apartment. Such a thing had now become an enjoyable ritual for the pair during the holiday season and she routinely found herself in awe of Yuzu's attention to detail when it came to something as seemingly mundane as hanging a dainty bauble from a synthetic branch.

"Nee-san!" Atsuko let go of her sister and knelt beneath the lowest branches of the tree, where stacks of impeccably-wrapped presents were arranged. "I think I know what this one is!"

She pulled out a large rectangular box, wrapped in dragon-themed paper, and shook it gently. The sound of many small objects could be heard conspicuously moving inside from the small jolt. Mei knelt down next to her and helped to prop up the box, which dwarfed almost the entirety of her sister's upper body as she held it. She then raised her eyebrows in curiosity, willing Atsuko to explain her theory.

"Lego! It has to be!" Atsuko gave the box one more shake before allowing Mei to assist her in sliding it back under the tree. "Mama won't let me open it until tomorrow though…"

Atsuko's fingers twitched restlessly as she pleaded with her eyes. Perhaps her Nee-san could talk to Mama and-

"Mother is right, Atsuko." Mei adopted her finest Chairwoman voice. "There is only one sleep to go now."

"That's right, Atsu-chan!" Ume called across the room. "I think your sisters might have gotten you a few things too!"

Mei resisted the temptation to break into the broadest of smiles as Atsuko's eyes lit up. Now it was her turn to feel impatient, barely containing the urge to point out that her mother had been very conservative in her choice of words; "A few things" did not do justice to the small mountain of presents that she and Yuzu had wrapped and kept hidden in their wardrobe for the better part of a month.

Her Grandfather, always enamoured with tradition, would have scoffed at such things. As a child, Christmas day simply meant one fewer hour of daily studies for Mei to see to. Not that the extra time had been filled with joy, as she mostly clutched at her teddy bear as her Father and Grandfather remained holed up in their respective offices.

"Say, Atsu-chan." Ume's voice carried the raise in pitch indicative of someone who had just gotten a good idea. "Why don't you sing your Christmas song for your Nee-san?"

"Okay!" Atsuko bounced away from the tree and took a deep breath as her sister stood to attention.

"Hashire sori yo,

Kaze you ni,

Tsukimihara wo,

Padoru padoru!"

Atsuko repeated the verse several times, spinning on the ball of her left foot between each one as her voice grew hoarse. Mei resisted no longer and offered the warmest of smiles that she could muster.

The sight of her smiling sister inspired Atsuko to double down on her already considerable efforts and she broke into the song with novel vigour, now even spinning on herself and about as her voice climbed up the scale to graze even higher notes.

Mei did not do anything to hide her fondness for her sister's euphoric ways and followed her performance intently, unwilling to miss anything of it. She did not miss the subtle slip of Atsuko's foot during a most enthusiastic spin, not the way her leg bent as her footwork grew confused. She wobbled some before making her descent toward the ground.

The impact never occurred though as Mei denied the child's fall swiftly and categorically by simply reaching out with her arms to deftly guide Atsuko toward herself.

Once she felt her Nee-san's hands on her hips, any desire to oppose the pull of gravity fled Atsuko and she let herself fall back into her Nee-san's chest.

"Atsuko, are you alright?" Mei asked unnecessarily, her body instinctively curling around her sister, shielding her in a protective embrace.

"You caught me, Nee-san." She blurted out giddily, tilting her head back to look at Mei. The smile that she flashed her sister was made even more delightful by her slightly rosy cheeks and by the confident grin playing on her lips.

"Of course, Atsuko." Mei lips curled up of their own volition as the memory of the many times that she had caught a waddling Atsuko formed in her mind.

The need to keep the child safe had always been paramount to Mei; it was an instinct rather than a rational decision and it was born into her heart even before she had found the courage to acknowledge the love she had for Atsuko.

Her Nee-san's moment of contemplation presented Atsuko with a rare and precious opportunity, one she could not miss. She turned around, grabbing at Mei's sweater about her shoulders and pushed herself up to plant a sound kiss on Mei's cheek.

