ALL NOVEL Chapter 15: Christmas
Morning in the Okkotsu household began with the anticipation of the holiday. Outside, the streets were already covered in fluffy snow, while inside, a cozy warmth filled the house: logs crackled in the fireplace, and the scent of freshly baked cookies wafted through the rooms.
Yuuta, his younger sister Yui, and their mom started decorating the house.
"Yuuta, can you hang the garland over the fireplace?" their mom asked, untangling a string of colorful lights.
"Of course, Mom. This time, I'll secure it better. Remember last year when Yui pulled on the garland, and everything came crashing down?" he teased, grabbing a stool.
Yui, a thirteen-year-old girl with brown eyes and chestnut hair tied into two playful pigtails, immediately protested:
"That was an accident! I just wanted to help decorate the tree!"
"Sure, 'help,'" Yuuta smirked as he adjusted the garland. "Let's see how well you do this year."
Yui pouted but quickly brightened up when their mom asked her to decorate the tree with ornaments she'd made at school.
The Christmas tree turned out festive: silver and red baubles were mixed with handmade stars and figurines. Yuuta watched with affection as Yui proudly hung her crafts, while their mom prepared dough for pies.
"Yui, do you want to help with the pies?" Mom called out.
"Of course! I'll make them so good that Gojo-sensei will ask for the recipe!" Yui replied enthusiastically.
Yuuta chuckled:
"Gojo-sensei is more likely to steal your pie than ask for the recipe. I'll take care of the turkey," he said, grabbing a knife and carefully preparing the meat.
Time passed, and the house filled with the aromas of cinnamon, spices, and baked goods. Everything was ready to welcome the guests.
---
By six in the evening, the doorbell rang. Yuuta hurried to answer. Standing on the doorstep were Gojo, Megumi, and Tsumika.
As always, Gojo stood out with his flamboyant style: he wore a bright red sweater adorned with blinking lights shaped like reindeer. His wide smile was as dazzling as ever, and he held a gift box wrapped in golden paper.
Tsumika, a sixteen-year-old girl with soft features, wore a white dress and a warm gray cardigan. She nervously adjusted her long, dark braid, glancing around shyly.
Megumi, dressed in a dark sweater and classic trousers, looked as though he wished to be anywhere but here. Standing slightly behind the others, he crossed his arms and avoided eye contact with everyone.
"Merry Christmas!" Gojo exclaimed loudly, stepping inside first. "We're ready for fun, food, and… your turkey, Yuuta. I hope you gave it your best shot."
"Come in," Yuuta smiled, taking the gift. "Mom made so much food, you definitely won't leave hungry."
Tsumika looked around the cozily decorated house and quietly said:
"It's really beautiful here."
Yui peeked out from behind the corner and, seeing the guests, lit up with excitement:
"Oh, you must be Megumi's sister!"
"Yes, I'm Tsumika," she replied, offering the girl a warm smile.
"And is he always this grumpy?" Yui whispered, pointing at Megumi.
"I can hear you," Megumi said dryly, though the corners of his mouth twitched in a faint smile.
---
The guests settled into the living room. Yuuta's mom brought out hot tea and cookies, but the atmosphere was still tense. Megumi sat stiffly on the edge of the couch with his arms crossed, while Tsumika kept nervously glancing at the clock, as if afraid someone would judge her for being too quiet.
Yuuta decided to break the ice:
"Megumi, have you ever celebrated Christmas before?"
"Yeah," he answered after a pause, "although it was more like a simple dinner with Gojo."
Gojo clapped him on the shoulder:
"Perfect time for a real first Christmas! Just don't break anything, especially the tree."
Yui laughed:
"Or Gojo-sensei will break it himself, right?"
Gojo feigned offense:
"That never happens! I'm the embodiment of grace."
Tsumika finally smiled, feeling the tension start to ease.
---
Dinner
During dinner, the atmosphere became much warmer. Yui, playing the perfect hostess, started the conversation:
"Tell us something interesting."
Tsumika hesitated for a moment, then shared, smiling shyly:
"You know, Megumi's always been so serious and in control. But even he has moments when things don't go as planned. Here's a story I love to remember.
One time, Megumi decided to teach me the basics of working with his shikigami. Of course, I agreed, though I had no idea what I was doing. He looked so serious, clenching his fists and speaking in his usual commanding tone:
'Tsumika, the most important thing is not to show them you're scared. They can sense your emotions.'
'I'm not scared!' I replied, though lying was pointless—one of his wolves was already looking at me like it doubted I could even stand near it.
Megumi summoned two of his wolves and asked me to try giving them a command. I stood up straight, puffed out my chest, and said loudly:
'Hey, wolves, jump!'
The wolves glanced at me, then at Megumi, then back at me. One of them lazily sat down, and the other just lay down entirely.
'They're ignoring me!' I exclaimed, frustrated.
Megumi sighed heavily, clearly trying not to roll his eyes:
'You have to be confident. Try again.'
Deciding that voice alone wasn't enough, I added a hand gesture and practically yelled:
'Jump! Now!'
One wolf immediately jumped… straight at me, knocking me over. I ended up flat on the ground while the wolf wagged its tail, clearly proud of itself.
Megumi held his head in his hands:
'I told you, they sense your emotions. You looked like you were about to run away.'
'Because I was!' I retorted, brushing myself off.
Then, as if in perfect coordination, the second wolf jumped—this time onto Megumi, knocking him down in the same position as me. I burst out laughing, watching my oh-so-serious brother sit in the dirt with an expressionless face while the wolves pranced around him.
'See?' I said, trying to catch my breath. 'They can sense your mood too!'
Megumi said nothing. He just stood up, stared off into the distance, and quietly declared:
'Training's over.'
That was the one and only time he let me train with his shikigami. And ever since, the wolves seem to like me more than him. Sometimes, when they appear, I can see them looking at Megumi like they're ready to knock him down again. Honestly, it was worth it."
Gojo laughed heartily:
"Megumi, are you sure you're a good teacher?"
Megumi blushed slightly:
"It wasn't like that."
Gojo, savoring his pie, added:
"I also remember the time Megumi tried to make one of his wolves jump through a ring. We ended up chasing it all over Kyoto."
The laughter around the table grew louder, and even Megumi allowed himself a faint smile.
---
End of the Evening
When dinner ended, the guests were happy and relaxed. Yui approached Tsumika:
"You're so kind. Can we see each other more often?"
Tsumika, touched, hugged the girl:
"Of course, Yui. I'd love that."
Megumi quietly said to Yuuta:
"Thanks for tonight. It was… surprisingly nice."
Yuuta smiled at him:
"Then let's make it a tradition."
As they left, the guests felt l
ike they'd become part of something special. For everyone, this evening wasn't just a celebration—it was a warm memory that had been missing before.