It’s finally here. The accursed Christmas Eve. Unlike previous years, I probably won’t see a lot of couples if I head outside, but I’m not going to take my chance. New couples can be born while bypassing the loopholes of my wish, and they might be celebrating their first Christmas together right now as I’m rotting inside my room.

   My phone rings all of a sudden. I pick it up and look at the screen. It’s Masato.

   ‘What do you want?’ I ask him after answering the call.

   ‘Hey, the rest of the class is having a Christmas party tonight. You want to come over?’ he asks me.

   ‘Are you serious? You actually want me to come to a party attended by mostly normies?’

   You guys won’t know this since I didn’t cover it, but majority of my classmates have reconciled with their other half after getting advise from the Love Consultation Club. There are still cases we couldn’t solve like Kanae’s, but the atmosphere around Class 1-1 had been more disgustingly lovey-dovey these days.

   ‘We promise that we’re not going to flirt in front of you, okay?’

   ‘What’s with the sudden consideration?’ I ask suspiciously.

   ‘That’s because we’re grateful to you. Most of us in the class managed to make up with our other half because you were there to help us.’

   Well you won’t be as grateful if you ever find out that I was the one who made all of you break up in the first place.

   ‘So, are you coming?’ he asks persistently. ‘Come on! It’ll be fun!’

   ‘Alright, alright. I’ll go.’ I relent.

   I don’t really want to, but I had a feeling that they’ll come and knock on my door if I don’t show up.

   ‘Great to hear that! We’re meeting up at Kazuki’s house tonight at seven o-clock, okay? And remember to buy a present for the gift exchange.’

   ‘...We’re doing a gift exchange too?’

   ‘That’s right. And on that note, don’t get something weird you hear? Like the one you bought during the last party we had.’

   ‘Oh come on, it wasn’t that bad.’

   ‘It was and you know it! Now promise me.’

   ‘I’ll try.’

   I disconnect the phone call and sigh. So much for staying in my apartment for the whole day.

   After I ate my lunch, I head outside so that I could buy a Christmas present. The problem is I don’t even know how to start. What kind of gift am I supposed to buy for a freaking present exchange session? Knowing the recipient of the present is difficult already unless you know that person really well, but this is on a whole new level of difficulty.

   ‘Looking for a present to give someone?’ someone ask me from behind as I was browsing through the display shelves inside a shopping mall.

   I recognize that voice all too well. I don’t want to turn around, but turn around I did since I don’t want to be rude. Yup, it’s Ogasawara alright.

   ‘Hey there, Ogasawara. You too?’

   ‘Nope. I’m just walking around all by myself.’

   ‘...I see.’

   Even I’m not insensitive to ask her ‘Even on Christmas Eve?’. I’m not that cruel. She deserves some slack after Hamasaki and Tsutsumi became a couple.

   ‘Do you know what you’re getting?’ she asks me.

   ‘Not a single clue. I’m supposed to get one for a present exchange.’

   ‘For a specific person?’

   ‘No. From the way my friend worded it, it’s going to be random.’

   ‘Ah. That’s definitely a tough one. You want my opinion?’

   ‘Sure.’

   ‘Don’t think too hard about it. Just imagine the happy face of the person that might end up getting your gift, and you’ll do fine.’

   ‘But I want to see them getting grossed out, not happy.’

   ‘...You don’t get invited to a lot of parties, do you?’

   ‘Nope. This is my first one in years.’

   ‘Alright. Fine. Just pick something that you want to receive.’

   ‘You know, my friend gave me the same advise when I was having trouble choosing a present for the last Christmas party I went.’

   ‘And what did you ended up buying?’

   ‘A jack-in-the-box, except I replaced the clown with a really gross and realistic-looking rotten human head.’

   She covers her face with both her hands.

   ‘Tell me. Should I get grossed out, should I cry, or should I laugh? I honestly can’t decide.’

   ‘You can laugh. But don’t do it too loudly or you might attract unwanted attention.’

   In the end, she just continued with giving me opinion instead of doing any of the things she mentioned.

   ‘Right. Let’s start this again. Buy something simple and plain. It doesn’t have to be expensive and stay away from anything weird. Do. You. Understand?’ she asks the last part really slowly like she’s talking to an idiot.

   ‘I understand.’

   ‘Do you?’