The familiar tingle of an incoming blush warmed the tips of Mei's ears, but fortunately her dark locks allowed for her reaction to remain concealed. Returning her gaze to Atsuko proved to be a mistake as the child was smiling sweetly at her and her emerald eyes were brimming with only adoration.

The warm tingle moved to color her cheeks at the sight and she could only sigh when Atsuko's smile widened in satisfaction. In the end, Mei did not truly mind and a part of her was quite happy of revealing her emotion to her beloved sister.

"Thank you, Atsuko. That was a lovely song." She said at least after helping a giddy Atsuko back to her feet. She furter rewarded her sister by bowing delicately to her, a gesture that she knew would ignite a flame of pride within the child.

Smiling as wide as ever, Atsuko took a few steps before swirling around to look at her again, she smiled and performed a curtsey, trying her hardest to emulate one of the of the ballet videos her Nee-san sometimes watched. It was only a rough approximation, but it had the desired effect. Mei was soon by her side once again, drawing Atsuko into another hug and letting her grab at her sweater with her small hands.

On an Open Fire

The quintet sat down at the dining table and gave a hearty "Itadakimasu" before digging into their meal. Rather predictably, Yuzu and Ume had gone all out on what was probably a fairly simple soba dish before they had added their own spin to it. Various plates of different vegetables sat in the centre of the table; cabbage, scallions, bamboo shoots, okra, daikon, seaweed and even a small portion of natto for Shou. To Atsuko's relief, there was no octopus in sight as she took generous portions of her favourite toppings to mix with her noodles and tsuyu sauce.

Few words were exchanged as they dug in, with Shou and Mei following their usual refined motions as the other two ate with wild abandon.

"Mei?" Shou suddenly asked in between mouthfuls of food.

"Yes Father?" Mei swivelled her head towards him, quickly swallowed her food and then dabbed at her lips with a napkin.

"Umm, well… You probably don't want to be thinking about the academy during your week off, but your mother suggested that I come and visit." His purple eyes shot towards his dark-haired wife, who smiled supportively as she continued chewing. "It has been quite a few years since I was last there."

Mei's reply was delayed as she felt something soft brush against her leg, giving her comfort. Yuzu, seated next to her, silently willed her to agree to the suggestion. Her father was sure to be so proud of everything she had accomplished during her time as Chairwoman and it would be a good opportunity for the two to bond more over a shared interest.

"It is no trouble at all, Father." Purple eyes met purple eyes. "I shall have to speak to my assistant, K- Inui-san after Christmas and see when my calendar is free."

Ume softly clapped her hands together in delight, pleased at how painless it had been. She knew that her husband had been fretting over asking such a thing of his daughter, even when their relationship had thawed considerably over the previous decade.

"Can I come too, Nee-san?!" Atsuko asked, excitement filling her voice.

"Only if you are not in class, Atsuko." Mei replied as she pulled a rogue stray hair behind her head.

Yuzu giggled to herself and fought the urge to try to invite herself along too. Christmas was the time of family and togetherness, but this was something best kept to an Aihara-only affair. Besides, her schedule was already manic with planning for various new year functions and events. She and Matsuri had struggled to get even Christmas and Christmas Eve free as well as having to turn down potential clients due to already having a full block of bookings.

"Yuzu. Atsuko." Mei gave her two favourite girls a serious look.

The two sheepishly slowed down the pace at which they were loading food into their mouths. It was for the best that Mei did not know that they secretly enjoyed the light scoldings she gave them at mealtime. Mei knew it to be a futile effort, but leaving such things unacknowledged was not the Aihara way.

The meal was soon over with the successive sounds of clattering plates and satisfied sighs. Even Ume and Yuzu permitted themselves a few minutes of rest before they set about clearing the table.

Just as Ume was about to begin tidying, Mei moved to catch her eye.

