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Dear Daisy,
Do you feel it? Do you feel this loneliness on this December 24th? For my part, I feel it entirely. I'm missing something... I am sorry. I'm probably ruining your Christmas Eve with my negative thoughts but... I need to tell you about it, about this emptiness and this melancholy within me...
Teru stops writing. Does she really want to send a message of its kind tonight? Daisy is probably happy surrounded by a lot of wonderful people at this hour so why would he waste his time reading his discouraging messages? He has better things to do. After hesitation but well decided, she erases all lines of her message in order to start again.
Dear Daisy,
We're already December 24th! You're living a beautiful Eve? Are you having fun? I'm sure about it. Christmas Eve evening is wonderful, an evening that we wait all year long to spend it with people we love. Moreover, it's so beautiful tonight. Large snowflakes are falling softly, decorating the streets with a magnificent white carpet; Streetlights are warmly illuminating passages and...
Teru stops writing again. This message is not her; She doesn't like this one. Since when she's so reluctant in writing messages to Daisy? She feels so comfortable with him. She has this feeling... as if she can talk about anything and everything... even reveal her biggest secrets. His presence at the other end of the phone is comforting. She erases all lines of her message another time and starts again for the third time.
Dear Daisy,
It's snowing. It's beautiful. It seems like White Christmas has something magical. It's not cold, the wind is soft. It's so pleasant. I would like to be surrounded right now., even by only one person. I would like to spend this Eve with someone...
Suddenly, she thinks about Kurosaki. She shakes her head while calling herself an idiot to chase the boy's face out of her mind. Why is she thinking about him? Teru looked up to the sky. Some delicate crystallized snowflakes fall on his face. It's cold but calmative. The fresh air she breathes seems to run through her entire body cleaning all the parts, even the smallest. She resumes thinking of this boy ...What is he doing on this evening? Is he with some friends? With his family? He does not seem to be the one who socializes with everyone but... It's an important evening. He must... of course. «and then what... why I'm thinking about... It's not like I want to see him...» she thinks. She lowers her head and continues the message.
You know Daisy... we often wonder what it all means; Lots of friends, the family, all the festivities, we always end up alone at the end. Perhaps even do we just spend the whole evening sit alone on a half-plowed bench in front of a convenience store still open at this late hour, having sadness for the employee who ruins his evening, at the crossroads of two totally deserted streets. Sometimes, our only need is a shoulder to lean on, with a tasty hot chocolate ahah.
Teru stops another time. «I look pitiful.» She stares at her phone screen and reads her message several times still dissatisfied. She wanted to delete the draft but leaned unintentionally on the button ''send'' Oops, she tries to go back to the previous page but the message had already finished its transfer.
Daisy, do not read the message before. It's a mistake.
She sends it immediately hoping he opens it first. «How can I be so stupid?» she wonders inside. She finds her behavior so ridiculous. She's never been like that... so ''uncertain'' «Am I afraid he stops talking to me?» she asks herself. The fear of being totally alone probably invaded her. Without Daisy she had nothing... She annoys herself then she is afraid of being a burden for him.
The minutes go by and he does not answer her. She suspects. Anyway, he must be too busy to care about her. She gets up from the bench to stretch her legs then puts her phone in the right pocket of her coat before lifting his scarf over her nose. She rubs her hands together in order to warm them up. She sits down on the bench after.
« Daisy, what exactly am I waiting for? Are you able to tell me? » Maybe she is waiting for someone in particular. Maybe she secretly wants this boy to join her. It would really surprise her anyway. He does not even know where she is, so why would he? And then, what does Kurosaki have to do with her? She was younger than him and much less mature. Why would he be interested in a girl like her on Christmas Eve? It was abuse on her part to think that she might have a small chance, as minimal as it is.
She picks up her phone even she has sworn to herself to not touch it all evening long. She checks if her confidant answered her. Negative. She sighs and puts it in the sleep mode. «Is he with Riko?» Teru wonders with a little worry that she doesn't even notice, having diverted his thoughts again towards the other boy who occupies his thoughts despite herself. Riko is older than her and probably more interesting for Kurosaki.
She shakes her head again. Why is she thinking about this stuff now? She is not in love... eh? No. It's impossible. He is too much... too much what? He is protective... she feels safe when he's there. He does not treat her like the other girls. He always makes fun of her... or with her? She does not really know. Everything is so fuzzy in his head. Her feelings are mixing up. It's not the best time to think or to make suppositions. Her only need is to repose. Christmas Eve evening... it is not the time for romantic reflections. It's a night so... magical and... filled with beautiful sparks of happiness that manifest in everyone's hearts.
Suddenly, she heard footsteps to her right that gets her out of her confused thoughts. She turns to these steps. Before she even realizes it, his heart was racing and a strange heat rose to his head. What is he doing there? Kurosaki is in front of her, with two hot chocolates in his hands. Did he telepathically find out exactly what she needed just now?
