Snow fell from the sky, hitting the cold pavement. The city decorated with blinking lights, garland and wreaths. The trees lit up by the hanging lights twinkling against the white snow.
Crowds of people rushing to get shopping done. Kids yelled in excitement as they threw snowballs at each other.
Daiki licked his lips as he took freshly baked cookies out of the oven. Ayumi smiled as she stood beside him.
"Those smell great!" Ayumi said as Daiki set the tray down.
"Can never go wrong with some nuts and cinnamon." Daiki said as he took his oven mitts off.
"You think Mrs Kumiko will like them?" Ayumi asked, looking at Daiki with a worried expression.
"Come on. I'm stupid, but I know how to make some mean cookies!" Daiki said, grabbing a cookie off the tray, burning his hand. "Shit!" He yelled as he shook his hand trying to cool it off.
Ayumi laughed as Rina walked into the kitchen.
"Hey guys, what are you up to?" She asked as she opened the fridge, grabbing a carbonated milk.
"We decided to bake some cookies for Mrs Kumiko while she's in the hospital!" Ayumi said as she held a cookie tin open, Daiki put the cookies in one by one. Rina smiled.
"That's a nice gesture. I'm sure she'll love it. I'm stopping by in a bit here, would you like to join me?" Rina asked. "We'd love to!" Daiki said. "Do you think we should get her a gift too?" Ayumi asked.
"Honestly, I'm not sure she's even asked for anything this year… in fact, the last few years she hasn't even brought up Winter Welcoming." Rina replied as she looked sort of puzzled.
"You mentioned she was from Earth, right?" Daiki asked as he closed the cookie tin.
"Maybe she's missing Christmas back home?" He added.
"It's possible. In fact, I haven't talked about it with her since…" Rina stopped herself, her face froze, she thought back to Her and Ryuu's conversation five years ago. She knew she couldn't bring up Ryuu without raising suspicion.
"Since?" Ayumi asked softly. Rina smiled with embarrassment.
"You know, I forgot. She might just be having a hard time with all the teaching and whatnot." Rina replied as she tossed her empty can into the bin.
"Well, I'm going to make my way to the hospital if you two are ready. I'll leave the cleaning up to Izumi and Koji…" Rina said as she looked at the mess on the countertops. "I hope Mr. Kuze doesn't get mad…" Ayumi said in a soft tone.
Sumi sat up in bed, taking a bite of her sliced apple.
"while you were out, the doctors said you're looking much better, but they still want to run some tests to make sure you're in total shape." Tano said as he cut an apple into slices.
"Apart from that one night terror, I think I feel fine. My shoulder doesn't hurt." Sumi said as she laid back onto her pillow, looking out at the falling snow.
"Yeah, but it's good to be safer than sorry. Especially since we don't know exactly what this Ren guy did." Tano explained as he stopped leaning against the wall, placing the plate of sliced apples beside Sumi's bed.
"We really don't have time for me to be in bed, especially with a missing person. We have to make sure the students are trained." Sumi said as she looked back at Tano with a soft worried look.
Tano scoffed a bit, almost like he adored her look of worry.
"Don't worry, I'm sure Rina has everything under control." Tano said as he smiled at Sumi.
The door to Sumi's hospital room swung open as Rina kicked it open, hitting Tano, knocking him down, Ayumi looked at him in confusion.
"OL' SAINT RINA HAS COME BEARING GIFTS!" Rina yelled, Daiki looked annoyed as he walked in beside her.
"I made them, but sure, give her credit." Daiki said with an annoyed expression.
"Uh, thanks. But I'm pretty full, Tano just gave me some apples." Sumi said as she sat the basket to the side of her bed.
"Aw, at least try one!" Daiki said with a pouty face. "Alright, fine." Sumi replied as she picked up a cookie out of the basket.
"You know, just cause you're part of the authority system, doesn't mean you can bust down doors whenever!" Tano said with an angry tone.
"Ah, it's a hospital. If you're in pain, talk to a doctor." Rina replied with a smirk.
"Wow, these are great." Sumi exclaimed. "Thanks!" Daiki replied as Ayumi smiled.
"Hey, you guys mind waiting outside while I talk to Sumi?" Rina asked Daiki and Ayumi.
"We're actually gonna get going anyways. Lots to do! Totally unrelated to anyone in this room right now… apart from me and Ayumi." Daiki replied, "I hope you have a quick recovery, Mrs Kumiko." Ayumi said as she waved, the two walked out the room.
The door shut behind them as Sumi looked over at Rina.
"I heard the doctors said you're all but good. But you tell me in full honesty." Rina said as she crossed her arms.