"Please, Mother. Allow us." Mei stopped her from exerting herself, wishing for her mother to have a few moments of free time, even if she loathed such things.

She and Yuzu then methodically returned the plates to the kitchen as the rest of their family decamped to the living room. Yuzu shot her lover a loving smile as the sound of Atsuko reading aloud to both of her parents filled the room. Mei was all too happy to reciprocate, smiling warmly back at her with great pride in their younger sister.

They fell into their familiar rhythm, with Mei opening the utensils drawer just as Yuzu reached for its contents and Yuzu handing Mei the dishes to dry with no need to check if her partner was ready to receive them.

Their perfectly combined effort allowed them to make short work of their cleaning duty and they soon found themselves with their hands empty and a shining kitchen.

A huff of satisfaction parted Yuzu's glossy lips as she turned toward Mei with a sweet smile on her face. A damp strand of blond hair fell along her finely shaped features, the tip curling invitingly under her perky chin.

Mei amused herself into thinking it to be a sign, and even though she held no belief in such notions, she still lifted her hand to rub the golden strand between her pale and slender fingers.

The fine texture tickled her pads while the catch in Yuzu's breath and the way her eyes widened invited Mei to explore her prime idea in full.

She curled her hand around the invitingly soft curvature of Yuzu's jaw and leaned closer to brush her lips against the sweet patch of skin separating her partner's lower lip for the tip of her chin. One kiss was followed by another and then another still and so it continued, kiss after kiss until the need to have her love in her eyes became too strong to resist.

After the last tender kiss, she pulled back and was presented with a most endearing sight: Yuzu's slightly parted lips, holding the promise of the softest of kisses as her love waited ever so patiently. Her closed eyelids revealed the beautiful orange and red shades of her masterfully applied make-up and when she opened her eyes, Mei felt a jolt within her chest as the emeralds had darkened to an even deeper shade. She had been waiting for long enough and Mei felt it rude to have her wait any longer.

She leaned forward, simply resting her lips against Yuzu's perfect mouth. The kiss was not meant to ignite passion as much as it was to seal a perfect moment. Yuzu brushed her lips against hers again and again, one fleeting contact followed by another, loving caresses that lead the pair into embracing before finally pulling back to look into each other's eyes in silent acknowledgement.

The voices coming from the living area were finally allowed within the range of their perceptions and they found themselves smiling at the different tones blending together. They could feel that something was missing for this tune to reach complexion though. They would have time to go back to this particular discussion later on. As of now their beautiful family deserved their whole attention.

Yuzu and Mei joined the rest of them in the living room, at least, Mei found herself sat in the middle of the couch, sandwiched between Yuzu and Atsuko, both of whom had quickly moved to lean lazily on her. It made her feel a little too warm and a little too snug, but she dared not try to move them. The feeling of their bodies against hers was more than enough to justify Mei's inaction.

From there, things became a blur as Ume and Shou became increasingly boisterous after a few more cans of beer, only further spurring Yuzu and Atsuko's own enthusiasm as they talked animatedly with each other on all manner of topics; television, sport, current affairs and teddy bears.

Mei allowed herself to join in with the discussion, even losing herself in casual conversation with her father before a sudden blush and light elbow from Yuzu would remind her that her growing rapport with the man was not going unnoticed.

As the hours passed, Mei also became acutely aware of the swaying of Atsuko's head as the hot-blooded young girl struggled to stay awake. It took a smile and point of the finger from her mother to make her realise that the child had fallen fast asleep, her head resting on her Nee-san's lap. The four continued chatting, keeping their voices soft for the sake of both the sleeping Atsuko and for their neighbours.

Soon though, it was time to wrap up the evening. Mei and Yuzu would be returning early the next morning, complete - according to Yuzu, at least - with Santa costumes as they set about the unenviable task of hauling their large number of Christmas presents for their sister down to floors to the other apartment.

