"Ok. Almost everyone is here, and as usual, Cael is to be expected late again." Zoe said while looking at his wristwatch.
"I think he is already here." Tehmo pointed out to where Cael is standing, talking to a female student.
"Classic Cael. He can't finish the entire day without doing some sweet talking to some random girls." It was Zoe who cannot help not to move his head side by side because of disbelief.
When Cael felt that someone is looking at his direction. He immediately says goodbye to the female student and almost runs towards his group.
"Sorry guys for keeping you wait. Ok let us go!" Cael wears a very bright smile.
"So, you find yourself a date?" Zoe ask him while they were exiting the main gate.
"Yes. That girl is the prettiest in her class. She will be my first dance in the upcoming party."
"Your date? Do we need a date when we get there?" Kassandra curiously ask the group.
"Yes Kassandra. You don't have a date yet?" Cael look at Tehmo first before he faces Kassandra.
"Hmmm. I'll ask Alyza if she has already a date."
"Alyza is a girl, right?" Cael was confused.
"Uh huh. Why?"
"You can't date your same gender Kass. If you want, I could set you up to someone." Cael look at Tehmo after saying the word someone.
"Cael be quiet. You know that, that someone has already paired to someone. So, stop talking nonsense." It was Zoe.
"Why? Kieran has already a date?" Cael ask the group.
Everyone turns their eyes to Kieran, waiting for his answer.
"Do I have to answer that?" Kieran said without showing any emotion.
"Cause if you already have, I will ask my other varsity members to date Kas-"
"No, I have no one yet." Kieran immediately answers back before Cael could finish his sentence.
"Since the two of you have no someone yet. Why not the both of you go to the party together?"
"Cael, stop playing the stupid cupid here." Zoe said wanting to stop Cael from doing another stupid thing.
"It's ok Zoe. I don't mind it." It was Kieran.
"If it is ok with Kieran. Then, it is also ok with me." Kassandra plainly said.
"Alright! Let us pair them now so you both could become comfortable with one another." Cael grab Zoe and Tehmo's arms to lead them ahead, away from Kieran and Kassandra.
"Put your filthy hand away from me." Tehmo look sternly at Cael. Cael receives the signal and quickly release his arm. Then, Tehmo walk away, ahead from them.
"You stupid brat. Look at what you have done!" Zoe hits Cael's head.
"What happened? Is Ruprecht not in the good mood again?" Kassandra has no idea what just happened.
"You are being silly again Kass. Next time, observe your surroundings." It was Chloe.
Everyone is shocked because of her comment.
"Do you know Kassandra Chloe? Because you sounded like you already knew her." Zoe suddenly asked Chloe.
Chloe did not answer. Instead she walks ahead following Tehmo who is about 3 meters away from them. "I think we have to go. Tehmo is almost 4 meters away from us."
Kassandra becomes suddenly sad. Luckily, she is good in hiding her emotion.
"It's ok." She felt someone held her left hand. It was Kieran.
"I can't believe someone could read me."
"Here. I could tell through here." Kieran hold his chest.
"Is that your special ability?" Kassandra lightly smiled at him.
Kieran just smiles at her without giving an answer.
_____________________
"Princess!"
"Hey, Phyro." Agatha greeted Phyro, the heir of Ignatius Clan.
"It is almost the count-down party, well, do you have already someone?" Phyro shamelessly ask her. They were currently in the cafeteria.
"Are you sure you were asking that to Agatha?" It was Elizabeth. She is again reading a comic book while eating some fries.
"Yes. Is there any problem with that little blue witch?" Phyro teasing Elizabeth who is wearing a big blue ribbon behind his head.
"You!" Elizabeth yelled at him while pointing her comic book to him.
"Stop teasing Ellie. About your inquiry Phyro, you know that I am already been engaged to Tehmo. Also, I heard you already have a fiancée." Agatha sweetly chucked.
"You know my feelings towards my arranged marriage." Phyro pouted.
"And you know my feelings towards my engagement with Tehmo. So, stop your silliness."
"So, the news is true. Well, better act like a man and face your responsibilities." Elizabeth said while her eyes is in her comic book.