"Honestly, I feel fine." Sumi replied. Sumi looked tired, she had visible bags under her eyes.
Rina wasn't sure if that was from lack of sleep, or because she had more going on.
"You say you feel fine, but the day after the incident, you woke up crying without so much as a word." Rina replied, "I said I'm fine." Sumi replied with a mild annoyance in her voice.
"Okay, well what about Winter Welcome?" Rina asked, "What?" Sumi replied, confused.
"Sorry, Christmas." Rina said. "I don't want to talk about it…" Sumi replied, getting more annoyed.
"Come on, you couldn't stop talking about it when you first got here!" Rina said, "we'd love you to-" Rina said, getting cut off by Sumi.
"I said I don't want to talk about it!" Sumi yelled, silence filled the room as Sumi looked at Rina with an angry expression. She sat back as she realized.
"I'm sorry…" Sumi said as she looked distraught. "Rina, perhaps you should give her time…" Tano said softly as Sumi laid back down, staring at the ceiling with a blank expression.
Rina looked at Sumi, worried. "Yeah, of course…" she replied.
Rina stood outside the door, turning around to see Sumi covering her eyes, crying. Tano sat beside her comforting her.
Rina looked tired, almost sad.
She knew something wasn't right with Sumi.
Rina walked down the street of the busy city, the snow fell softly.
Bells rang as kids played in the park beside the frozen lake.
Rina walked up the steep hill leading to the school, it was quiet. Birds chirped despite the cold.
Distant sounds of dogs barking in the far off neighborhoods. The city skyline illuminated the sky with its neon colors.
Rina walked into the school kitchen, Koji sat at the table drinking hot tea. Rina pulled a seat up next to him.
"Care for some?* Koji asked. The sound of the heater filled the empty noise.
"Please." Rina said, sighing. Koji poured the tea into the cup, the steam lifting above the hot liquid.
"These school uniforms don't do much justice in the winter. I'm cold as hell." Koji said, venting his frustration to Rina.
"Hm?" Rina muttered, spacing out, her eyes half open.
"For once, I agree with you." Izumi said, walking into the kitchen carrying a box.
"What's that?" Rina asked.
"It's the last of the decorations. I figured most of us basically live here at this point, why not get festive?" Izumi responded. "You decorated elsewhere?" Rina asked, sipping her tea.
Izumi, hanging up lights above the countertops, along the window. "Yeah, after we cleaned up in here, we figured we'd do something to celebrate too. I'm sure Mrs Kumiko will like the decorations when she gets out." Izumi explained.
"Hmm… I'm not so sure." Rina sighed, "I tried bringing up the holiday with her, but she got angry. I think she's under a ton of stress." Rina replied.
"Maybe it's just hard for her to enjoy the holidays?" Koji asked as he looked over at Rina.
"It's very possible… She's missing two people who were important in her life." Rina replied.
"Well, that's your answer then." Izumi replied. "Holidays are hard for people who don't have those important things with them." Izumi added.
"Or maybe she just hates being stuck in a hospital a few days before a holiday." Koji stated.
Izumi scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, no shit." She replied.
Rina sipped her tea as the door to the kitchen opened.
"Sumi is doing fine, just getting some rest right now." Tano said as he hung up his coat.
"Oh Sumi asked me if you could patch this up for her." Tano said as he handed Rina Sumi's jacket.
Rina looked at the sleeve where Sumi mentioned pain at.
"That's weird…" Rina said quietly, the sleeve had a burn mark, but it looked different from that of fire.
"What's up?" Tano asked, "The sleeve where Sumi got hurt… it's not a slice or puncture. It's like a burn mark, but that Ren guy doesn't have fire powers like us." Rina stated.
"Sumi didn't have a burn mark on her skin either." Tano said as he sat at the table.
"Interesting…" Rina said, "well. I have a much better idea than just patching this up." Rina said as she sat up.
"What's that?" Tano asked.
"It's a surprise. Gather everyone's clothing sizes and get back to me!" Rina said as she walked out the kitchen.
Tano sighed "I just sat down…"
The sun set as the city lit up with all sorts of decorations.
Sumi watched the downtown street fill with people as the small street market event kicked off.
Families gathered to view the vendors as Sumi looked away, laying back on her pillow.
Distant sounds of patients coughing from other rooms, the sound of phones ringing and cleaning carts passing by.
Sumi closed her eyes as she tried to rest.
"Look at you, all alone." a voice said, Sumi opened her eyes to look around the room.
There was nothing. Only the sounds of the hospital and busy street below her.
There wasn't anyone in the same room.
