The long-awaited winter holiday eventually arrived as the students of Amanohara finished their second term examination. As promised to her mother, in exchange for the Summer Camp before, Suzuyuki had to visit her grandparents in Tokyo. This gave Renge as the club president an idea:

Why don't the Anime Manga Club attend the winter Comiket this year? 

 

Since most of the members of the AMC were third-years, it basically meant their last chance to visit the event as a club together. For that reason, the members managed to get their family's permission to be away during the New Year. It would allow them to meet up with Suzuyuki as well, as the silver-haired girl told her mother that the club members would come for club activities.

 

"You can go with your friend but have to visit all your relatives first and be present for the New Year Shrine visit." Suzuyuki's mother put these conditions to let her join in the club activities. She didn't mind Suzuyuki having fun as long as she fulfilled her responsibilities first. 

 

Winter Comiket's final day happened on New Year's Eve so Suzuyuki was on a pretty tight schedule. She told Renge beforehand so she could meet up with her that day. Renge was happy that despite Suyuzuki being so busy, they could still be together for at least a day. 

 

Ichinose Renge and the rest of the club members spend the first two days of Comiket without Suzuyuki, as they had planned on their wishlists for the event. Being from another town, it was the first Comiket for the AMC members. However, they had done their research and asked questions to others in the community channels.

 Comiket was a large event after all, and they could not get everything they wanted within a day due to the space area and the length of the queue.  Their main priority was the official corporate booths that were located in the Eastern Hall. The hall showcased a variety of airing and upcoming anime and games, as the club members split themselves into various booths so that they could purchase different items at the same time. 

 

During Day 2, they spent more of the time in the creator’s corner located in the Western Hall. It was generally less crowded than the official booth but for popular artists, the line was as long. Renge was surprised to see the number of participants there. They were excited about the event that they had waited for months, only to open their booth for one day since the artists were different every day. Not to mention, even when some of the works would be available via online pre-order, the enthusiasm of the fans to queue for the works of their favourite artists was pretty admirable. 

 

Renge had managed to purchase all of her wishlists for the second day as she was excited for the third day, in which Suzuyuki would join them. As she left the site, her phone rang as Suzuyuki called her. Renge could not help but wonder why as she picked up the phone, to find the first-year sounded eager to deliver her news.

“Onee-sama, where are you? Do you want to have dinner together?”

 

As one of her uncles was apparently overseas, Suzuyuki was already free for the evening, as she immediately knew how to spend her time on. Knowing that her onee-sama would be tired from the long day, Suzuyuki proposed to have their dinner near the venue. The other members of the AMC would join as well, as they helped to secure the seat and order the food while Renge waited for Suzuyuki in front of the restaurants. Upon sight, the overly excited girl increased her pace towards Renge, all while dragging a small luggage bag. Renge wondered what the bag was for, given how the event had practically ended and Suzuyuki would only join the third day after all, but before she could ask about it, the club members waved at them as their food had arrived.

 

Only after they finished their meal that Renge managed to bring it up. “What’s the bag for?” she asked as even when it was small, it was still a piece of hand-carry luggage instead of a bag. 

“I m staying in the hotel beside the convention hall for the night. Want to join, onee-sama? The bed can totally fit two.”

… Eh? The sudden invitation left the purple-haired girl unable to process what was happening. 

 

Renge’s silence from the confusion made Suzuyuki chuckle as she then went on to explain further.

“I told my parents that the club activities will be located on the Big Sight And since day 3 coincided with the end of the day, the driver would be on vacation. She would not let me join the morning crowd. So they booked me a hotel beside the venue.

Renge nodded in understanding as it made total sense, although in a way it was a high-risk move since Renge might not be able to accompany Suzuyuki and she would sleep alone if that happened.

But then, perhaps her mother already factorised that? There was no reason that Renge would refuse the offer, too… 

 

The other club members who heard it supported the idea as well. 

“You should accompany her, a five-star hotel is certainly better than a capsule hotel!”

“We’ll help to bring your goods to the hotel so it won’t take so much space.“

‘You’ll spend your entire day with her tomorrow anyway, right? So it’s not much different.”

All the legit reasons from the club members and Renge wanted it as well in the first place, yet she was shy to admit it. 

“F-fine, as if I can let Suzu-chan sleep alone in Tokyo, anyway.” The purple-haired girl blushed as she said that, as the others chuckled. Suzuyuki was from Tokyo in the first place after all, so they knew that Renge was just embarrassed. 