   ‘I’m absolutely positive.’

   ‘Good. Go ahead then.’

   In the end, I chose a white ceramic cup with a handle on the side. It doesn’t have any weird patterns on it. Heck, it doesn’t have any design on it. It’s simple, plain, cheap and above all not weird. I paid for it and have it put inside a box, then wrapped and tied up with wrapping paper and ribbon.

   ‘You didn’t get anything weird, right?’ she asks me when I come back.

   ‘Yup. In fact, this is the most normal one I ever bought.’

   ‘I shudder to think what other grotesque presents you bought. Anyway, now that you’re done shopping, I guess I’ll be seeing you.’

   ‘Are you going somewhere?’

   ‘No. I’ll just hang around here until it’s dinner time, and then I’ll head home.’

   ‘If you don’t have anything better to do, do you want to come to the party as well?’

   ‘Huh? What’s with the sudden invitation? If you’re planning to thank me for giving you advise on choosing a present, there’s no need for that.’

   ‘You looked so lonely I thought you might want to join a part and mingle with some strangers.’

   She looks absolutely shocked.

   ‘I-I do?’

   ‘Yup. You had been looking like that ever since we started talking. Honestly, it’s getting kind of painful to watch.’

   She lets out a sigh. ‘Juri told me on more than one occasions that I always show my emotions through my facial expressions. I guess I need to take up acting one of these days. And while I’m at it, I also need to stop saying the first thing that comes to my mind.’

   ‘What for? If that’s who you are, you don’t have to go out of your way to change it.’

   ‘But, I’ve hurt a lot of people by being too direct.’

   Believe me, I know that all too well. I was one of your victim, after all. But you don’t have to know that.

   ‘So? Are you coming or not?’

   ‘Well, sure I guess. Beats being all alone at my house.’

   I’m not even going to ask her where her parents are since things might get too touchy.

   ‘Roger that. I’ll call my friend right now and tell him to prepare food for another person, while you pick a present for the present exchange.’

   ‘Okay.’

   I take out my phone and calls Masato.

   ‘Please don’t tell me that you’re not coming. We’ve already prepared your share of the food.’ he pleads the moment he picks up the phone.

   ‘On the contrary, I called to tell you that I’m bringing someone over, so more food might be needed.’ I tell him.

   ‘Wait. Wait wait wait wait wait. You’re actually bringing a guest over to a party? You?’

   ‘Is there a problem?’

   ‘Not at all. I’m just, well, surprised. Don’t worry about the food. I’m pretty sure we’ll end up having leftovers. Just bring…whoever it is that you’re going to bring.’

   ‘Got it.’

   It didn’t take long for Ogasawara to choose her mystery present and had it wrapped. In fact, she was much faster than I am.

   ‘How are you done so quickly?’ I couldn’t help but ask.

   ‘Let’s just say that I have experience in this. Unlike a certain someone.’

   ‘Point taken.’

   ‘By the way, what time is the party?’

   ‘Seven o’clock.’

   She looks at her watch. ‘There’s still a few hours left then, unless the venue is quite far away.’

   ‘Not at all. It’s only ten to twenty minutes walk from here.’

   ‘Then shall we walk around and kill some time?’

   I shrug. ‘If you don’t mind being caught seen with me, then sure.’

   ‘So, where should we go?’ she asks me once we’re outside the mall.

   ‘The arcade.’

   ‘Why there?’

   ‘Trust me.’

   Once we get to the nearest one, I bring her to a punching machine. After she saw the machine, she walks over wordlessly and puts in some coin so that she can play it. She then puts on the provided punching glove.

   For the next few minutes, Ogasawara punches the punching bag on the machine furiously like it’s her mortal enemy. She eventually stops.

   ‘Satisfied?’ I ask her. 

   She shakes her head and takes out the glove regretfully.

   ‘Not really. My hands start to hurt, so I had to stop.’ she replies.

   Even though she said that, her expression looks much more refreshed.

   ‘You want to play some shooting games?’ I suggest.

   ‘Sure. Let’s do this.’

   We played a shooting game where we use huge, heavy guns to obliterate huge, heavy armies of robots. Myself aside, Ogasawara is surprisingly good at this, and we managed to clear the entire game without dying even once.

   ‘Phew. That was fun.’ she says as she puts back the gun.

   ‘You’re quite good at this.’ I comment.

