We interrupt this program with breaking news! A quick christmas special~ We'll be back to the normal storyline right after this. (Sorry for the late upload)
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Machihara yawned, winter break already? Not that he was complaining. The first snow fell silently like a feather, and everything was wrapped in a blanket of snow. He leaned back on his chair to observe his uniform, long black sleeves and a row of shiny gold buttons along the middle down his vest. His red striped tie stood neat in place, tucked between his vest and inner white shirt. He wondered how Nahiko looked in her uniform for a moment but blinked back the thought.
As the school bell finally rang indicating the start of the break, he shot up from his seat determined to make the most of it.
-At home-
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Machihara twirled his pen between his fingers while deep in thought, suddenly placing it down and yawned. His eyes moved along his wooden desk, papers scattered, stationary lying around without its case. He'd been coming up with a present for Nahiko, he glanced up at his calendar, 24th was circled in a red marker. He took his phone and leaned back on his chair. His phone lit up the room better, it stung his eyes but he didn't feel like turning the brightness down.
Mochi
-hey do u hv plans for today
Cat Lady 🐱👽
-Nah
Mochi
-Let's go out I wanna buy smth
Cat Lady 🐱👽
-Aight meet in front of my house •3•)~
-seen-
He slid his phone in the back pocket of his rough black ripped jeans he'd changed into a moment ago. He checked himself in his mirror, a plain black tee with a little golden crown in the middle, he grabbed his winter coat from his left that was folded on the chair's back. It was a beautiful shade of caramel brown, a gradient to burnt sienna. It was stylish, with short winter cotton pads and a fur trimmed hood. He stopped and stared at his jeans in the mirror for a moment- (ripped jeans in winter?) he was conflicted between staying stylish (and lazy to change) or staying warm. In the end he shrugged it off and walked on.
(Phone, wallet, keys)
He recited in his head before mentally ticking off everything he had. Pretty much a ritual of some sort he performed before he went out anywhere.
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As he finally caught sight of Nahiko in the near distance, he unconsiously smoothed out his hair and tightened his jacket. The snow crunched under his feet as he trudged towards her, she finally turned to look at him. Nahiko smiled at first, however that face didn't stay that way any longer than that. She looked him up and down, finally locking her eyes on his jeans, her eyebrows raised and cheeks puffed, "I'm telling everyone at school..Hahaha..!" she flipped out her phone to take a picture. "H-hey!", Machihara's face flushed red, grabbing at her in panic. Eventually he caught hold of her phone, Nahiko wished she wasn't so short. As she watched him flick through her pictures to delete his, she huffed a little, (I wouldn't do that to you anyway) she smiled, taking possession of her phone again. He hoisted himself on his motorbike, trying to forget the embarrassment he just faced. Nahiko got on too with a "hup", wrapping her arms around Machihara's hips to secure herself. His faced reddened ever so slightly. "Ahem.. anyways let's go, I know a good mall nearby" he faked a cough before driving ahead.
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The transparent glass doors let them in on what happened- the mall seemed to be a whole other world compared to the outside of where they stood. They continued walking, the glass doors quietly slid open for them. The whole mall and its people were in full Christmas spirit. From hanging wreaths on their store walls to Christmas mall music, the mall was in full festive swing.
Nahiko practically glided through the shops, she wasn't a crazed shopper or anything, however she found all the pretty things by the display windows fascinating. Machihara ambled steadily behind her. He chortled like he witnessed a child at play. (Remember why I'm here) he reminded himself. "N-nahiko do you like that one?" he realised she was already in the store, quickly skidding over to her. Nahiko was fiddling with a bunch of necklaces in her palm. An assistant lady stood beside her, "this one would look lovely on you, miss" she pointed to one in Nahiko's palm and smiled. Nahiko tilted her head, "mm I don't think I like it" she replied halfheartedly. She turned her head to see Machihara leaning in her shoulder, staring at her hand.
"Would you like matching necklaces for your boyfriend?" the lady grinned. "Haha nah we aren't in a relationship" she hastily corrected her, "ouch" the assistant whispered under her breath. "Mm but a matching necklace would be cool, right?" His head still leaned in her shoulder, he turned to her, their faces were so close they could've touched. Nahiko stepped back, startled. "May I see which ones you've got?" "Right this way, miss" the lady extended her hand to her right. Towering before her, was a wall of all sorts of necklaces, it was clear this shop's owner collected these. Her eyes skimmed past the necklaces, finally stopping by one. It was the Meiji family crest, a keyhole at the back. She felt the rough texture of it through her fingers, then the dent of the keyhole. "I..I'll have this one" she raised it up to the assistant, but the lady looked puzzled. "I'm afraid there's no necklace that matches this, I don't remember this being here either.." She trailed off. "But there's a keyhole, isn't there a key?" Nahiko turned to Machihara slightly disappointed. "I'm sorry, you could just buy one, I won't charge for the other as a pair" the lady's offer didn't seem to please her though, but Nahiko took what she could. Machihara insisted to pay for it.
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As they walked out the store together, Nahiko looked up at him and muttered, "I'm sorry I couldn't get us matching ones like you wanted". He looked surprised, then he smiled, "it's not like I wanted one, that design is so girly. What a rare find though, you got exactly what you wanted!" he peeked at the necklace in her bag, and back at her. A wave of relief swept over her. (I thought he'd be disappointed) she thought to herself. They strolled through the mall aimlessly, "So how are you spending Christmas?", "Oh same old same old, just with my family" she replied nonchalantly, "same." He tried to sound cool, however the awkward tension between the small talk was insidiously creeping up on them. Suddenly she remembered something, "so umm, you said you wanted to buy something?" she asked, and he stopped in his tracks. "Hmm, I don't remember haha" he scratched his head. He lied. He had exactly what he wanted, a gift for Nahiko.
"Hey um, while we're here wanna grab a coffee or something?"
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