 

Renge could not help but admire the interior of the hotel and the room they were at as there were no hotels of such luxury in Kagamioka. Although, with the fact that Suzuyuki’s mother book it for her daughter, the room was… of a single bed. It was a large bed that could easily fit two, but still… Renge’s heart beat faster the closer they were to bedtime, as even them taking turns in bathing could not calm her down. It was already quite late when they met so the two went to bed immediately after their warm bath. The bed was so soft, but there was no way she could sleep with the first year laying down so close beside her. Suzuyuki just smiled as she closed her eyes, all while leaning against her onee-sama casually. Her face was so close, as Renge could not help but blush. She ended up sleeping only after midnight as even though Suzuyuki’s leaning was so warm, Renge’s heart could only calm down a couple of hours after… 

 

    Thanks to the new ticket system, the queue for the entrance was not that long. The two also bought the later hours ticket (11.00-14.00) because they did not have a wishlist on Day 3 yet, so neither of them was in a hurry. They also saved time by not needing to catch the train, as the two of them walked to the start of the queue. 

“So which Hall do you want to go to? Creators, or  Corporate?” Renge asked the younger girl as they were queuing, after seeing that the queue would split into two.

“I don’t really buy anime goods. Besides, I am always curious about what the Creators Wing looks like. Since they are the ones featured in anime, usually.”

Suzuyuki said as Renge led her to the Western Hall queue. 

Even when Suzuyuki stayed in Tokyo for 15 years, she had never been to Comiket before, so it was a brand new experience for her. As they entered the large hall, it got relatively warmer because of the heater and the abundance of people inside; exhibitors and visitors alike. The map they had gotten earlier was pretty helpful in exploration. Even without any wishlist, the silver-haired girl seemed to enjoy her first Comiket ever. 

Although, all of the roaming around certainly tire Suzuyuki more than Renge, especially since the latter had gotten used to the crowd of the previous days. “I’m going to rest for a bit, onee-sama. I’ll see you at the outdoor venue.” Suzuyuki said as Renge still needed to buy some stuff for her friends in Amanohara after all. 

“Sure, I’ll inform you when I am done. It should not take long, given how they are in the same block” Renge waved to the first-year as they temporarily part ways. 

 

It took Renge longer than expected as the queue was pretty long. She went outside to the point that Suzuyuki had shared with her 15 minutes ago, and hoped that the first year did not roam further. Walking faster as she did not want the girl to wait longer. Renge found Suzuyuki standing up in a circle as she was apparently talking to… a group of cosplayers?

Ah, right. The outdoor is the cosplay area. Renge thought to herself while noticing that the cosplayers that Suzuyuki talked with were dressing up as characters from an airing yuri anime. As she did not want to interrupt their conversation, Renge walked to Suzuyuki’s point of view, while waving at her.  

Suzuyuki, who noticed Renge immediately, got overly excited as she waved in return. “Onee-sama, come here! It’s a cosplay from Rico2!”

“Onee-sama?” The two cosplayers chuckled softly as Renge got all flustered. 

This girl, really! It’s a public place! Renge tried to remain calm as she approached the three girls. “Sorry to make you wait, I’m all done.” Renge smiled as she now stood beside Suzuyuki. 

“Nice to meet both of you. Thank you for accompanying my kouhai.” Renge tried to act it cool as she decided to join in and act her part as the elegant onee-sama, as there was no way she could back out at this point in front of the cosplayers. 

“Since you’re here, let’s take a photo together, onee-sama!” Suzuyuki said in high spirit; at this rate, there was no way Renge could try to stop her. 

As they used a timed camera, the poses were more flexible than a simple selfie. 

The cosplayers were following their characters’ signature pose of facing each other and holding hands as Suzuyuki looked at Renge with a hopeful smile, wanting to imitate the said pose. Renge definitely could not refuse the puppy eyes stare as she held Suzuyuki’s hands while staring at the first year. Her heart beat faster as the camera timer was the longest 10 seconds she had ever felt. 

 

Suzuyuki and Renge thanked the cosplayer for their time after they were done. It was close to lunchtime, as well. Before they part ways, the cosplayers gave their cosplay cards just in case the two girls wanted to cosplay. “Both of you would look nice cosplaying together,” they said, as Renge blushed when she heard that. She had never considered cosplaying even when she liked anime and manga. Suzuyuki on the other hand was already imagining a paired cosplay with her onee-sama (although Renge was already staring at her with a ‘No’ look …)

 

As Renge did not have any more wishlists, the two girls went to the food area. They regrouped to eat lunch with the other club members. Not forgetting to take a group photo after for the club archive, since it was a club activity anyway. It could also be used as proof to reimburse their accommodation to the school using the club budget. The lack of a seating area made them choose food that was easy and quick to eat, as the girls munched on their hamburgers. The club members split their way again after lunch since their club activities were more or less done. 

