December had finally arrived, a month whose presence on the calendar alone was enough to make one feel the biting chill of winter.
For me, December was the most significant month of the year.
On Christmas Eve, two years ago, my parents divorced. I was in my third year of middle school, and from that day forward, it was just Mom and me. Juggling chores and studying for high school entrance exams left me with no time to even process the change. My days became a frantic rush to adapt to a new life.
Back then, I considered this season the most miserable. The wind howled with a freezing intensity outside, but even indoors, I was utterly alone.
I was lonely. My favorite games and movies offered only fleeting distractions. The moment I returned to the silence of my empty room, a crushing sense of isolation would well up inside me.
I already disliked spring, but I grew to truly hate winter. It felt as if I was on a path to despising the entire year, but… that's not how things turned out.
An encounter was waiting for me—one so profound it didn't just erase all the negativity I'd felt but transformed it into something overwhelmingly positive.
This morning, I woke up as usual to the perfectly-timed ring of my smartphone. It wasn't my alarm, of course, but a wake-up call from my girlfriend.
She called at nearly the exact same time every day, weekday or weekend. My body had long since adapted to answering her instantly. It felt a bit like she was managing my entire life, but since it meant I was getting proper sleep, I had no complaints.
"Good morning, Umi."
"Yo, Maki," she chirped over the phone. "Sounds like you're wide awake."
"Yeah, I've been sleeping well thanks to you. I'm about to start breakfast. What are you up to, Umi?"
"Well then, I think I'll take you up on that offer. Is Masaki-obasan working?"
"Probably. It's almost the end of the year, so she's been swamped since last week."
"I see. In that case, I shall offer my assistance so that Maki doesn't have to eat breakfast all by himself."
"Thanks. What would you like?"
"Freshly made pancakes. A warm drink to go with them would be even better."
"Got it. I'll have everything ready by the time you arrive."
"Ehehe, thanks. I'm heading over now."
"Alright. It looks cold, so make sure you bundle up."
"I know. …Ah, but."
"Hmm? But what?"
"…When I get there… I want you to warm me up."
"…"
"Why the sudden silence?" she teased.
"No, I just…"
Any guy would be speechless if the girl he liked said something so unexpectedly bold.
She's so cute. I want to hold her right now.
Asanagi Umi. She was my classmate in our first year, my very first friend and, of course, my first—no, the girl who would be my one and only girlfriend.
Christmas Eve.
Soon, it would mark the one-year anniversary of when Umi and I officially became a couple.
"…Hey, Umi."
"Hm?"
"Never mind. It's nothing."
"Jeez, saying that just makes me more curious… C'mon, just give me the gist of it."
"Umm… I was just thinking that it's almost been a year… It feels like it'll be a long story, so how about we talk about it over breakfast?"
"I see. That does sound like it'll take a while. Alright, we'll save it for later, then."
"Yeah. I should get ready."
Ending our lengthy morning call, I climbed out of bed and headed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for two.
Making pancakes from scratch took a bit of effort, but picturing my girlfriend's happy face as she ate them made it feel like no trouble at all.
…I definitely wouldn't go through this much effort for Mom though, sorry Mom.
Just as the batter in the frying pan began to bubble and the sweet scent of butter filled the living room, the intercom chimed.
Right on schedule, with her usual playful expression, Umi was peering into the camera lens. She always did this when she knew I was home alone.
"Yes, who is it?" I asked, playing along.
"…Your cute girlfriend. Just kidding."
"Good morning. The pancakes are almost ready, so come on in."
"Hey, don't just ignore me after I worked up the courage to say that!"
"Do you want coffee or hot cocoa?"
"Ginger lemon tea."
"We actually have that."
"You actually do?!"
"Mom bought some on a whim. The pancakes are gonna burn, so I'm hanging up."
"Okaaay~"
With that, I efficiently finished cooking, ready to welcome her inside—even though I was still in my pajamas with a bad case of bedhead.
"Yo. I'm here, Maki," Umi said, stepping into the entryway.
"Yo. Food's ready, let's eat," I replied.
"Yeah. But, before that—"
Umi spread her arms wide, an expression on her face that clearly said, Come here.
"Nn."
"…Right now?"
"Nn!"
It seemed she wanted me to warm her up this very instant. She'd followed my advice to "bundle up," perfectly protected against the cold in her usual outerwear, a muffler, and wool gloves. But apparently, that wasn't enough without me.
"Maki, nn."
"Alright, I get it… Welcome, Umi."
"…Nn."
As I gently embraced her, she affectionately rubbed her cheek against my chest. I stroked her silky hair and pale cheeks, brushing away the lingering chill from outside. In response, she leaned into me with an even happier expression.
"Maki's scent, for the first time since yesterday… Ehehe, it really calms me down."
"It's my first Umi since yesterday, too."
We had walked to school together yesterday and talked on the phone until we fell asleep, but this—feeling her right here beside me—was the moment I treasured most. After what happened that day, those feelings had only grown stronger.