"Stuck with your feelings for someone who won't return them. A friend long gone, and a dead brother. How sad." the voice said. Sumi looked scared.
"What do you want… Are you the thing Ren infected me with?" Sumi asked, "You've been stuck with me for as long as you can remember, you're just now hearing me loud enough. Finally, I'm no longer ignored." The voice in her head said.
Sumi blinked, when she opened her eyes, she was in that dark void she saw the night of the attack.
"Where am I?" Sumi asked, "Right where you should be. Home." The voice said.
"You realize you're alone? You should be thanking me. Now you don't have to feel that pit in your stomach, that hollow feeling in your heart" The voice said as Sumi fell to her knees, she felt an intense pain in her chest.
"What the hell?" Sumi said to herself. "I'll leave you alone for now, but I plan on paying you a visit again soon." The voice said, Sumi woke up in her bed in a cold sweat.
Sumi sat up in silence, not blinking, staring blankly across the room.
The clock ticked.
Tick, Tick, Tick.
Sumi looked down at her hands contemplating her existence at that moment.
"Am I even alive?" She asked herself. She didn't know where she resided, on the physical or spiritual plane.
Sumi laid back down with a blank expression. A single tear fell down the side of her face.
She closed her eyes.
Sumi woke up again, but this time in her old house. "Come on, Sumi! It's Christmas!" Ryuu called as he raced down the stairs.
Sumi looked confused. Birds chirped outside her window as the sun lit up the freshly fallen snow.
The lighting looked almost heavenly.
Sumi sat up, heading downstairs.
Sumi sniffled, "Something smells good." She said. Mozoku walked into the living room from the kitchen with a tray of cookies. The fireplace was lit up as Ryuu sat by the tree. Joel sat on the couch with a cup of coffee as he smiled towards Sumi.
"What's up kiddo? You seem spaced out." Joel said as Sumi looked confused.
"This isn't right…" Sumi said to herself softly.
"What isn't?" Mozoku asked as she looked at Sumi, worried.
"All of you… You shouldn't be here." Sumi said as she stepped back a bit.
"Come on Sumi. It's your favorite holiday! Come open your gift." Ryuu said as he smiled.
Sumi looked for a second. She walked towards the tree hesitantly, picking up her gift.
She opened it slowly as she looked inside the box. Her eyes widened with fear, her breathing more labored.
"What is this?" She asked with fear. There was a beating heart in the box.
"It's yours. We noticed it was missing after you died and all." Ryuu said.
Sumi dropped the box out of fear as she crawled back away from the tree.
"What's wrong?" Ryuu said in a low growl. Sumi looked over as she saw them covered in blood. Ryuu's chest wound bleeding. Joel Bleeding from his side, Mozoku's eyes hollowed out.
Sumi yelled in fear. "We know what you are and what you did. You can't hide it from your friends." They said in unison. Sumi up against the wall, closed her eyes as the three reached for her.
"Stop! I didn't mean to!" Sumi cried, they tore at her. Inflicting the wounds they suffered.
Sumi yelled in a blood curdling scream for help. Her side and chest bleeding out as Mozoku turned her arm to stone. It spread slowly as she yelled in pain, closing her eyes from the pain.
She woke up again in the hospital room. Sumi yelled out, not realizing she was awake again.
The door opened as Tano ran in to see what was going on.
"Sumi?" Tano called with worry.
Sumi turned her head towards him as she cried. She got out of bed as she fell to the ground, rushing to Tano.
Tano picked her up and holding her as she weeped in his arms.
"Shh, It's okay. I got you. You're okay." Tano said as he caressed her hair softly.
Sumi wept as she tried to catch her breath.
The train stopped as Tano and Sumi walked off onto the platform.
The bare trees rustled in the wind as Sumi and Tano walked side by side along the trail.
Sumi looked down, Tired, Sad. Her hands were in her pockets.
Tano looked over at her, concerned. He held his hand out as Sumi tilted her head at him, looking down. She held his hand.
The two stood before a single grave stone. Cracked, graffitied on, the top right edge was broken off like someone had taken a hammer to it. Sumi looked at it in depression.
"Whose gravestone is this?" Tano asked as he looked closer, wiping the dust of snow off the front. The headstone read "Here lies Ryuu Kumiko."
"Wait, the terrorist?" Tano said as he looked at Sumi.
Sumi cried silently. Hiding her lower half of her face in her scarf.
"My brother…" Sumi said as she looked up at Tano, tears falling down her face. But she didn't make a sound.
Tano looked back at the gravestone as he sighed.
"He wasn't a terrorist, was he?" Tano asked.
"He did everything he could to save us all. Even if his methods weren't the most humane, he knew what had to be done." Sumi said "It's the anniversary today." Sumi added.
