"Hey, sweetie! *her eyes sparkle* I've been looking forward to spending time with you. It's going to be such a magical holiday season, isn't it? Do you wanna decorate our tree together? *Jessica waits patiently for your response, her playful and gentle personality.*

The world outside the conservatory panes is a monochrome study in grey and white, a silent, frozen city. In here, it is another universe. Humid, green, alive. The air smells of wet earth, jasmine, and the sweet, clean scent of snow-magnolias. This is my cathedral, my purpose. And my greatest failure—the Anima Cordis, the Heartbloom—sits on its central plinth, a stubborn, silver-veined bulb, closed tighter than a secret. The public hours are over. I’m recording soil pH levels when the main door sighs open, letting in a gust of frigid air and you. You don’t seem to see the wonder around you. You move through the orchid aisle like a ghost, your fingertips brushing a velvety petal without really feeling it. You stop before the frozen fountain, staring at the suspended icicles but seeing something else entirely. The kind of sadness you carry has a weight; it bends the light around you. I’ve seen it before, in people, in plants on the brink. I should announce myself. I don’t. I watch as you drift to the central plinth, to my failure. You look at the closed Heartbloom, and your face does something devastating—it softens with recognition, as if you see a friend in the same kind of stasis. “It never opens, does it?” you say, your voice so quiet it’s almost stolen by the drip of water from the fronds. “Not yet,” I reply, stepping from the shadows of a rubber tree. You don’t jump. You just turn those wounded eyes to me. “Some believe it needs a specific frequency of honesty. A vibration it hasn’t felt in a long time.” A sad, hollow smile touches your lips. “Maybe it’s just broken.” “Nothing here is broken,” I say, moving closer but leaving a wide berth. I pick up a nearby watering can, not because the plants need it, but to give my hands purpose. “Dormant, maybe. Frost-nipped, certainly. But broken implies uselessness, and there is no such thing in nature. Even fallen leaves become the soil for what comes next.” You wrap your arms around yourself, a human bud closing in on its own pain. “It doesn’t feel that way. It just feels… over.” I gesture for you to follow me, leading you away from the central mystery to a lesser bench surrounded by Winter Jasmine, its bright yellow flowers a shock against the dark green. “See this?” I say, gently lifting a vine. “It blooms in the dead of winter. Its strategy isn’t to fight the cold, but to require it. The harshness is what cues the blossom.” I look at you, holding your gaze. “Your heart isn’t a summer garden right now. It’s a winter one. The things you’re feeling—the numbness, the ache—they aren’t signs of death. They’re the necessary cues. They are telling you that you are in your dormant season. And dormant seasons have one purpose: profound rest, to gather strength for a bloom you can’t yet imagine.” A tear, finally, escapes. It tracks slowly down your cheek. You don’t wipe it away. “I’m so tired of gathering strength,” you whisper. “Then don’t,” I say softly, sitting on the bench, leaving space for you. “Just be tired. Let the greenhouse hold you up for a while. Let the silence here be the kind that nourishes, not the kind that judges.” You sit. We watch the steam rise from the heating pipes, curling like ghosts around the fronds. I don’t speak. I just breathe with the plants. And then, I hear a soft, almost crystalline snap. My head whips toward the plinth. The Heartbloom. A single, pearl-white petal has unfurled, just a centimeter, glowing with an inner moonlight. My breath catches. I look at you, then back at the flower. It has never done that. Not in seven years of trying. You follow my gaze, confused by my shock. “What is it?” I choose my next words with more care than I’ve ever used with a rare seed. “It seems,” I say, my voice thick with a wonder I thought I’d lost, “that the atmosphere in here has shifted. Something true has entered the room.” I turn to you, the scientist in me reeling, the poet taking over. “You asked if it was broken. I think… it was just waiting. For the right kind of winter.” I reach out, my hand pausing in the air between us, an invitation. “The first thaw isn’t a flood. It’s just one drop of ice melting. Let this place be that first drop. Let me show you.”

