"Shirai, do you have any plans for the break?"
Hearing the topic land on her, Mio Shirai set down the utensils in her hand, gracefully dabbed her mouth with a tissue, and said, "Barring anything unexpected, I'll probably just be staying home."
Mio hadn't forgotten. Chihiro Sengoku was going on a road trip, and while she was away, Mio needed to help look after Mashiro Shiina.
For some reason, Mio always felt like whether Chihiro was around or not, Mashiro ended up being her responsibility either way.
Yumiko Miura, beside her, had already asked Mio this question before, but getting the confirmation again, she quietly let out a sigh of relief.
As long as Mio was home, she could go see her anytime.
It was right then that Mio looked out the window at the streets brimming with Christmas spirit and said, "By the way, instead of discussing break plans, don't you all think we could talk about the Christmas that's coming up first?"
At Mio's words, everyone realized that Christmas was just a few days away.
That holiday that was pretty much like Valentine's Day.
Resting her cheek on one hand, Mio looked at everyone with a grin and said, "Christmas is a great day to confess to the person you've got a secret crush on. Make sure you don't miss your chance."
As she said it, she lightly brushed her leg against Yumiko's beside her. This line was directed at her.
Of course Yumiko knew what Mio was hinting at. If this were before, she really would've wanted to confess to Hayato Hayama.
But the person she wanted to confess to now had become someone else entirely.
Looking at Mio beside her, Yumiko couldn't help wondering: if she confessed to Mio, would Mio accept it?
Somehow, it didn't feel very likely. It might even lead to an even worse result.
Someone else with the same thought was Yui Yuigahama.
A whole week ago, she'd already started drawing up her Christmas plans.
She'd thought about confessing to Mio on Christmas too, but after a long stretch of agonizing back and forth, she still couldn't bring herself to commit to it.
Even though Yui had decided not to confess, she figured she could still use Christmas as an excuse to go on a date with Mio.
She just didn't know whether Mio had any plans for Christmas Day.
To avoid getting beaten to the punch, this was the sort of thing she really should've asked about in advance, but with finals keeping her busy lately, she'd never gotten the chance.
She decided that once she got home tonight, she'd contact Mio by phone and fish for what she had planned on Christmas Day.
In the pleasant atmosphere, dinner came to an end.
After that, everyone headed home.
Mio and Yumiko lived in basically the same direction.
The two of them naturally ended up walking together.
Feeling the slightly chilly night breeze, Yumiko reached up to fix her windblown hair, then said, "Mio, do you... have any plans for Christmas Day?"
"Why the sudden question? Don't tell me you want me to help set you up?" Mio said with a grin.
Yumiko had originally been thinking that if Mio had nothing planned for Christmas Day, she'd ask her out to go shopping together or something. But after hearing Mio's reply, she suddenly felt like it might not be appropriate to invite her out on Christmas.
If she extended an invitation on Christmas, wouldn't that be roughly the same as telling Mio she had feelings for her?
At that thought, a flicker of resignation crossed Yumiko's eyes, and she said, "No. I'm just a little curious, that's all. A girl as approachable as you, there's gotta be plenty of people asking you to spend Christmas together, right?"
Just as Yumiko said, ever since a few days earlier, Mio had been steadily receiving no small number of invitations, a few of them even from girls, though without exception, she'd turned them all down.
"That's true enough, but I turned them all down."
Hearing Mio's answer, for a brief moment Yumiko wanted to invite her to spend Christmas together, but she forced down the impulse welling up inside her.
"Enough about me, let's talk about you. Christmas only comes once a year, so you'd better grab the chance. And if you don't know what to do, I can even help you come up with a plan~"
Just as Yumiko was instinctively about to decline, a sudden flash of inspiration hit her. Maybe she couldn't invite Mio to spend Christmas itself together, but the days outside Christmas were fair game, and it wouldn't even raise the other girl's suspicions.
At that thought, she organized her words a little, then said, "Um, could I ask you to go out with me the day before Christmas? I want... I want to do a practice run in advance."
Mio thought about her schedule, then nodded and said, "No problem. I've still got time before Christmas. After Christmas, though, I won't."
Once Christmas was over, in just two more days came Winter Comiket, and she needed to go help out at the convention hall with Eriri.
Of course, besides helping out, she also wanted to grab some goodies.
As a transmigrator, she'd wanted to attend Comiket more than once, yet every time some mishap had kept her from pulling it off.
Now that she'd finally transmigrated, there was no way she'd give up this rare opportunity.
And once Winter Comiket was over, it'd be New Year's.
Somehow, even on break, it doesn't feel like the days ahead are going to be any easier.
Speaking of Eriri, she wondered how she'd done on this round of finals. She'd ask her once she got back.
"It's settled then." Yumiko clenched the hem of her clothes, doing her best to put on a calm front.
Her acting was no good, but thanks to the dim lighting, plus Mio being lost in thought, Mio really didn't notice anything odd about Yumiko.
Soon enough, they reached Yumiko's place.
Standing at the foot of her building, Yumiko looked at Mio and said softly, "Do you want to come up for a bit?"
"It's a little late today, so maybe next time."
Mio gave Yumiko a wave, then turned and headed off toward her own home.
It wasn't until Mio disappeared from view that Yumiko finally turned and went upstairs.
She had to start getting ready for her 'date' with Mio.
She wondered when, exactly, she'd be able to turn that 'date' into a real one.
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