"Shut up little blue witch, or else I'll melt you with my fire."
"Try it." Elizabeth challenges him. She gets another french-fry from her plate before she continues reading her comic book.
"You two. Stop being rude. Let us just enjoy the food."
"Be thankful Princess is here. Or else…"
"Or else what?"
"Stop that ok?" Agatha is getting pissed.
"Yes, Princess I'm sorry." With that the three of them enjoy the food that were paid by Phyro in the end.
_____________________
"I think the white dress with black buttons is good." It was Zoe.
"You think?" Kassandra reconfirmed the 'snowman-like-dress' she chose for the upcoming countdown party. The dress is a simple cocktail cut with 3 big black buttons on its front.
"You could pair it with a black boots and black gloves." Cael pointed out an ankle height black boots. Then, he tossed a pair of black gloves to Kassandra.
"Nice. This is not an obvious Christmas décor. What do you think Zoe?" Kassandra ask the young man beside her.
"Not bad. But I think there is something missing." Zoe is imagining Kassandra's costume to figure out what is missing.
On the other side. Unknown to the three of them, Tehmo and Kieran were choosing Christmas brooch pins while listening to their conversation.
Suddenly, Kieran slowly walks towards them. He stops in front of Kassandra and then remove his black scarf. He carefully put his black scarf around Kassandra's neck.
It was almost 5 seconds of dead silence when Zoe finally break the ice.
"Oh, that's right! I did not expect that Kieran will figure it out. Your costume is better with black scarf." Zoe gets everyone's attention.
The situation made Cael to release an awkward laugh.
"Kieran." It was Tehmo.
Kieran looked at Tehmo with a poker face. Then Tehmo threw something small to him.
"I think it suits you. A Christmas Tree. I'll have the mistletoe."
"That's nice. It will be looked good on you." Kieran replies. He is still standing in front of Kassandra.
Tehmo gives him a weak smile. He tossed the mistletoe brooch towards him.
"I'll be back, please pay the brooch for me." His eyes looks sad when he walks towards the exit.
"Where is Ruprecht going?" Kassandra ask them.
"Well..." Kieran does not know what to respond.
"Hey Kass, do you think this dress is ok with me?" Chloe's way of getting Kassandra's attention. She was holding a female dress of an elf costume.
"Ohh... Let me see." Kasandra immediately go to where Chloe is standing.
"I'll be paying for this." Kieran said before heading out to the cashier station.
"Hey Zoe, I think Kassandra and Chole knew each other. Hmm… A love triangle involving two brothers, and then a secret relationship between two women…what an interesting turn of events. You know, I think-"
"I think you should stop saying another word. Or else, you will die soon. Let's find our costume now before Tehmo comes back." Zoe literally drags him to the other corner of the shop.
"Wait wait wait!" Cael screamed because Zoe is hurting his wrist intentionally.
____________________
They were outside the store waiting for Tehmo to come back when a little girl selling match sticks talks to Kassandra. They are almost 2 meters away from the group, that's why no one noticed them.
"Excuse me. Would you like to buy my matches?"
Kassandra looked at the little girl before she decided to reply.
"Hi little girl. Is that the only thing you are selling?" Kassandra softly whispered.
"Yes. My father will be angry at me if I couldn't bring any penny when I got home."
"Oh, poor thing." Kassandra noticed that the little girl was barefoot and bareheaded despite the very cold weather that day.
"Where is your shoes little girl? Why aren't you wearing any?" Kassandra asked her.
"I had my mother's shoes, but I lost them on the way." She smilingly replies.
"Is that so? Uhmm. Wait let me see what I could get for you." Kassandra gets some coins from her bag.
"Here." She puts the coins in her tiny hands. "And here, wear my coat. Your clothes were not enough to make you warm." She puts her coat in her tiny shoulders.
"Kassandra, let's go. Tehmo is already here." Cael called her attention.
"Alright, I'm coming." Before Kassandra could face the little girl, someone puts something in her hands.
Tehmo walks past them, and then walk towards Kassandra. He stops in front of her and gets the coat that is currently lying on the floor.
