For the Love of Shuurei. A SaiMono fic. Standard Disclaimers Apply.

Santa

Santa was in love with Shuurei. Truth be told, he had always known it, even when they were still little children. It was the reason why he always tried to find ways to get her to notice him. This was mostly the reason why he used to play a lot of tricks on her, no matter how many times Seiran made him pay for it, no matter how severely.

Yes. Santa loved Shuurei. No matter how hopeless it was.

He had always been aware of it.

Though Shuurei had a generally happy disposition, the famine of their childhood had taken its toll on her. The death of her mother, and having to rely on her kind, but clumsy father had forced her to mature, that she had to grow up too soon, and had time for little else, much less romantic relationships.

So she never noticed him...or any other boys, for that matter.

This was not comforting in the least, but he figured it was much better than having her head turned by some guy, and see it happen with his very own eyes.

And so, Shuurei grew up. And so did he. And he watched and waited, hoping one day, she would notice.

But then, she was suddenly employed at the palace...had even become a consort of the emperor. And even after that ended...the emperor had given her a chance to achieve her dream of becoming an official.

Which, she did. And she was even appointed governor of a province.

It was these things that made Santa realize that Shuurei was moving farther and farther away from his reach. And that more and more people were beginning to notice her charms.

And so, he decided. He would become a better man. He would stop doing nothing. No longer will he just watch, while she did everything she could, to achieve her goals. No longer will he watch as more and more men entered her life, and began to covet her as he did.

No longer will he stand idly by and remain weak and useless.

He will be a man as good as any man, a match for any who might think to have her.

This was what he had decided. And this was the goal he was working towards.

And he was going to accomplish it…

…even if it killed him.