“Hey, is something burning?”

Sophia-chan pointed out. A light layer of smoke rose from the kitchen, and the sharp smell of charred food  was in the air.

“I’ll be back!”

Saya-san clapped strangely as she made her way to put out the fire. Risa-san jumped up the moment Saya-san disappeared into the next room.

“Ah, Saya! I forgot about the cookies! Let me help you!”

Like a whirlwind, the two Saitou sisters were gone in an instant. 

“Get the oven mitts, Risa! N-No, not that. That over there!”

I could hear them fumble over each other in the other room. Saya-san was giving her older sister directions. Silently, I prayed the house wouldn't burn down as the war in the kitchen persisted.

"I hope they don't hurt themselves… Ah, should we open a window, maybe?"

I asked, looking at Takade-san. The girl in question jumps up. 

“Right, right! I bet Risa-san baked the cookies too high again... The poor gingerbread men...”

Takade-san opened the window, clearing out the fine layer of smoke in the room. With a clap, the pink-haired madness turned back to us.

“Oh, we’re about to have a lot of fun, especially for the kids! Ah, Koda-san, Hino-san, and the midget Okabe-san could you three come over here and help me out?"

Hana stood up with Nagumi-chan, hand in hand. My little sister was slightly annoyed as she put one hand on her hip.

“Kids? I’m in middle school! The only kid here is Nagumi-chan, Takade-san.”

Like a proper young lady, Hana-chan corrected. But it didn't matter. Takade-san slapped her thighs like calling over a group of dogs. 

"Come now, hurry before senpai gets back! It's going to be a lot of fun, I promise!"

Mae-chan jumped out of her seat alongside Sora-chan. If they were dogs, they had to be Jack Russells, hyper and ready for action.

“Oh, what’s going on!”

Mae-chan, not even part of the "kid" group, wanted to be a piece of the action. I watched as the four of them made their way to a long, stretched-out table I had spotted when I arrived. There was a covering over it, and I assumed it would be part of a game we'd do.

“What’s going on, Nakagawa-san?”

Okabe-san watched her little sister get caught up in the group.

“I dunno, Takade-san asked the kids to follow her to that table.”

Okabe-san shrugged.

"Well, whatever. As long as Saitou Saya-san's not doing anything strange to my sister, I couldn’t care less."

“Anyway, so tell me more about you. I know you work with Madoka-san. Are you in her class too?"

Mary-san asked as she handed her a plate of food that she had promised. It was chicken yakitori and looked delicious. I'm sure Saya-san and Takade-san were the two who cooked it. Risa-san... was hopeless in the kitchen.

“T-Thanks.”

Okabe-san curled her hair with one finger and tried to look away. I'm sure she was trying not to look Mary-san in the eye.

“Yeah… that’s pretty much it.”

She said evasively.

"What do you like to do? Do you do sports outside working at the Red Roses, Okabe-san?”

Finally, Okabe-san seemed to relax as she uncrossed her arms and put her hands together.

“Ah… Well…”

She paused for a bit, then took out her phone. She held it up and showed us an image of a beautiful landscape taken from the train, likely on a day she was taking Nagumi-chan somewhere.

"You see… I don't do sports. I think they're dumb. But I… I like taking photos, I guess. Mostly of scenery. I guess that's my hobby."

Mary-san reached out.

“Do you mind?”

“N-No… go right ahead.”

Mary-san stood up and sat next to me. Together we looked through all of her images on her phone. The shots were lovely. Some of the landscapes I knew, like coming from the train station into the shopping mall or the entrance to our school. But the angles and captivating viewers took me by surprise.

“You have an eye for lighting.”

Mary-san complimented.

“H-huh? What do you mean?”

Flustered, Okabe-san asked as she reached her hand out for her phone.

"Hold on now. These are some good ones."

My aunt giggled, putting the phone close to her lips.

"You see, Madoka, in modeling, it's not always about taking the right picture and being done with it. It takes careful planning and attention to detail. So, deciding the right angle to get the correct tone of the picture you're taking… is honestly challenging."

She pointed to an image taken from the train. The sky was a haze of purple and red as the sun fell behind the horizon. Rain on the window caused the dazzling light to reflect off the drops, creating a flair of vibrant colors.

"This picture here couldn't have been taken at any other time of day. The mixture of purples and reds at the right moment added to the quality of this photo."

Mary-san smiled and looked back at Okabe-san. When I turned towards her, she blushed harder than I'd ever seen her.

“That’s not an easy shot. Your photos are amazing.”

She reached out her hand.

"They keep me busy when I go around town all day. It's not that great. Give me back my phone already."

Mary-san did as she was told. When Okabe-san got her phone, my auntie tugged it back cutely, teasing her a little. Finally, she got her phone back and looked at the photo that was up. A… faint smile came on her face. Noticing her expression, she turned off the phone screen and looked away slightly.

I never knew Okabe-san, the rough-and-tumble delinquent, did something so creative in her free time. It went to show me that I didn't know much about her. There was more to her than the situation that she was going through. A girl who loves her sister and likes to take beautiful pictures.

 

 “Anyway… how are you related to Nakagawa-san… ah, Auburn-san?”

"I'm engaged to her uncle and have known her since she was in her coma. Just recently, she's moved in with me to keep me company."

