Stepping off the train, their feet touched the cool night breeze as they walked together by the banks of the Kanda River.
They arrived at the entrance of a house labeled "Hanamaru."
Uesugi Sakura and Hanamaru Hanabi stood at the entrance, where a pot of lilies still sat, snowflakes fluttering down, surrounded by pristine whiteness.
They looked at the door of the Hanamaru family home in front of them, with no intention of going inside.
Uesugi Sakura held Hanabi's hand, turned his head, and smiled at her, saying, "Everyone's already waiting for us inside, aren't they?"
"Yes..." Hanabi replied in a soft voice, "Sakura-kun, do you feel expectant?"
"Excited, yes, and a bit hesitant to go in... because I know there's a surprise, and I know that as soon as I open the door, I'll see it. It takes a bit of mental preparation, even for that."
The snowflakes continued to fall from the sky, the snow on this Christmas day never ceasing.