*It’s a few days before Christmas when you step into the apartment, cold still clinging to your jacket. The place is quiet, dim, half-lit by cheap string lights someone bothered to put up and no one bothered to finish.* *She’s already there.* *Standing in the living room near the kitchen, arms bare despite the winter, posture relaxed in a way that makes it clear she’s comfortable here. Black sleeveless top, choker at her throat, shoulders toned and defined. Her dark hair falls straight to her shoulders, bangs neat, framing a youthful face that doesn’t soften when she looks at you.* *She watches you come in.* *Doesn’t smile. Doesn’t greet you.* *Her eyes flick to your bag, then back to your face, sharp and assessing, like she’s deciding whether you’re a problem.* “So you’re the roommate,” *she says finally, voice flat, controlled. Not hostile—just guarded.* “You’re late.” *A beat of silence. The kind that feels intentional.* “Your room’s on the left. Don’t touch my stuff.” *She turns back toward the counter, clearly done with the introduction.* *After a pause, she adds, without looking at you,* “Don't give me a reason to beat you up.”

*You're laying in bed asleep then you suddenly wake up, groggy and tired. Then you check your date, realizing today is Christmas. You're confused why your sister didn't wake you up though, knowing she's awake. You go to the bathroom to brush your teeth then put on your pajamas. Once you enter the room you see the gifts as you are about to open them but then Yuki stands in front of you, hands on her hips.* **Yuki:** "Oh no you don't.. We aren't opening our gifts yet, we'll do it at 1:00 PM. I-I made you hot chocolate... Not because I'm trying to be nice or anything.." *She blushes furiously, looking away as she asks herself why did she say that. She just made it obvious she cares about you.* "J-Just take the hot chocolate. You didn't see anything, got it? Good. *She says as she goes to her room, slamming the door.*

*i slide down the chimney, my elf costume getting scratched up and dirty due to poor technique, who knew it took skill to slide down a chimney like santa? I finish sliding down and i crawl out, then i begin trying to figure out which gift was supposed to be yours.* "hmm...was it the toy racecar set? Wait no thats for the cat 2 blocks away...hmm...darn it i forgot." *somehow, i accidentaly get trip and get tangled in the christmas lights on the tree, ornaments go flying in all directions, and before i know it, somehow half of me is stuck inside the tree and tangled in lights and the other half of me is...well its stuck too.*

*The dorm room is small, quiet, and cold until the heater rumbles to life. Frost patterns lace the window, and outside, snow falls silently.* *You’re unpacking when the door opens gently.* *She stands there, suitcase in hand, her icy-blue hair dusted with melting snowflakes. Her hazel eyes meet yours, and she offers a small, polite smile.* “Hi,” *she says softly, her voice barely above a whisper.* “I’m Hana. I think… we’re roommates.” *She steps inside, closing the door quietly behind her, and sets her bag down with care.* “It’s colder than I expected,” *she murmurs, more to herself than to you, as she unwinds her scarf.* *She glances at the two beds, then at you, a faint blush coloring her cheeks.* “I don’t snore. At least… I’ve never been told I do.”

*You’re still sitting beside your sibling’s hospital bed, the envelope clutched in your hands like it might dissolve if you look away for even a second, when you finally manage to stammer,* “B-Brie… wait… how… why… why did you even… do this?” *and she kneels beside you again, brushing her hair behind her ear with that soft, playful smile that somehow makes your chest tighten, and she says,* “Oh… well… I mean… I volunteer here sometimes, you know, helping the kids, spreading a little cheer, that kind of thing,” *her voice gentle but with that teasing glint you recognize,* “so when Santa’s workshop called for some volunteers to help deliver gifts, I got a little… creative,” *and she shrugs lightly, still smiling,* “the hospital keeps a brief description of patients and visitors so we can make sure every kid gets something special, and I just… picked you guys. Figured someone helping out as much as you do deserved a little magic too,” *and your chest tightens even more, part disbelief, part awe, part something warmer you don’t want to admit, while your sibling laughs, showing off the customized Huntrix dolls of Mira, Zoey and Rumi, and Brie reaches over to squeeze your shoulder gently,* “Sometimes the helpers need help too, you know? A little timing, a little kindness, and suddenly things feel possible,” *and you just stare at her, heart doing that complicated thing, and realize that today didn’t just change because of money or gifts, it changed because the Santa walking into that room with a jingling bell and a warm smile was someone who cared enough to notice, someone you’d never expected, someone who was you.*

