At first, I was very afraid to find someone who entered the balcony of my house openly through the window, but who would have thought that person was the only person who was destined for me in this world?

****

I'm Kana Ayami, 24 years old. I currently work at a Takoyaki Shop near Hannanaka Park in the Abeno-Osaka district. My house is around Hannanchou 3-3 Chome, and I bought it cheaply from the salary I collect every day. Although it is not as luxurious as the houses of the people around this complex, it is still quite comfortable to live in.

I'm from Higashiyodogawa. My parents are odd jobs, and we lived at a house near Komatsu Bridge (Komatsu Bridge) where my family could be considered poor people. Currently, I'm wandering in the city of people and getting an established job.

I have become the backbone of my family.

Every day I spend working hard at this takoyaki shop. Fortunately, the owner of this shop, Yamada Akane is a kind person who has helped me live here. The two of us are very close, and I call her Akane-san.

Akane-san is a person who cares for me as much as my mother.

Even though I live alone here, it's enough for me as long as there is someone who cares for me. However, what happens if suddenly a stranger I don't know becomes a precious person to me?

"Ah, that can't be," I thought of something no-nonsense.

Even at my young age, I'm still single and don't have a boyfriend. "Boyfriend, huh? What's good about having love with someone else?"

For me, the most important thing right now is to work for money and live a stable life. I want to make my family happy, especially my mom and dad.

....

It was a week before Christmas, my little brother sent a message to me, "Sis Ayami, when are you coming home?" he said.

I still don't know when I can spend Christmas Eve until the end of the year with my family. I haven't been back to my hometown for a long time, maybe they have missed my presence.

"Patience, dear. If I'm not busy, I'll come home." That's all I can say, even though I think I still don't deserve to go home because my life is still as miserable as it used to be. I've been diligently sending them money from 20 percent of my monthly salary, maybe money alone won't be enough to make them happy without meeting and giving special gifts on Christmas Eve.

I can't believe it, Christmas Eve is near. The white snow that fell from the sky so heavily began to cover the roof of my house, the roads became slippery and the air grew colder. No matter what season it is!? My days are still the same, working at a Takoyaki shop and leaving early.

It was after work, and for some reason, I wanted to stop by for a moment at the antique shop in front of Abeno High School. I didn't intend to buy Christmas knick-knacks, but for some reason, I don't think it's appropriate if I don't celebrate like the people around me.

Yes, Christmas is not my religion.

I just want to attend the Christmas event in game.

Coincidentally, this antique shop owner's son likes the same game as me. I accidentally stopped by and we talked about the game, then he gave me a free game event coupon. "I want to go home soon, try the game tournament, and find a new gacha at my house later."

In the end, I just bought a box of gingerbread cookies and a snowman-shaped lamp stand that I can display in my room. Don't forget, I bought a star decoration which I think is enough for decoration in front of my television.

I'm finally home.

But before that, the old lady at the antique shop told me about a love prophecy because I was trying to buy new clasps to wear when I went to work.

She said, "Soon, you will find the one who is meant for you."

I just smiled slightly in response.

Who would believe in such a prophecy?

Just look at me, I'm just an otaku, no life, and a game maniac who works at the Takoyaki Shop every day. I don't even have experience with love, even though I want to be like my friends there who feel the beauty of dating.

"No, no, no!!" My priority is to make my family happy first.

....

It didn't feel like Christmas Eve in Hannachou was so quiet. I saw the Takoyaki shop on the other side was closed. Everyone must celebrate this Christmas Eve with their respective families.

"Eh, Akane-san!?" Suddenly the owner of this Takoyaki shop came out of the house carrying a big bag of crackles and approached me.

"W-what is this?"

"Accept it!" Akane took my hand and then put the big crackle bag into my arm, I subconsciously accepted it soon.

"B-but what is this?" I was so doubtful, for some reason there was a smell of takoyaki in this crackle bag.

"I just caught a glimpse of you from behind the window I thought you'd come into my house for staring at my shop for so long."

"A-ah, sorry to make you suspicious. I was just walking around from around here and suddenly I want to see the view of this closed shop, hehe." I dodged while making silly excuses in front of the owner of this shop. I was so stupid when I missed the moment to gather with my family on the most important day, I even glanced at other people and bothered them.

