The two of them were able to escape the clutches of the children and now found themselves back outside in the cold. Though their bodies felt warm after what they had to do with each other.
"Well…" Juuto tried to regain his composure as he began talking. "I suppose we should be finding something else to do."
"Right." That was a good idea to her. This way, Rame could move past her thoughts as quickly as possible. "Let's go over there." The girl didn't care where they went, as long as they got there fast. So she pointed over to a nearby stand. He agreed, not knowing what was ahead them. Hopefully not where another friend of his trying to get them together.
As it turned out, the place she pointed them towards was a shop selling jewelry. Most of which was well above their pay grade, though some things were affordable.
"Ooh, shiny." Rame's devil instincts were taking hold as she scanned along all the glass displays. "If I still had my powers, I'd take them all."
"Good thing you lost them then." He worried what would happen if she ever did get those powers back, that the sweet girl he had grown accustomed to would be lost forever. Then again, was she truly sweet in the first place? Sure, he had strength in his conviction towards Marie when they discussed it. But even then, there was always doubt in his mind ever since the man learned the truth.
"It was just a joke." She lightly pushed on his arm with her fist. "Lighten up a little."
"It's a little hard for me when I know just who you are." He responded. "Or at least, who you were." Perhaps this was a bit too serious of a conversation for him to be having on a night like this. The two of them were here to enjoy the holiday, so he tried his best to steer them in that direction. "What's up with the bag you've been lugging around?" He directed their attention else where.
"Oh, I just picked something up for tonight. It's nothing all that special." From the lack of a poker face, he could tell she was joking. Whatever was inside must've been a pretty good surprise if she hadn't shown it off yet. "Speaking of, did you get me anything for Christmas?"
"How can I get you something if you haven't even told me what you wanted?"
"I don't know. I just can't think of anything that this world might have. So how about you surprise me?" That didn't make his task any easier. On the bright side, at least he had until Christmas day to find her a good gift. Not that it was something Juuto was confident in doing. The man usually made sure to know what people wanted before getting them something.
"All right, but don't get too disappointed in me." He warned her. "But considering that you just asked me what I was going to get you, I bet that whatever you got in that bag must be my present."
"You really don't miss details." She didn't take much issue with the surprise being spoiled. Though she would've preferred that he at least pretend not to know. "But, I don't want to give it to you yet, so let's go." Juuto didn't take issue with the delay. Technically, he was supposed to be getting this a few days later. So he could wait some extra minutes. "Let's go head to the tree, it's getting a little late. I bet the others are going to be waiting for us."
"You go on ahead." He told her. "I just need to go to the bathroom first, so I'll meet you there." rame did as she was asked, however this was all a ruse from her to get him somewhere more private. Which is why she would send him a message to get him to go to a different place than where they all agreed.
"Where is he?" She wondered aloud. It was getting cold, and he was taking a lot longer than a simple bathroom trip to get here. For a moment, she feared that something bad had happened to him on the way here. After the way things had turned out these past couple of months, it certainly was a possibility. Thankfully, he did arrive to lighten her concern.
"Sorry that took me so long." He spoke out of breath, as if he had just ran here.
"Is everything all right?"
"It is, don't worry." He brushed it off. "It's only because I got you this." Juuto produced from his hands a small little box. It was his Christmas gift to her. "Go ahead, open it."
"Wow." She was awestruck as opening the box revealed its contents. His request to go to the bathroom was simply a ruse to allow the man to pick up something that he believed was something she'd love. "It's one of those necklaces from the displays."
"Right." He took her words to heart. If she was the type to take these with her former powers, then she must've really liked it. "I know it was a joke, but maybe this might make you feel a little better about your situation."
Sure, she was evil back on Enatis. If anything, that made him believe it must've been hard to have to going from being one of the most powerful beings to a lowly night shift part-timer.
"Gee, you really didn't have to cheer me up." This made her feel bad considering how expensive this was. All of it just for her to wear something around her neck.
"Don't worry about it. Just take that as my gift for you." He ushered her to put it around her neck. The girl put it on, a necklace with golden horns pointing down. "I remember that when you did have your powers, you had horns. So I hope you don't mind that I picked them out because of that."
It's wonderful." She glowed. "I love it… Oh right, I gotta get my present out for you." Rame opened up the bag she had with her. From it, she produced a box wrapped up thanks to her royal retainer.
"What's inside?" He picked it up, and shook it a little to hear what might be in there.
"Well, go ahead and open it." Juuto did as she asked. When the paper was ripped off, it was revealed that she got him the Mintendo Flip console. He was overjoyed that she bought him that, since he really wanted it. However, those things weren't cheap either, which worried the man.
"This is so great, but what about your finances?"
"Don't worry about that. I got so much extra cash from all the hours I took during the day." While Mifuru disagreed with spending so much money on something for someone else. She had no way of arguing against the one she pledged her life for. "Plus, you said you'd bring it to work. So I get some benefits too."
"But you barely know anything about video games."
"Looks like you've got a lot to teach me then." She simply smiled in response to him. As she said, there were some benefits for her in this as well. Juuto accepted the suggestion, not thinking much else about it. "So, now that we've exchanged gifts. I guess we should meet up with the others."
"Wait." He grabbed her hand, stopping the girl from walking away. "Before we go, um, I think we should look at the tree."
"The Christmas tree?" She looked over at what he was referencing. They were standing a little ways away from it. Away from the crowd that was building around it. "What's going on?"
"Make a wish." He quietly told her, then closed his own eyes.
"Wh-what!? You gotta warn me before… Ah…" She did as he asked, and closed her eyes. She wasn't expecting this, so there wasn't anything on her mind. Rame was left with little choice but to wish for something stupid, which was free hot dogs. "Done." She said. As the girl opened her eyes, she was greeted with the beautiful sight of the star at the top of the tree being lit up.
"It's really nice, isn't it?" He asked, breaking the girl out of the trance she found herself in. "Akitomo told me that you can make a wish during this time." It was kind of funny to think about, since it was that boy who was the one not from around here.
"Guess that also means you're not going to tell me what you wished for this time?"
"Of course not." He shook his head in response. "But I'll let you know that my birthday wish came true."
"You did? What was it?" He didn't say anything at first. For a little bit, the man considered if he should say it.
"Nah, I'll let you know later."
"Aww, no fun…" She hung her head down in disappointment.
"It's fine." He gave the girl a pat on the head. "Come on, let's go meet up with the others. We can go get some hot dogs together. It'll be on me." That did a good job in cheering her up.
"Yay!" She jumped up in joy. "Looks like my wish already came true."
"Already!?"
And thus comes the end of our three tales at the Winter festival.