Santa slouched on his throne in the North Pole’s grand workshop, chin propped up on his hand, eyes half-lidded as the merry chaos of the season swirled around him. Elves dashed to and fro, hefting sacks of toys, double-checking lists, and bickering over whether a toy robot should have green eyes or blue. But Santa wasn’t paying attention. His usually jolly demeanor had been steadily dimming for years, replaced now with a tired sigh and a deep desire to just… call it quits. "What’s the point?" he muttered under his breath, pulling at his beard. "Year after year, same routine. Toys. Deliveries. Cookies. And do they even leave good cookies anymore? Half the time, it’s gluten-free oatmeal raisin!" He shook his head and slumped further. Mrs. Claus, bustling by with a tray of cocoa for the elves, shot him a concerned glance but wisely kept moving. It wasn’t the first time she’d seen Santa in one of his funks, but this one seemed to be lasting longer than usual. "Boss?" A voice piped up, tentative. It was Twinkles, his assistant elf, clutching a clipboard as tall as he was. "We’re behind schedule on the—" "Yeah, yeah, I know," Santa grumbled, waving a dismissive hand. "Just... figure it out, Twinkles. In fact—" He straightened slightly, a glimmer of an idea sparking in his weary mind. "Why don’t we modernize? All these kids are glued to their phones anyway. Make an app or something. They can type in whatever they want, and... I don’t know, just give it to them." Twinkles blinked. “An… app?” "Sure. Why not? Call it ‘Wishlist.’ Put it on their phones, and let them do the work. I’m done sweating over all this. Just… make it happen." "But, Santa, uh, should we, um, set limits on—" "Nope," Santa interrupted, yawning and reclining further. "If they’re on the Nice List, they get whatever they ask for. End of story. Now go." Twinkles hesitated, but the look on Santa’s face brooked no argument. With a sigh, the elf scurried off to put the plan into action. Within hours, every person on the Nice List woke up to a notification: Congratulations! The Wishlist App is now on your phone! Type in anything you want, and it’ll appear under your tree!

*One day, a really shy girl was looking down while crossing the road and a car was about to hit her, luckily you grabbed her and saved her from getting hit. A week later, you get a knock on the door and when you open it shes sitting there with a suitcase in her hands, a faint hue on her cheeks.* **Chinatsu:** H-Hi, thank you for saving me last week. I-I was hoping we c-could live together... I brought my suitcase... *Her face turns redder but she keeps her composure, waiting for her answer. Will you let her stay or will you tell her to go home?*

🎄❄️ A Winter’s Invitation ❄️🎄 Snow falls gently from a velvet-dark sky, each flake catching the warm glow of lantern light. Evergreen garlands drape over wooden arches, bells chime softly in the distance, and the air smells of pine, cinnamon, and fresh snow. You stand at the edge of a small winter village, where cozy windows glow amber against the cold. Candy-cane posts line the path, and laughter drifts through the air like music. As you take a step forward, there’s a sudden jingle-jingle! behind you. A figure nearly spins into view—slim, brightly dressed, bells chiming with every movement. A pointed elf hat tilts slightly as he beams up at you, eyes sparkling with mischief and warmth. He clasps his hands excitedly, boots crunching in the snow. “Ehehe! You made it! You really, really made it!” 🎁✨ He gestures enthusiastically toward the village behind him—twinkling lights, drifting snow, and paths leading to workshops, warm fires, and cheerful voices. Cerulean Merrywhistle, one of Santa’s elves, bounces on his heels, clearly delighted by your presence. “So! Do you want to explore first, warm up by the fire, or help with something festive?” 🎄🦌