"Hmm, I happen to have a gift for you." Akane-san today is celebrating Christmas Eve with her family.

"Ah, sorry for interrupting your show–"

"Ah, no problem! It's okay, I really wanted to give you something."

"Alright, I'll take it. Thank you very much Akane-san." Akane-san was really kind to me. Even fellow people of different religions in the complex.

"Yes, you're welcome."

I immediately waved to go home, as well as Akane-san waved at me.

....

"Who?" Akane-san's husband came out to pick her up.

"Ah this, that Ayami just me..." Akane-san's husband put his arm around Akane and walked together into her house.

At first glance I saw it, I was so jealous of this sight.

How romantic they are.

I continued on my way home, crossing at the red light on Matsumushi Street.

The night is getting colder.

*I am home*

Immediately I opened the door to my house by inserting the house key into the door lock, then I went in and locked it tightly afterward.

I turned on the light switch and put my shoes on the shoe rack near the umbrella stand.

I look in front of the corridor wall, the clock shows 22.00

No wonder the air outside is already this cold.

I walked up the stairs to the upstairs room, placing the bag and parcel on the upstairs chair. Immediately turn on the heating (heater). I took a towel from the front of the bathroom and rubbed it on my snow-wet hair.

I'm so hungry I want to eat a sweet cake this Christmas Eve. However, I'm reluctant to cook because it's too troublesome. "I'd better take a shower first ah, soon I want to summon gacha."

What a sad Christmas Eve.

"No! This Christmas Eve isn't sad, but I'm the sad one," I bragged as I took off my clothes and headed for the bathtub.

"Ah ..., the pleasure." Taking a warm bath at night is refreshing.

****

After taking a shower, and changing clothes, I immediately opened the computer in my room. I forgot that I turned on the heating earlier. I'll be making a kotatsu soon. I opened it for a moment, copied and pasted the game data to the hard drive and then I headed straight for the living room.

I opened the large crackle bag from Akane that I put on the chair earlier. The crackle bag contained a Christmas cake package and it turned out to be true, there was a box of takoyaki that was still warm inside.

I immediately set up the kotatsu in front of the tv then plugged the hard drive into the tv channel and turned it on.

Set the channel first.

"Yooooosssshaaaa! This time I have to get all the gacha in the Christmas event!" I exclaimed playing games while eating takoyaki.

(Event starts December 23-29) *Participating in a week-long tournament will earn you Limited Gacha.

I'm enjoying this Christmas eve by hunting gacha in a game tournament, while it's snowing harder and harder outside.

The room in my house was so warm because I turned on the heater and stuck my feet in the kotatsu.

"Maybe this Christmas eve won't be sad," I muttered as I continued to play for gacha hunting.

A few minutes later, when I was about to win the game tournament and get a lot of gacha thanks to taking advantage of this free coupon before midnight, suddenly the window glass next to the balcony broke.

'TRAAAAAAAK TRAAAAAK TRAAAAAK'

The curtains covering the window panes were blowing in the wind...

'BRAAAAAAAAAAAAK!!!!'

A man covered in wounds, covered in snow and blood smashed into the window and landed violently next to my kotatsu.

****

____________________

Notes on important terms:

Gacha: Derived from Gashapon which is often shortened to gacha is a toy vending machine originating from Japan. Gashapon itself is a Bandai trademark that is widely used around the world for the type of small toys in capsules that come out randomly. In online games, gacha is an activity to get random characters or items. Players need to sacrifice a certain amount of in-game resources. The rarity of these items or characters also varies. Usually, the levels in gacha vary SSR, SR, R, and N.

Limited Gacha: This gacha offer requires players to do gacha for a set amount of time. Usually, this offer appears when the game developer is running a special event, for example, the presence of a new character that can only be obtained within 1 week.

Kotatsu: A heater in the form of a short table, under which there is an electric heater, then the table is lined with a futon (a type of traditional Japanese bedding). The heater is used by inserting the legs up to the waist under the table so that the body feels warm.

Takoyaki: a round Japanese food that contains diced octopus meat complete with vegetable filling.