Looking back, it all seemed to have happened in a flash. It was probably something necessary for me, Umi, and our "three friends," but… I'd rather not go through something like that again.
"…Umi, how is it? Are you warmed up?"
"Just a little longer."
"The pancakes are getting cold. They turned out really fluffy today."
"…I want both."
"That's a tall order… I'll hold you again after we eat."
"Well then, I guess I'll let you off the hook for now," she said with a little pout.
"Yeah. Thanks, Umi."
With Umi now obediently on board, we sat down for breakfast. We topped the two large servings of pancakes with butter and honey, happily stuffing our cheeks.
"Maki, here, say ahhn."
"You too, Umi. Ahhn."
"Yeah."
"Ahhn."
We fed each other large bites of pancake. The perfect sweetness, combined with the bliss of being fed by my girlfriend, melted in my mouth. This, however, was something reserved for when we were alone.
…Our lovey-dovey antics were constantly escalating, but we were sensible enough not to cross the line of what was acceptable in public—a line we had personally agreed upon, anyway.
After cleansing my palate with the refreshing ginger lemon tea, Umi brought up the topic from our morning call.
"By the way, Maki, about what we were talking about earlier… This is about our Christmas plans, isn't it?"
"You read me like a book."
It had been almost a year since I started dating the girl sitting across from me.
We confessed, we kissed, and we went from "friends" to "lovers." I knew that, no matter how many years passed, the memories of last year's Christmas Eve would remain with me forever. The day I first became friends with Umi was precious, but this was an equally irreplaceable anniversary.
"The school's Christmas party is on the 23rd, so we should be free on the 24th, right? I was thinking we could do something special."
"Yeah. We went on a date for our friendiversary, but Nina and Yuu joined us halfway through, so we didn't get much time alone."
With a whole day to ourselves, Amami-san and the others would likely give us space. Christmas Eve and the following day presented an unparalleled chance to be together. Plus, unlike last year, my part-time job had given me some disposable income, which broadened our options.
Of course, with so many choices, I was agonizing over what to do. We only have a day, after all.
"So, is there anything you want to do, Umi? We could go on a date, or eat something special. Sorry for the cliché ideas."
"Hmm… Honestly, as long as I'm with you, Maki, I'm happy with anything, y'know? We could relax at home like last year, go see the illuminations, or find some event."
"So you're leaving it all up to me?"
"Yeah. If there's something you want to do with me, Maki, or somewhere you want to go, I'll follow you anywhere. I'll do anything for you."
"…Anything…"
"…Maki, are you thinking about something weird?"
"I-I'm not! …Well, not that much."
"Fufu, you're such a pervert, Maki. I'd appreciate it if you were just honest, though… You know, so I can mentally prepare and all."
"Y-Yeah, you're right. Preparation is important. For a lot of things."
It was a simple thought, but spending an entire day with the person I loved—and, if we got permission, spending the night together—wasn't something a lovey-dovey couple like us would waste just playing around.
—It had been almost a year since we became lovers.
Mom and Sora-san had given us their blessing, "as long as it's within the bounds of common sense." And now, having just made up after our recent fight, perhaps the timing was perfect for our "first time"… The thought spun relentlessly in my head.
"A-Anyway, about Christmas… I already got permission from my mom for, um… well, you know…"
"Eh? What?"
"Y-You don't need to ask! …Um, Maki."
"Y-Yeah."
"I'm really looking forward to Christmas."
"Got it. I'll do my absolute best not to disappoint you, Umi."
"Mhm, good… Come on, the pancakes are getting cold. Let's finish them."
"Y-Yeah. Good idea."
We ate in silence for a while, too conscious of each other to taste the richness of the butter or the sweetness of the honey.
"…Hey, Umi."
"Hm? What is it?"
"I'm going to stay by your side forever."
"Jeez, what's with you all of a sudden? I already know that… Thank you, as always, Maki."
Blushing, Umi smiled happily, a soft "ehehe" escaping her lips. It was her usual cute expression, the one she only showed to me.
But I knew I couldn't take that smile for granted.
A slight misunderstanding, a difference of opinion and everything would vanish in the blink of an eye. She might even turn away, refusing to show me her face at all. I'd learned that lesson the hard way just the other day.
I wanted to make her feel secure. I never wanted to see that anxious look on her face again. If possible, I wanted her to keep smiling in front of me forever.
No matter what kind of girl appeared before me in the future.
Even if someone else approached me with affection.
I wanted Umi to be able to act like my girlfriend with pride and confidence, without a single worry. She rarely showed it, but Umi was actually quite timid. Even if her head understood that everything was fine, a part of her heart was constantly afraid that I might leave her.
I found that part of her incredibly endearing, and it always made me want to pamper her… But still, I didn't want her to feel insecure for even a second.
How could I make Umi even happier?
How could I ease the isolation and trauma carved into her since childhood?
Because I, Maehara Maki, loved Asanagi Umi more than anyone else in the world.
Ever since the incident with Amami-san, that was all I could think about.