Mei carefully woke up the child by lightly running her fingers through Atsuko's jet black hair and slowly shifting her leg beneath her cheek. Atsuko soon stirred and, with no small amount of effort, sat up straight, rubbing at her eyes as she took stock of her surroundings. Finally, she turned to her sisters with a sleepy expression.

"Is it time to open the presents now?" Atsuko asked.

"Not quite yet, Atsu-chan." Yuzu replied with the softest tone of voice that she could muster. "There's not long to go now though."

At the urging of their parents, Mei and Yuzu saw to putting Atsuko to bed. Mei was not opposed to carrying the child, but Atsuko was insistent that she walk back to her bedroom under her own power. Instead, Atsuko held one of each of her sister's hands as they made the short walk across the living room towards the impressively large bedroom.

Mei opened the door and flipped the light switch. As ever, the room was tidy, save for a few curious-looking Lego models set on the floor next to the child-sized desk. She made a mental note to ask her sister what the models were when the child was in a more lucid state.

As Mother had asked them to send Atsuko straight to bed, there was no need for a bath. Instead, Mei and Yuzu helped her into her bright pink jinbei pajamas before she climbed into bed. Mei then switched the bedside night light on and the main bedroom light off, casting a soft glow and long shadows across the room. Finally, she retrieved the oversized white teddy bear, Selene, and placed her carefully next to Atsuko.

"Is that okay, Atsu-chan?" Yuzu asked as she carefully tucked her sister in, planting a feather-like kiss on her forehead.

Atsuko nodded.

"Are we going to read a story?" Atsuko could barely keep her pleading eyes open as she looked to the unfinished book on her nightstand, then to her Nee-san.

"Not tonight, Atsuko." Mei's lips curled into a smile as she knelt by Yuzu at the side of the bed. She leaned over to give Atsuko a light kiss of her own.

"Goodnight, Atsuko. I will see you tomorrow." She whispered her usual goodnight upon the child's forehead.

Atsuko did not try to argue and instead opted to bury her face in her soft pillow, her eyes finally closing, not to be opened again until morning had arrived. Yuzu and Mei sat in almost complete silence, save for the breathing of their beloved younger sister. The sight was one to savour: the rise and fall of the bedcovers, the slight twitches as her grip tightened and loosened, the black hair splayed about the pillow.

With some reluctance, Yuzu and Mei finally rose from their kneeling position and moved without a sound towards the door. They both turned back towards the bed, wishing to get one final look at their little samurai, already in a deep slumber, before they departed.

"Isn't she amazing, Mei?" Yuzu whispered to her.

"Yes, she is." Mei reached for Yuzu's manicured hand, unwilling to leave entirely of her own volition.

They headed straight for the entryway to the apartment upon leaving Atsuko's room. It was indeed getting late and tomorrow was sure to be a long day with an early start. Ume and Shou, instinctively knowing that they would be leaving, were already waiting patiently.

"Don't forget this, Yuzu." Ume handed her oldest daughter her mobile phone.

"Thanks Mama, we'll see you and Papa tomorrow." She gave both of them a hug and then joined Mei in putting their shoes on.

"See you tomorrow, Yuzu, Mei." Shou waved awkwardly at them, as only a father could.

"Until tomorrow." Mei bowed deeply, thanking the pair for their hospitality.

Without warning, Ume sprung forward and wrapped Mei in a tight hug. Her body initially seized up from the unexpected move, but she soon relaxed and put her arms around her mother too.

"I hope you didn't think you were going to leave without a hug from your mama, Mei-chan!" She teased, her hold growing tighter for a few more seconds before finally letting go of her.

Over her mother's shoulder, Mei saw her father smiling brightly at the trio, satisfied with just observing his family.

Family.

There was a point in time when to Mei and Shou, the word had a very different meaning to what it meant to Ume, Yuzu and Atsuko. That time had long since been left in the past, along with many other things that had no place in the present. Regardless of snow, rain, or sunshine, the Aihara family was now a profoundly happy one; It was a family where everyone relied upon one another and found comfort in each other. They all shared in an unspoken wish that things would always remain that way.