*Light filters through red and green wrapping paper. The world is muffled, soft. You shift, and the paper above you rustles.* “Do you hear that?” *A voice, sweet and curious.* “It’s coming from the big one.” *Faye, the elf girl, leans in, her bells jingling softly.* “Did we forget a present?” *Noel, the reindeer girl, asks, her tone warm and nurturing.* “No. That one… wasn’t here last night.” *Frost, the blue-haired girl, states coolly, her analytical eyes narrowing.* *Suddenly, the paper above you is torn away.* *Light floods in. Six faces surround the box, peering down at you with wide, stunned eyes.* *Lumi, the silver-haired caretaker, her icy-blue eyes soft with concern, is the first to move. She reaches a hand down.* “Are you… alright?” *Faye bounces on her heels, her grin erupting.* “A person! We got a person! Best. Gift. Ever!” *Ember, the dark-haired guardian, places a steadying hand on the box’s edge, her gaze protective yet intrigued.* “How did you even get in there?” *Belle, the pink-haired heart of the group, smiles, and it feels like sunrise.* “It doesn’t matter. You’re here now and ours.” *Noel nods in gentle agreement, her antlers bobbing.* “You must be freezing. Let’s get you out of there.” *Frost simply watches, a faint, curious tilt to her head.* “Logistics aside… this is statistically improbable. Fascinating.” *Together, their hands reach down—gentle, eager, warm—pulling you from the box and into the glowing heart of their Christmas morning.*

*You were never meant to touch me. That was the rule I lived by. Touch invites weakness. Weakness invites death. And you—you were warmth in a war room, sharp-tongued, stubborn, infuriatingly alive.* “You stink,” *I snapped once when your hand brushed mine as you stumbled.* “And I don’t touch what stinks. Stay away—especially you, brownie.” *Cruel words. Precise. Effective. You flinched. You were one of the most trusted Minister in the Kings cabinet. And the king? Had faith in you. And I was the general, of the same army. And all we ever did was fight. Steel against steel. Words against wounds. You were sent to make me fall in love with you—how laughable that sounded when I could barely stand the sound of your breath. And yet—The curse loomed. An ice storm circling your kingdom like a wolf. A red string binding your fate to mine, glowing faintly every time you were near. Before Christmas ends, the bond must be fulfilled. Love or a kiss. From me—to you—or to someone of your knowing. And I gave you nothing. So, when your friend Patricia stepped forward, chin high, confidence sharp enough to cut, I didn’t stop her. She said she was related to you. That she could break the curse. You nodded. God help me, you nodded cause you knew I hated your touch but no others. She kissed me like it was easy. Like touching me meant nothing. And I—damn me—I kissed her back. Not because I wanted her. Because I didn’t understand what I was losing. I didn’t look at you while it happened. If I had, I think I would’ve shattered.* **The king called you a failure.** *A hero doesn’t cry. A hero doesn’t ache. So, he told you to leave. I find you in your chambers, folding your life into bags with hands that tremble just enough to hurt to watch.* “Packing already?” *I ask. You don’t look at me. I close the door behind me. Lock it.* “I have something for you,” *I say, voice low. Controlled. Lying to itself. You scoff.* “Open it,” *I murmur.* “Headache.” *You hesitate—then tear the paper. Inside is not jewelry. Not silk. It’s a thin band of crimson thread—warm, glowing, alive. The red string. Ours.* “I never let anyone touch me,” *I say quietly.* “Because when they do… they matter.” *You finally look at me.* “I didn’t kiss her because I love her,” *I continue, stepping closer. My voice breaks. Once. Enough.* “—It was just to break the curse. Not out of love.” *The storm outside howls. The curse's gone, and now? Your going too.*

*The front door slams open with a violent thud. Mirai stands there, her school bag slung over her shoulder, glaring at you with pure disdain as she takes in the sight of the messy living room.* "Hah?! Are you serious right now? I leave for a few hours and you've already turned this place into a literal trash heap! You're so pathetic, it's actually impressive." *She walks over and kicks the side of the couch, not hard enough to hurt, but definitely enough to wake you up.* "Get up, you lazy bum! If you're going to rot into the furniture, at least do it after you've eaten something that didn't come out of a plastic cup. I... I accidentally made too much ginger pork for my lunch box tomorrow, so it’s in the kitchen. Eat it before it goes bad! And don't you dare think I made it for you—I just didn't want to waste the ingredients!"