 

In the afternoon, many of the popular booths had sold out. As a result, the crowd had started to disperse, as the main hall was more vacant than before. Suzuyuki had yet wanted to leave as she wanted to spend most of their time, so she walked around together with Renge to take a look at what was left.

In one of the corners, Suzuyuki noticed a booth that had yet to sell out. The preview image on the circle’s banner was from a yuri series, and it seemed like the new book was about the famous magical girl anime. The art was so good though, as Suzuyuki wondered why it was not sold out.

Renge just observed the girl from behind as she talked to the artist. It seemed that the work did not sell because the pairing of the two idols that she picked was not a popular one. Yet she explained it with such details, all while Suzuyuki nodded in agreement after hearing the descriptions. Renge was smiling as she observed the two fangirls for a while; even when the explanation confused her, at least she saw Suzuyuki genuinely having fun in the event. Renge was worried that the crowds would tire the first year out but she was glad that it was not the case.

Suzuyuki ended up getting a copy of the art book as the artist helped to sign it. “Please keep this safe for me, onee-sama. I can’t bring this to my house, so I’ll get it from you in Kagamioka later.” Suzuyuki smiled as she passed it to Renge for safe keep. 

Perhaps it was because it’s Comiket, or that Suzuyuki just casually said it multiple times, but Renge started to get used to being called as onee-sama on the event. She reminded her not to say it once they left the hall though, as Suzuyuki just chuckled while they left the hall after they were done with Comiket. 

 

The location of the hotel was a total bliss after they were done with the event, as the two tired girls walked at ease towards their room. The two of them had some time to rest before they go to the shrine at night, after all. Not forgetting to rinse their body before tossing herself to bed, Renge planned to nap a little, yet perhaps because of her lack of sleep, Renge ended up sleeping in. Suzuyuki did not wake Renge up because she knew how tired it was of her onee-sama to attend the full three days of Comiket. 

 

Renge eventually woke up close to dinner time as Suzuyuki was still seated on the other side of the bed, staring at her sleeping face with a smile. The purple-haired girl blushed as she got up, “It’s already dark? I need to get ready-”

Suzuyuki had messaged her family that she would just be home after dinner time, so the two girls ended up eating on their way to the city area. The places were pretty lively as people gathered in the city for the New Year countdown. Even Suzuyuki was impressed by the vibe as generally, she would just be at home to avoid the crowd until the shrine visit. At least Suzuyuki managed to reserve a seat in a restaurant she often frequented, so the two of them could eat at ease.

 

The Yanagi Family’s Tokyo house was… pretty different from the one in Kagamioka. Instead of a large house, it was located in a luxury apartment building. Yet, because the unit was two-storeyed, it did feel like a house inside the tall rise building. Renge apologised to Suzuyuki’s parents for her lateness causing their daughter to miss the family dinner, but they did not seem to mind. Instead, they introduced Renge to Suzuyuki’s grandparents who were apparently staying there as well. The compliments that they (and Suzuyuki) gave to Renge when they described her to the grandparents. Especially when Suzuyuki’s grandmother thanked her for being a good senpai to her grandaughter-  Renge had always thought that she did not do anything much for Suzuyuki. 

 

As they reached the household rather late, it did not take long for them to start preparing for the shrine visit. Renge borrowed a kimono from Suzuyuki’s house, although eventually need to settle with her mom’s given how she was more of a similar size. Renge was afraid that the floral design would not suit her but Suzuyuki’s admiration reassured her that it was fine. Purple definitely suited her onee-sama, after all.

 The Yanagi family and Renge walked to the neighbourhood shrine not far from the apartment unit, as it was a private shrine the crowd was not much. Renge stayed with Suzuyuki as their neighbours walked in to chat with them, mostly asking about Suzuyuki’s time in Kagamioka. She replied with how she loved her school life, and before she mentioned how she met her onee-sama in Amanohara, the New Year countdown had begun. 

“Happy New Year!” 

The visitors of the shrine congratulated each other right and left before queuing to pray for another eventful year. As it was a row of two, Suzuyuki and Renge queued side by side when their time arrived, the two prayed silently. Especially Renge, who was going to graduate in the said year.

Both of them also wished to get even closer to each other. Clasping their hand at around the same time, the two of them stared at each other with a smile after making the wish, all while walking down together holding each other’s hands.

 

Thinking about it, Renge did get a Great Blessing during last year’s shrine visit. Seeing how she end up meeting Suzuyuki that year, she was certainly blessed.