   ‘Well, Ryoma and I used to play shooting games together while Juri watched.’ she reminiscences.

   And she got depressed again.

   ‘Sorry. I shouldn’t talk about another guy while I’m hanging out with you.’ she apologizes.

   ‘It’s fine. I understand that you can’t get over your old crush that easily.’

   ‘I’m trying my best to forget about him. I really am. But I just can’t.’

   ‘That’s why you should meet new people. Who knows, you might find someone you end up falling in love with at one of the parties you attend.’

   I pause.

   ‘Just, not the one later. Majority of the guys there already have girlfriends, while the rest still can’t get over their ex.’

   Ogasawara raises her eyebrow. ‘Are you saying that all the guys in your class has a current or ex-girlfriend except for you?’

   ‘Yup. And it’s not just the guys. Girls too. Well, until Suzu transferred here.’

   ‘Must have been tough.’

   ‘You got that right.’

   ‘Well, I more or less understand your pain.’

   To spend the remaining time, we end up buying a warm drink and head to the nearest playground. We then sit down and start complaining about the normies around us.

   ‘Seriously, will it kill them to stop flirting for one minute? Don’t they know how disgusting they are?’ I rant.

   ‘I know, right? I wish they could just get a room!’ Ogasawara adds angrily. ‘They’re just rubbing it on those who are still single, for crying out loud!’

   ‘To make things worse, they’ll constantly tell you about all the dates they went. WHO CARES?’

   ‘No one, I say! Just keep it to yourself! And the worst part is, they’ll forget that they’re ever friends with you the moment they found their own happiness! And when they want to brag, all of a sudden they remember you! Traitors!’

   ‘We don’t want to hear your bloody love stories!’

   ‘That’s right! That’s right!’

   ‘Normies go explode!’

   ‘KABOOM!’

   In case you’re wondering, we didn’t get any alcoholic drink, so we’re completely sober.

   In the end, we decide to go the the party since the sky has gone dark, and it’s getting much colder outside. When we reached Kazuki’s house, I just open up the gate and let ourselves in.

   ‘Shouldn’t we at least ring the doorbell?’ Ogasawara asks me.

   ‘There’s no need for that. I’ve been here so many times they actually told me that I can treat this house like my own place.’

   I see lots of shoes on the entrance to the hallway, so I take it that we’re not the only ones who are early. We also hear lots of talking further back at the house. After we take off our shoes, I bring Ogasawara to the living room. Quite a number of people is inside, and all of them are extremely surprised to see me with a girl. Kanae was the quickest one to response.

   ‘Bandou-kun! How could you? You already have Suzu-chan, and you still went and got yourself another girlfriend?’ she accuses me.

   ‘For the last time, Suzu and I aren’t going out. We’re just friends. As for Ogasawara here, we’re just acquaintances.’ I explain to her patiently.

   ‘How could you, Takkun~?’ Suzu sniffles.

   ‘Don’t you make things more complicated.’

   While everyone is looking at Ogasawara, she bows at them politely.

   ‘My name is Ogasarawa Iori. Nice to meet you all!’ she tells them with a smile.

   All of them applause politely and welcome her with warm words.

   ‘You didn’t get anything weird, did you?’ Masato asks me while looking at the present I’m holding suspiciously.

   ‘Nope.’

   ‘Ogasarawa-san?’

   ‘I didn’t exactly see what he bought, but I can assure you that he didn’t go to any corner with weird items.’

   ‘Okay then.’

   ‘Don’t you trust me, Masato?’

   ‘Look man, I got plenty of reasons to be doubtful of you. I still got nightmares even after all these years!’

   ‘You have my condolences.’

   ‘Don’t say things that you don’t mean.’

   ‘What exactly are you guys talking about?’ Takeuchi asks curiously.

  ‘Oh, right. You only joined us after high school.’ I recall. ‘the thing is-’

   ‘Nothing! It’s nothing at all!’ Masato quickly stops me.

   ‘Oh come on, you could at least tell me, right?’ Takeuchi pouts.

   ‘But it’s really embarrassing…’

   ‘Okay, now I want to know even more.’

   ‘Um, maybe one day. Anyway…’

   Masato takes the presents brought by Ogasawara and I and put a sticky note on them with a number on it. He then puts it on a table with the rest of the presents.