"Is this your coat? Why did you put it on the floor?" He said while putting it on top of her shoulders.
"Yes. I gave it to the little girl earlier." Kassandra was surprised on Tehmo's behavior towards her.
"I did not see any little girl here. Where did she go?" Tehmo softly replies.
"She was here, selling matches." Kassandra was confused. Where did the little girl go?
"Hmmmm?" Tehmo is gently looking at her.
"Hey you two! I am already famished. Will you stop that and let us find something to eat!" it wss Cael.
"Resume that after we eat. Or Cael will be going to eat you." Everyone laughs because they know that Cael is getting annoyed.
Kassandra looked at his hand before she follows them. "The little girl's matchbox." She said to herself.
_________________________
The following day, they were in one of Mr. K's mansion, busy preparing the desserts that they will be putting on the dessert table. Zoe and Chloe were the ones who almost do the baking. Cael helps in packing of finished products while Kassandra was in-charge of food tasting.
"Kassandra that's enough. I'm going to pack the Christmas candies already so Kieran could bring it now on the dessert table." Cael said to stop Kassandra from eating another Christmas Candies.
Kieran has teleportation ability, the reason why he is the assigned person in delivering the finished product to the venue.
"By the way, where is Tehmo?" Zoe asks the group.
"He is with Agatha. There is an accident and he need to attend her now." It was Kieran who is currently reading a book while sitting in a red velvet sofa.
"What happened to her?" it is still Zoe.
"I don't know. Well, actually I don't care." Kieran's cold response.
"Who is Agatha?" Kassandra ask the group before she took another bite of gingerbread cookies.
Everyone looks at Kassandra. It was obvious that they do not want to answer her inquiry.
"It does not concern you. So, stop asking who she is and finish what you are currently doing." It was Cael who save them from an awkward question from Kassandra.
"Ok guys, everything is almost complete. After packing the cookies, we could now take some rest and get ready for the party." Zoe cheerfully said to the group.
"Please hurry on that. The director is summoning me." Kieran closes the book that he was reading.
"Oh, Kassandra, I think, I would not be able to escort you in the party. I'm sorry."
"That's alright Kieran. Alyza has no date yet, we could go together instead."
"Chloe and I will be going to the party together. If you want, we could all go together to make it less noticeable." Zoe offers some help to Kassandra.
Kassandra shook her head. "It's fine. I don't mind what people might say."
"I told you Zoe." Cael was pertaining about his theory regarding Kassandra's gender perception.
"Stop Cael. You are not helping. Just quickly finished that so Kieran could deliver that and go."
"Fine!"
______________________
"Hi Roomie! I'm here and I have good news for you!" Kassandra blurted out upon entering their room.
"Shhh. Be quiet. I am concentrating here." Alyza is seriously looking at the white dress in front of her, currently hanging in the wall using an ice hanger.
"What are you doing?" Kassandra remove her shoes before she lies down on top of her bed.
"I heard that the bitch will be a blue snowflake today. I could not afford to be out shadowed by her anymore." Alyza said while browsing some inspirational dress from her tablet.
"I don't know who the bitch is but let me help you on that." She gets up and take a seat beside Alyza.
"Here. Take a look on my prelisted inspirational dress." Alyza gave her the tablet.
"This one is gorgeous, but this is not you. It does not reflect your personality. Hmmm.."
"How about the next one?"
"Oh, it's perfect! You could make some real tiny snowflakes around the shoulder blades plus make a small tiara made of snowflakes like this."
"That's a brilliant idea!"
"Now try it."
"Alright." Alyza closes her eyes and imagine the picture of her inspirational dress. After concentrating for about 20 seconds, a mist of ice came from her fingertips and slowly flows towards the white dress in front of her.
"Wow! You are pretty amazing! Now let's try the tiara!" Kassandra is getting excited.
"Ok." Alyza took a deep breath. Then after a few seconds. A tiara snowflake can now be seen on top of her bed.
Kassandra slowly claps her hands because of so much amazement.
"You are really good. I'm so lucky you became my roommate and friend."