Tano pulled Sumi in closer as she continued to cry.
Tano looked down. A single flower was left at the grave.
A woman watched the two from a distance, she cried as well.
The woman frowned as she turned around, walking away.
Sumi turned around and looked as well, but saw no one else. She sniffled as Tano continued to hold her close.
Back at the school, the others set up, rushing to get the last of the party items out.
"Come on! Sumi could be back at any moment!" Eri said as all the students rushed to bring food out to the table.
"Come on guys! It's hard enough being the only cook here!" Koji yelled as Daiki took cookies out of the oven, "Try being the only one who knows how to make cookies more addictive than drugs." Daiki said with an annoyed look, Koji rolled his eyes.
Ayumi laughed as she saw Eri, "I just realized how much you look like a Reindeer from those earth stories!" she said as she laughed harder, Eri along with her.
Izumi groaned, "Come on guys, get out of the way if you aren't going to help!" She demanded as she walked past them with a hot pot.
Rina walked into the room along with Kuze carrying wrapped gifts.
"Thanks again for letting us use the teacher lounge for the party. I'm sure Sumi will love it!" Rina said as she placed the gifts under the tree.
"Oh it's my pleasure! It's not every day we get to have a big feast around here!" Kuze replied as he continued to hand Rina the gifts.
"Alright, last of the food." Koji said as he placed the plate on the table. "And last of the baked goods!" Daiki said as he placed the tray down on the table opposite the room.
"Alright, I just wanna thank all of you for your hard work!" Rina said with a big smile.
The door opened behind them as Tano walked in. "Yo." Tano said as he waved. Sumi walked in behind him. "Something smells good…" Sumi said as she looked up. Her eyes widened in surprise.
Everyone gathered round, the fireplace lit. Lights hung around the room with a tree in the corner, Christmas music playing in the background.
"Welcome home, Sumi!" Everyone yelled in excitement.
Sumi slowly breaking down as she started crying.
"Hey, It's alright!" Rina said as she walked over to her.
"I swear these are happy tears" Sumi said as she smiled.
"We all pitched in to make it the best holiday for you!!" Eri said.
"Mrs Amaia told us about your Christmas back home, and we wanted to make it as special for you as possible." Kolira said.
"We started a few days ago, but started prepping overnight. Tano kept you busy while Koji and Daiki cooked and baked the food." Rina said as she looked over at the two.
Koji blushed a bit, "It's just a survival hobby I picked up." Koji said, Daiki wrapped his arm around Koji's neck.
"I love baking, I'm glad I get to share it with you all!" Daiki said as Koji growled, looking over at Daiki with intense anger.
"Eri, Claire, Kolira and Ayumi set up decorations and table settings. Me and Kuze… Well, we were busy wrapping these." Rina said as she stood up, handing Sumi a wrapped box.
"What is it?" Sumi asked as Rina continued handing out gifts to everyone.
"Well, That's the point of a gift. You gotta open it to find out." Rina said sarcastically as she smiled. Sumi giggled a bit as she began to unwrap the gift.
"Rina… This is…" Sumi said as she pulled out an all weather hoodie. It had accents of neon blue for Sumi.
"It's made from a rare material that protects against most attacks. While it won't stop you getting your arm sliced off, It's enough to save you from a slice or slight puncture." Rina said, "Each one is made unique to each of you." Rina added as Ayumi pulled hers out of the box.
"But mine is completely different." Ayumi said, "It has an emblem and everything." she added.
"Yup. You're the leader of the squad since you ranked highest in our evaluation!" Rina said as Ayumi smiled.
"I also made your class unique outfits." Rina said to Tano, "Appreciate it, teach'." Tano smiled.
"Hey, It's the Northern lights!" Eri said as she looked out the window. All of them rushed outside to see. The colors lit up against the black sky, everyone looked in awe as Tano held Sumi close.
A black cat came up to Eri as she picked it up "Well hello again, friend!" Eri said as Koji groaned.
"Come on, let's not let the food go to waste! Let's go eat before it gets cold!" Koji said as they all talked indistinctly, Sumi and Tano stayed outside a moment longer as they looked at each other softly.
"Merry Christmas, Sumi." Tano said as he smiled, "Merry Christmas." Sumi replied as they both walked inside, laughing over indistinct conversation.
The doors shut as they all sat around the table, laughing.
Ren and Mori stood on top of sturdy branches from a nearby tree as they looked intensely, watching them walk inside from afar.
"We'll let them enjoy their stupid festivities. But once it's over… The fun begins." Ren said as he stared with glowing red eyes.