   I turn my attention to the food piled on the dining table. Heck, I’ve been holding back ever since I smelled the aroma. Let’s see, there’s potato salad, some fried chicken from that famous fast food chain, breaded shrimp…

   I immediately picks one up by the tail and chomps it down.

   ‘Hey, no snacking before everyone got here.’ Kazuki scolds when he caught me.

   ‘Sorry, man. You know I can’t resist breaded shrimp.’

   ‘Everyone else is hungry too. Be like them and wait patiently.’

   ‘Everyone?’

   ‘Yes, everyone.’

   ‘Even her?’

   I point at Suzu who’s trying to stay hidden so that she could get a piece of garlic bread.

   ‘Yoshinaga-san!’

   ‘Boo~. Why did you have to expose me, Takkun~?’ Suzu pouts.

   ‘Says the one who tried to use me as a distraction so that she could get some food herself.’

   ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about~.’

   ‘Just stay away from the dining table until it’s time to eat, got it?’ Kazuki tells us.

   ‘Sure.’

   ‘Got it~.’

   While waiting for the others to arrive, I sit down right in front of the wall while doing nothing. Meanwhile, Ogasawara is chatting away happily with my classmates like they’ve known each other for years.

   The final person to arrive is Kato.

   ‘About time you showed up.’ I tell him.

   ‘You’re late, Kato. Were you busy with something?’ Masato asks him.

   ‘Sorry, sorry. I was busy with my job. I rushed here the first chance I got.’ he apologizes.

   ‘Can we eat now?’ I ask Kazuki.

   ‘Of course. Dig in.’

   So I did. In fact, everyone else did the same. While we’re eating, Kazuki plays Christmas songs from his Smart Television.

   ‘By the way, where are your parents?’ I ask him.

   ‘They went out for a fancy dinner. They figured that we would be uncomfortable if they’re around.’

   ‘What nonsense. You should have insisted them to stay and enjoy this party with us.’

   ‘I think they also wanted to spent a night out just by their own.’

   ‘Oh, that’s different then.’

   I look at Ogasawara. She’s eating her food quietly while listening to Suzu and Kanae debate about different manga genres. Not that I really care, but I hope that they won’t corrupt her too much.

   ‘I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who’s curious about the relationship between the two of you.’ Masato tells me.

   I shrug. ‘It’s nothing special. She was my client at the Love Consultation Club. Her love failed to blossom, and she was wandering around the street all by herself. I took pity on her and invited her to this party.’

   ‘Aww, that’s it? I was expecting you two to be the less than lovers but more than friends thing.’ Takeuchi says while looking disappointed.

   ‘Don’t you start. We only need one Kanae around here.’

   After we’ve eaten, it’s time for the present exchange. Kazuki takes out a large square box with a round hole on top.

   ‘Here’s how this works. All of us take turn in drawing a number from this box, and you will get the present marked with the same number.’ he explains.

   I ended up getting Ogasawara’s present, and she got mine.

   ‘Huh. How appropriate.’ she says when she opens the present and sees the cup I bought.

   As for me, I got a aroma candle stand along with a dozen candles .

   ‘Hope you’ll like them. They’re lavender scented.’ she tells me.

   The party ended soon after the present exchange. Bit by bit, we leave Kazuki’s house. I made sure to walk together with Ogasawara until she reaches the train station.

   ‘How was the party?’ I ask her along the way.

   ‘It was fun. I managed to made a few friends.’

   I shudder. ‘Sometimes, you extroverts really scare me with the speed you managed to make friends.’

   ‘It’s not that difficult, you know.’

   ‘Could have fooled me. I would have gotten more than 100 friends if what you said was true.’

   ‘You could start by changing that twisted nature of yours.’

   ‘Remember what I said earlier?’

   ‘You mean the part where you don’t have to change who you are even if it’s hurting others?’

   ‘Yup.’

   ‘I’m pretty sure yours should be changed.’

   ‘Nope. Not going to.’

   She lets out a sigh. ‘I pity your current friends, along with those new ones you’re going to make in the future.’

   ‘Well, your definition of friend and mine are totally different.’

   ‘I’m sure it is.’

   During that night, I lighted one of the candle I got from Ogasawara. I’ve always been sceptical of these things, but they actually work for real. I haven’t been able to sleep soundly like this in ages.