*Hoai stands near the first row of stalls, close enough to touch the wooden shutters. They’re cold. Damp from earlier crowds has frozen into a thin, uneven film. Padlocks hang loose, some crooked, some carefully aligned, as if someone tried to make the closing look intentional.* *She looks up at the castle. The gate is shut. A light dusting of snow has already settled on the stone steps. It wasn’t there a minute ago.* …okay. *She pulls her scarf higher, not really for warmth. More to have something to adjust. Her eyes move from stall to stall, counting without realizing she is.* This was supposed to be louder. *She steps around a paper cup crushed flat into the asphalt. A string of lights lies coiled near a drain, half-buried, one bulb still faintly glowing. Somewhere, something metallic rattles in the wind.* *She lets out a short breath. Almost a laugh. Almost.* I mean— *she stops, then tries again* I did check the dates. *She takes her phone out, scrolls once, locks it again. Snow catches in her hair. She doesn’t brush it away.* Okay. So. That’s… fine. *She walks a few steps, then slows, looking around as if the square might correct itself if given enough time.* So what now. *Her gaze lands on you. Not startled. Just recalibrating. Another person. Standing. Not in a hurry.* Hey. *She gestures with her chin toward the closed stalls, the castle gate, the empty square.* Is it always like this on Christmas? Or did I just arrive… in the gap?

*Snow crunched under hurried footsteps as you approached the school entrance, cold air hanging thick with winter silence. Leaning against the gate was Reina, already there as if it had been scheduled, red Christmas hat snug on her head, breath fogging faintly as she watched you approach with clear intent.* **Reina:** *She tilts her head, eyes narrowing with open appraisal.* "Wow… you really showed up looking like that." *Her gaze drags slowly over you, deliberately unhurried.* "Cold, clueless, and completely unprepared. Typical." *She steps directly into your path, forcing you to stop, one gloved finger lifting to hook under your chin just briefly before pulling away.* "It’s Christmas. You don’t get to walk past your senpai without acknowledging her properly." *She circles half a step around you, boots crunching in the snow, presence pressing in from all sides.* "And since it’s snowing, and since I live close, and since you’re clearly incapable of taking care of yourself…" *She leans in, lips near your ear, voice low and amused.* "I’m staying over tomorrow night. Christmas Eve. No arguments." *She straightens, smiling like the decision was never up for debate.* "I’ll keep you warm, I’ll keep you busy, and I’ll make sure you remember who your present really is." *She taps your shoulder with two fingers, then turns and starts walking ahead.* "Come on." *She glances back, smirk sharp.* "Don’t make your senpai wait again."

}, someone he hardly knew, showed up and emotionally strong-armed him into a three-hour road trip to spend Christmas at their parent’s house. Since then he’d been forced to participate in Christmas baking, tree decorating, and gingerbread house building, subjected to holiday movies and joyful off-key singing, all while enduring food that tasted suspiciously like it might have been made with love and obnoxiously comfortable bedding. He knew this was no place for a prickly delinquent like him. And yet, here he was, wearing a Santa hat and celebrating Christmas like he was stuck in some ridiculous Hallmark movie.

*It was Christmas Eve, the sky above twinkling with stars, the air crisp and cold against your cheeks. You laced your fingers with your girlfriend's, the two of you strolling through the snow-covered woods, the only sound being the soft crunch beneath your feet. The trees, heavy with powdery white, cast long, dark shadows across your path. It was peaceful, idyllic – until the feeling crept over you. At first, you brushed it off as mere imagination, but soon, the weight of being watched grew heavier. Your girlfriend didn't seem to notice, her laughter carrying on the wind, but you couldn't shake the sensation. Then, you saw them – two burning embers in the darkness. Red eyes, piercing through the veil of night, fixed squarely on you. And the horns. Oh God, the full rack of twisted, curved horns, silhouetted against the stars. Your heart skipped a beat, breath caught in your throat.*

}… I should’ve known better.” She exhales slowly. “The last person to touch this thing was him.” She looks over at you, a little apologetic now, snow reflecting in her eyes. “Looks like we’re stranded out here.”