Mary-san nudged my shoulder. Keep her company? I smiled back, but inside, I could only imagine how lonely she felt. Mary-san has been alone for a while, and this morning... might have struck something in her. With how often Uncle Ryuji is gone, it's no wonder that she might feel that way.

"Yeah, we're both just keeping each other company."

I agreed.

“Oh… I see.”

Okabe-san crossed her arms and said a bit quietly.

“I-I... heard you were a model… is that true?”

Abruptly, she changed the subject. If I didn't know any better, it felt like she breached a topic she didn't like and was fumbling to find something else.

"Well, I used to be a model. Now I'm more on the agency side of it. I used to do all kinds of photoshoots, though."

“So… have you traveled for them?”

Mary held her hands together and nodded excitingly.

“Yes. I’ve been all over the USA, Canada, Paris, and France too.”

Mary-san took out her phone and brought a few pictures of her own.

"Here are a few pictures. They won't measure up to yours, but I think you'd like them."

“S-Shut up…”

Mary-san moved closer to Okabe-san and pointed out a few places here and there. 

“Hey, Madoka-chan.”

I looked over to see Sophia-chan calling me. So, quietly, I waved to them and got up from my seat. And since Okabe-san was opening up to an adult for the first time, it might have been for the best. I wondered what was going through her mind to open up to Mary-san. Maybe it was because she's a model and has traveled all around. Knowing that she likes to take pictures, perhaps it just sparked that she's seen more of the world outside of Japan.

 

Either way, it feels like Mary-san is just as interested in the delinquent, Okabe Kasumi.

 

“What are the kids doing?”

Sophia-san asked as I approached her and Yuko-chan. They were both drinking juice from the punch bowl and loitering around, waiting for the Saitou sisters to return from their battle in the kitchen.

"I'm not sure…."

I answered.

“It looks to me like… they have decorations over there. Mae-san being there with… the kids seems a bit off.”

I glanced over to see my overly excited childhood friend bouncing around like a kid on her first birthday. I couldn’t see what Takade-san and they were looking at, but the rest of them seemed pleased, at the very least.

“So, what did you get for us?”

Sophia-san was the first to bite, trying to figure out her gift.

“Don’t worry about it!”

I poked her nose, and she nearly bit it off.

“Eh! That was close.”

“Don’t test me. My reflexes have been spot on lately!”

So-chan warned.

“Why are you so mean, Conchi-san!”

“Shut it!”

"Well, my sister went to the bathroom anyway, so I... have some time to breathe."

Sophia-san nodded.

Yuko-chan tilted her head.

“Is… everything…”

She tried to push out, but So-chan cut in.

"It's how it has to be. My sister and I have wanted to spend Christmas together for years… even if it's not how she wanted to do it… I think just having it is enough for now."

Sophia-san looked up at the giant and gave her a calm smile.

“But thanks for looking out for me, Mihara-san. It… it means a lot.”

They smiled at each other, showing me their bond had grown since they first met. It was heartwarming seeing my friends grow like this. So-chan looked at her phone.

"Oh, speak of the devil. Linda left my gift over there for me."

Her dirty blonde hair bounced as she rushed over to the present table. Yuko-chan and I watched as she picked out her box and sighed deeply.

“I hope… she likes what I got her.”

She mumbled just loud enough for me to hear. Even though their love was different, they hoped that the two of them could come together and form a comfortable bond for both of them.

“Hey, Yuko-chan…”

“Hm?”

I turned to her, and those lovely crimson eyes gazed at me. All bundled up and still as skittish as always, she tried her best to keep eye contact with me.

“I talked with Taylor-sensei after… She and So-chan had their chat. She… she was devastated, and today will be a tough day for the both of them."

I said, bringing up the feelings from that night. We both cried about how cruel love can be and did our best to move on. But just as I still have roaring feelings for my first love, I'm sure Linda-san isn’t any different.

“I see…”

She nodded.

“So…”

I turned back to the ghost.

“Please help me lighten the mood between them, okay?”

Concerned, Yuko-chan looked away.

"Ah… I don't know Taylor-sensei too well… Ah, I've only been in her office once to get cold medication. A-Am I really the right person to ask about this, Madoka-chan?”

I shrugged.

“Maybe not… but I trust you.”

Her face turned a slight pinkish as she looked away from me. The warm smile she had made my heart beat just a little faster.

“Then… I will try to help. B-But I’m following your lead… okay?”

I nudged her shoulder, and surprisingly, she encouraged me back.

“Hehe, okay.”

We forged a bond to help the sisters. The ghost kept looking over to the table and back at me. Anyone could tell she was getting excited, so I put my hand behind my back.

“Hey… do you want your present now, Yuko-chan?”

I asked, teasing her a little. The mouse looked at me in bewilderment as if the gears in her head were churning on overdrive.

“I-I… I...”

“You don’t need to say anything. Let’s grab each other’s presents and step out for a bit. You know, talk before the party gets going?”

We both walked over, grabbed our gifts, and held them. Yuko-chan’s box was small, and I wondered what it could be. Mine was a little longer, and I knew it would suit the ghost as soon as she saw it.

Working at the Red Roses and having nothing to spend my money on allowed me to save and buy a few things for my friends... And Mari-san.

Even though Takade-san told me not to...

I shook my head, trying to wash her out of my mind. I… was excited to give this gift to Yuko-chan. I found it used but in good shape.

 

“Let’s go before the others see us.”

We both giggled and clumsily made our way out to the balcony.