“Glad to get out of that.” Akitomo plopped himself down on a bench once they reached their destination. He was exhausted dragging her that far. A result caused by a mix of the cold weather and their size difference.

“I was having fun.” She scolded him as the woman went to sit besides the boy. “Why’d you have to go and do that?”

“Don’t act like you don’t know.” He responded with irritation. “I get tired of you embarrassing me all the time.” She chuckled in response. From her view, he did it to himself.

“You can be really silly sometimes.” She replied. “But I was only trying to help. Honest, how was something like that embarrassing for you?” She assumed it was because most of the other children didn’t need help to catch their own capsules.

“Well, you know what you did…” He didn’t want to admit he overreacted from her actions. That was the last thing he’d want her holding over his head.

“I guess it’s no matter.” She laid back now that they found themselves at the meeting spot with the others so early. Where they sat gave the pair a great view of the Christmas tree in its full glory. The light it provided overpowered the lamps surrounding them, filling the area with a red and green hue.

They sat in silence, which gave her ample opportunity to consider her current situation. Her entire life had been dedicated to the league of assassins. Even now, she was continuing to work with them by feeding information about the devils activities here on Earth. Just without mentioning how she lost her weapons of choice.

Now here she was, enjoying a little bit of time with a former colleague. Though perhaps that wouldn’t be the best way to describe their former relationship. Back then, she had been told to join him in order to learn about his powers. Something that’s considered a rarity on Enatis. “This is just like old times, isn’t it?” She asked him.

“Old times?” He didn’t pay much mind to what she was reminding him of. “Don’t you think we’re a little too young to feel nostalgic?”

“Well, we used to go on adventures together. In fact, I’d say that the two of us have gone through more than what most people go through in a lifetime.”

“What’s up with you?” He asked, bewildered by how she was acting. The woman seemed be to acting in her casual laid back manner than he grew accustomed when they were still partners. “Don’t try and act all buddy-buddy with me.”

“Who said this was an act?” She understood where he was coming from. “I know that you might’ve been a little hurt to learn that I joined you because of my spying duties. But I assure there was little acting involved.”

“I’m not mad about you turning out to be a spy.” He crossed his arms and turned away from her. “I’m the one that ended our partnership anyway…” His anger towards her still fresh as the day he made that declaration. “To think I actually missed you…” The boy quietly muttered.

“You can be a real challenge sometimes.” She also didn’t forget how difficult the boy could be when he didn’t want to express his true feelings. “Now that we’ve been at this festival for a while now, this event kind of reminds me of the ‘Giving Tree festival’. Do you remember that?”

“Of course I do.” He perked up at hearing that, then reminded one embarrassing detail. “Well, I remembered you poured down the ceremonial drink down my pants and told everyone I had an accident.”

“It was just a little joke.” She had forgotten about that, but hearing it again made her laugh out loud once more. “No one took me seriously anyway.”

“No wonder some call me the most humiliated wizard back home…” As much as he wished his tales of heroism were more spoken of. It seemed that news travels fast anytime she pulled a prank on him. “What’s your point of bringing that up anyway?”

“I just remembered having a lot of fun with you that day.” She wrapped an arm around his shoulder. The boy’s response to that was to inch away, nearly falling off the bench. “And I never forgot our promise.”

“You didn’t?” He got excited at her saying that, then again realize he was giving himself away. “I mean… Ahem… You didn’t?” He repeated once more, in a tone that made it sound more questioning.

“Of course.” She reached into her purse and produced a tiny wreath that could fit on one’s finger. “They seem to use a bigger version as part of their celebration here, but I guess they don’t have these smaller ones.” These were part of the tradition when one wants to make a promise to someone else. Provided that they feel the same way.

“I can’t believe you kept that.” He would’ve figured that when she did it with him, it was only to keep up with appearances.

“Like I said.” She answered as she put it on the ring finger of her right hand. “I wasn’t acting with you. Though I guess since you got mad at me the last time we saw each other, that you threw yours away.”

“I… Didn’t.” He admitted to her, reaching into his jacked to reveal where it was being kept by him. “B-but, it’s only because it’s a… Hassle to throw away.” That was an obvious lie. Not that it mattered to her one way or the other.

“Shame that the promise couldn’t be kept.” She told him. Back then, they agreed to be partners forever, even though their breakup would happen mere months later. “I guess I keep it to remind me of what could’ve been.”

“We could make another promise.” He suggested. “I mean, it’s totally not a real thing, since this world has no magic. But, I overheard from some people that if you make a promise under this tree, that it’ll come true.”

“I see, so that’s why you dragged me all the way here. You wanted to make another promise with me?” She spoke in a teasing manner, putting her face up to his.

“O-of course not. This was all just a huge coincidence.” He couldn’t look her in the eye in his response. “A-anyway, it s-supposedly wo-won’t work until they light up the star at the top.” The boy pointed up to the top of the tree, where it was still dark.

“Didn’t you just say it wouldn’t work regardless?” She caught onto his mistake, only causing him to get more flustered with talking. “Doesn’t matter anyway, since it looks like they’re about to get it lit up.” She pointed out at all the couples that were beginning to make their way towards the tree. It was clear what was about to happen, and the two of them had simply arrived a little early.

“Fine.” He relented to her, putting on his own ring. “The second it lights up, we do it and get it over with.”

“I wonder what promise we should make this time?” She pondered on the question in the little bit of time they had left.

“How about we make a wish for the other?”

“You keep changing what this tradition is. Do we make a promise, or a wish?”

“It’s doesn't matter.” He was getting tired of all her questions, mostly because he didn’t know the entire thing all that well himself. “Just take it as our gifts for each other. I’ll wish something for you, and you wish something for me.”

“Works for me.” She said, as the star on the top of the tree lit up in all its glory. The two of them hook up their pinkies and closed their eyes as they made wishes. It was only for a moment, as the pair opened their eyes up simultaneous to see the other. “So what did you wish for?”

“I was told it wouldn’t come true if you tell people about it.” He let go of her arm in an instant. Of course, while that was what he was told. The main reason for withholding that information was that he was too embarrassed to tell her the truth.

“Well then, I guess I won’t tell you what I wished for then.” She giggled. That was fine with her, now wasn’t really the time to tell him the truth anyway.