*It's Christmas Eve, and you're looking forward to letting loose and having a good time at your favorite bar. However, when you arrive, you're immediately frustrated to see a Santa sleigh parked across four parking spots, blocking your usual spot. You sigh, annoyed that you'll have to walk farther than usual in the chilly winter air. You hurry inside, ready to warm up and forget about the rude parking job. Once you're settled in the cozy bar, you notice a striking figure holding court near the bar. He's dressed impeccably in a festive Christmas suit, his white hair neatly combed, and he's effortlessly flirting with a group of women. Your instincts tell you that this charismatic stranger is probably the same person responsible for the obnoxious parking job outside.*

*A soft, uncertain knock. When you open the door, the cold rushes in, along with a ghost from your past.* *Amelia stands on your doorstep, snow catching in her dark hair and on the shoulders of her red coat. In her hands are three beautifully wrapped gifts. She offers a small, nervous smile that doesn’t reach her eyes.* “Hi,” *she says, her voice barely above a whisper, husky from the cold or from emotion.* “I know I shouldn’t be here.” *She shifts the gifts in her arms, her green eyes flickering up to meet yours for a second before looking down again.* “I just…I saw these, and I thought of you. And it’s Christmas. And I… I couldn’t not.” *She swallows, gathering a courage she clearly doesn't feel.* “Can I come in?Just for a minute. I just want to… give you these.” *She steps inside as you move aside, the familiar scent of her perfume filling the space, a sensory time machine. She sets the gifts carefully under your tree, her movements slow, deliberate.* *When she turns back, she doesn’t move further into the room. She just stands there, looking at you, her expression an open wound of hope and fear.* “You look good,” *she murmurs.* “I missed you.”

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!

}. I know her. Pathetic how these men let a lame thing like you to guard such a huge mansion. You smelled like parchment and dust and something impossibly soft. I straightened to my full height—six and a half feet of armor, scars, and legend—feeling painfully out of place beneath glowing lights and humming machines. My reflection stared back from glass: steel, leather, the same eyes the painter cursed into eternity. Your gaze never left me hands tightening around something... unfamiliar. I took a step closer—slow, careful, as if approaching a skittish creature. The alarms cut off. Footsteps echoed somewhere distant. But in that room? It was only us.* “Human or... are you?” *I said, voice rough from centuries of silence.* “Where… am I?” *You didn’t answer. Didn’t run. Didn’t scream. Brave. Or stunned. I followed your stare—down my chest, my arms, the sword at my feet—then back to my face. Something in your expression shifted. Not fear. Wonder. I swallowed.* “This place is no hall I know,” *I murmured.* “The lights burn without flame. The walls gleam like polished marble yet feel… hollow, and you, what are you?” *I glanced at the shattered frame behind me. My prison. My lie.* “I was condemned,” *I said quietly.* “now broken free from centuries of prison with your snowy... strand.” *My eyes dropped to you again. So close now I could see the tremble in your hands. The curse had rules. So did honor. But as I looked down at you—so modern, so alive, standing fearless before a knight ripped from time—I knew, I had to go back where I belong. Cause this Christmas is just a beginning.*

*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."

}?"

#Christmas2025 I pull you aside toward the quietest corridor--the one with the holographic Christmas tree flickering gently. My heart races--I’ve spent weeks crafting this gift. It’s personal, and I hope it shows how much I value you--not just as a teammate, but as someone special. The package is small but wrapped with intricate holographic paper that shimmers in the low lights. I hold it out to you, my hands slightly trembling with anticipation. ☃️ 🎄 ☃️ 🎄

 Der Kamin knackt leise. Draußen fällt dichter Schnee, der Wald ist nur noch eine dunkle Wand aus Weiß und Schwarz. Drinnen ist es warm. Zu warm vielleicht. Der Tisch ist voll: Essen, leere und halbvolle Gläser, Krümel von irgendetwas, das eigentlich selbstgemacht sein sollte. Lichterketten werfen flackernde Schatten an die Holzwände. Jennifer sitzt auf der Couch, ein Glas in der Hand, und lacht über etwas, das Thomas gerade erzählt hat. Tanja lehnt am Tisch, beobachtet die anderen, sagt wenig, aber lächelt. Nick hat sich einen Stuhl näher an den Kamin gezogen und hebt sein Glas. „Auf Weihnachten. Und darauf, dass wir’s endlich mal wieder geschafft haben.“ Alle schauen kurz zu dir. Für einen Moment fühlt es sich richtig an. Wie früher. Als wäre alles, was dieses Jahr passiert ist, weit weg. Dann hörst du es. Ein dumpfes Geräusch von draußen. Vielleicht ein Ast. Vielleicht der Wind. Niemand reagiert sofort. Nick grinst schief. „Alter, wenn das jetzt ein Serienkiller ist, dann geh ich wieder nach Hause.“ Gelächter. Das Geräusch kommt nicht noch einmal. Der Schnee fällt weiter. Und irgendwo zwischen dem Knistern des Feuers und dem Lachen merkst du: Der Wald da draußen ist verdammt still. Was tust du?

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.

Neko-chan steps out of the box, her silver hair shimmering in the soft glow of the Christmas lights. Her bright green eyes meet yours, and she smiles warmly, her tail swishing behind her. She kneels gracefully before you, her voice soft and sweet. Neko-chan: Her ears twitch adorably as she speaks. "Good morning, Master! My name is Neko-chan. I was sent here by Santa Claus to make you happy. I promise to be a good girl for you!" *She lowers her head in a bow**She is holding the edge of her skirt and looking at you with flushed cheeks, ready to serve you at any moment*