He sits down beside her and gives her a hot drink, smiling ironically at her.
''- I... hm, thank you'' she says with surprise in his voice. ''But what are you doing here?''
She stared at him, impatient to hear the reply. He is wearing his beige coat tinged with brown, collar with thin pale fur. Teru noticed the boy's tousled hair due to the hat he was probably wearing before joining her.
'' I needed to get some fresh air '' he replied.
She is strangely disappointed... It is obvious that it was not only to come to see her and offer her a hot chocolate that he came. She looks down at her cardboard glass decorated with pretty Christmas designs. Hers has a picture of the small red-nosed reindeer and beautiful big snowflakes and His has a Santa Claus pronouncing his famous Oh-Oh-Oh next to a huge pile of presents. She thought it was so cute and she loved the idea of decorating the glasses for each festivities
'' - I took two hot drinks just in case'' he declares after, with a little smile for the young girl's attention. ''I suspected that you would spend the evening alone.''
'' - How did you know I was here?''
« I know only one convenience store still open at this time at the crossroads of two streets on Christmas Eve.» reasoned the boy instead of telling her directly.
'' - I was just walking around. I was not looking for you.'' he lied to her instead.
He stopped, then resumed with his mocking smile ...
'' - It looks like you were waiting for me sitting here alone, so when I saw you, I took the lead in coming to see you.''
'' - I was not waiting for you!'' she defends herself immediately.
Kurosaki gave her his most beautiful smile which makes her crack. She quickly takes a sip of her hot chocolate, burns her tongue then chokes. She almost knocks it down but she has the right reflex at the right time.
'' - Yes, of course.'' the boy laughed, looking at her with an amused look.
''- I'm serious.''
''- And I am Santa Claus.''
He is still smiling. Rather, he laughs at her. He knows she doesn't like it but he can't help it. He finds it cute without being aware of it. Her little teenage reactions, helpless of his feelings for him. He knows it. It's been a long time since he noticed that she's in love with him. However, he just gently laughs despite her over and over again. He is far from wanting to hurt her. In addition, She is his best friend's little sister. This girl is important to him even if he hardly proved it.
'' - Listen, if you came to annoy me, you can take back the drink and leave'' Teru got angry, getting up from the bench.
'' - You tell me to leave, but you get up'' he remarked, continuing to observe her.
She looked at him, angry.
'' - It's okay. Just kidding. I'm not Santa Claus.''
'' - I know it, that's not the problem!''
Teru is silent for a few seconds before speaking again...
'' I have no head for it tonight.''
Kurosaki removed the smile that was on his face and stand-up. The teenager jumper on herself. She thinks he's angry. She steps back and stumbles. She falls on her buttocks. She manages to save her hot chocolate by raising her arm highly. The young adult hides a small laugh and then offered his hand to help her get up. Teru stares at his hand without taking it.
'' - Come on, take it. She is not mean.'' he sneers.
The brunette wonders deeply why she wanted even a thousandth of a second for him to join her that night. She must have forgotten this highly unpleasant behavior. She regrets it. - as if he appeared like that just because she wanted him - She ends up taking his hand and he helps her to get up.
'' - Your buttocks are full of snow'' Kurosaki noted, looking at her there.
She wipes herself quickly with the back of her hand then looks back at Kurosaki.
'' - Thank you for the hot chocolate, but I'm going home now. I'll repay you.''
'' - No need to repay.''
He observes her for a long time, rubs the back of his head, then decides to confess everything.
'' - Okay'' he starts saying. ''I'm sorry! I didn't plan to ruin your peace. I came with good intentions.'' he explains. '' It's stronger than me... to having the fun of you.''
A break...
'' - And besides, it's the Riko's fault! You'll go complaint to her.''
Teru look at him disconcerted. How is Riko's fault? She is not sure to follow him.
'' - Actually ... I came to get you. He has a party organized at her place. She doesn't want you to spend the evening alone.''
Kurosaki looks away. He thinks back on the stupid smile and the useless little comments of Riko aiming at his attraction for Teru. She is completely certain that he is in love with her despite the countless times that he has told her that it is downright impossible. He is not in love with this teenager ... of his deceased friend's little sister.
'' You come with me?'' he asked her then in spite of himself.
«Going with him? Huh? He wants me to accompany him?» Teru feels blush.
'' - Of course, I like Riko so much! Let's go see her! '' she replied, camouflaging her discomfort.
The adolescent girl feels a certain sorry tone in the young man's words. Is it true that he came to get her for the party? She stops asking herself questions. She wouldn't spend Christmas Eve alone and she was happier than she could believe. And she didn't know it, but he actually came just for her - even if it was thoughtless - after receiving the message she had sent in error ...