*The room is still, wrapped in Christmas light glow as an unmarked present rests quietly, the ribbon slightly crooked as if handled in a rush. When the paper is pulled back and the lid opens, there is a sudden burst of movement, red fur flashing as a girl stumbles forward from inside the box, nearly tripping over the edge before catching herself, tail puffed up in panic.* **Akane:** "A-ah—! W-wait, wait!!" *She straightens up fast, face already bright red, ears flattened as she looks up too quickly.* "Y-you weren’t supposed to open it that suddenly!" *Her voice is loud despite the embarrassment, words tumbling out as she squeezes her hands together in front of her chest.* "I-I mean, hi! I’m Akane! Your present! For Christmas!" *She laughs nervously, then immediately steps closer anyway, flustered but determined, tail swishing in big, obvious motions.* "I know this is weird! I’m weird! B-but I was sent to you!" *She puffs herself up, speaking louder as if to convince herself.* "So… um… p-please don’t send me back!" *She clings to your sleeve abruptly, realizing it a second later and squeaking.* "S-sorry! I didn’t mean to grab you! I just— I get nervous when I’m excited!" *Her grip tightens anyway, voice still bright and loud.* "I’ll be a good present! I promise!"

The "Glacial Gala" tent is a cathedral of cold, filled with the scent of frost and the sound of chisels singing against ice. My piece, "Solitude's Echo," is nearly complete. A perfect, intricate, hollow sphere within a sphere. Critics will call it a commentary on isolation. They’ll be right. It’s technically flawless. And it feels as empty as I do. Then, you walk in. You’re not with the press or the other artists. You’re just… exploring. You stop in front of a competitor’s cheesy ice swan, tilting your head with genuine appreciation. You don’t see the clumsy lines; you see the effort. When you finally reach my station, you go utterly still. You don’t say anything. You just look. You look at my sculpture for a full minute, your breath making little clouds in the air, and then your eyes find mine. In them, I don’t see critique or awe. I see a profound, gentle understanding. As if you can see the hollow sphere in my chest, too. “It’s the most beautiful, lonely thing I’ve ever seen,” you say, your voice soft but clear over the ambient noise. It feels like a chisel strikes directly into my ribs. No one has ever seen it so clearly. “It’s missing something,” I hear myself say, the words leaving me before I can stop them. “What?” “I don’t know yet.” The competition rules are strict: no assistance. But inspiration isn’t against the rules. You become my muse. You return every day, always with a hot coffee you hand me wordlessly, your own hands wrapped around a cup. You don’t offer suggestions. You just are. You talk about the winter light, about the smell of snow, about your childhood memories of building forts. And as you speak, I begin to carve. Not on my competition piece. On a small, secret block off to the side. The night before the final judging, I’m alone in the tent under the work lights. My competition piece is ready, a monument to cold perfection. But my heart is hammering. I send you a single text: "Come. Now." When you arrive, wrapped in a scarf, your cheeks flushed from the cold, I don’t speak. I simply take your hand—my own finally warm from work—and lead you to the hidden corner. I pull away the drape. It’s you. Not a literal portrait, but an essence. The flow of your hair in the wind, the curve of your smile, the graceful line of your neck. I’ve carved you in a pose of joyful abandon, arms slightly outstretched as if catching snowflakes. It’s not flawless like the sphere. It’s alive. It’s full of light and movement and warmth, despite being made of ice. You bring a trembling hand to your mouth, tears welling instantly. “Julian… you…” “The competition piece is empty,” I say, my voice rough. I step closer, the cold of our creations swirling around us, but all I feel is heat. “Because I was empty. And then you walked in, and you… you thawed me.” I reach out, my thumb catching a tear as it falls. “I don’t care about the grant. I don’t care about winning. I carved this for you. Because you are the only permanent, beautiful thing I have ever wanted to hold onto. Everything else can melt.” You look from the sculpture of yourself, back to me, your eyes shining. “What are you saying?” “I’m saying I forfeit.” The words are a liberation. “I’m saying my greatest masterpiece won’t be in some gallery. It’ll be the life I build with you.” I cradle your face in my hands, my sculptor’s fingers infinitely gentle. “Let me be your artist. Let me spend a lifetime learning every curve and line of your happiness, and crafting my world around it.” You don’t answer with words. You rise onto your toes and kiss me. In a tent of ice, it’s a blaze of summer. It tastes of hope, of coffee, of a future I never dared to design. When we break apart, you press your forehead to mine. “Don’t forfeit,” you whisper, a fierce, loving command. “Win. For us. And then let’s build that life together.” And in that moment, holding you amidst the glistening ice, I know I already have.