There’s just about a month left in this year.
Actually, saying this feels a bit strange since I’ve only been in this world for less than a year.
I came in April, so it’s been around eight months now.
That also means it hasn’t even been a year since I got to know my friends.
It’s kind of weird.
Since I stepped out of the mold of being a student, making true friends feels incredibly hard.
Even if I meet someone new, they’re usually related to work, and no matter how much we laugh and chat, that pesky work is always in between, making it a little awkward to get closer.
I’ve never even thought about joining a club, which probably adds to it.
Most of the friends I occasionally meet as I grow older were friends from my student days.
Even that has become almost non-existent after losing my entire family.
…And here, I felt the same thing.
These kids, whom I haven’t even known for a year yet, are incredibly fun to talk to when we all get together. Even if it’s just silly conversations with no real topic.
Well, I don’t think I’ll be able to meet all the kids for a lifetime.
As I slowly grow older, some will drift apart, and there will be kids I just won’t vibe with naturally.
“…Ha.”
Thinking about this made me involuntarily smile.
I had unconsciously thought that I would be here forever until that moment.
…
Well, I don’t think that would be so bad.
I’ve been so caught up in gloomy thoughts lately, so maybe looking far off would cheer me up a bit?
Maybe dying in front of someone I trust is still twenty years away?
“Koto Ne?”
“Hmm? Ah, it’s nothing.”
It must have been because we were on the subway.
In this era, there were certainly things one could hold in their hands. Game consoles, MP3 players, CD players, you name it.
However, those electronic devices were mere luxuries, regarded as “nice to have” rather than essentials, unlike smartphones, which could do everything simultaneously and were practically necessities for everyone.
And until now, I’d been living without such luxuries.
In this setting, the only ways to pass the time were either talking to someone or getting lost in daydreams alone.
Unfortunately, most people around me were squeezed tight and radiating high levels of discomfort, so there was no way I was going to talk.
Naturally, I chose electronics, but it seems that being stuck next to Koko made her a little uneasy.
“I was just thinking alone.”
“What were you thinking about?”
Koko asked.
I blinked at her question.
Koko’s vocabulary had improved significantly since we first met. But her basic mannerisms hadn’t changed much, so I occasionally confused the Koko from back then with the Koko of now.
“…”
The fact that she was asking me questions in return is a good thing. It means Koko was learning to communicate with others.
But when I suddenly get questions like this, curiosity gets the better of me, and I can’t help but feel the urge to answer.
“…When I go back, should I buy some tangerines?”
“Tangerines!”
Oh, come to think of it, Koko has never really eaten a tangerine.
Though, if I think back to her previous form, she might have snatched a few from a boy next door. But at least, she certainly hasn’t had tangerines in her current form.
Koko is experiencing winter for the first time after becoming like this.
…Every experience from this year that she’s had outside the house is likely her first in her life.
And yet, she gets so excited about the mere mention of tangerines because she has at least tasted tangerine juice before.
Koko liked almost all food, from the awful to the delicious, but if she had to choose, she’d go with the latter, which is obvious.
Koko’s pure excitement made the nearby salarymen turn their heads the other way.
Couldn’t help but hold back a chuckle myself.
*
December 6th, Monday.
December itself had already begun a week ago, but today was the first Monday of December that I was experiencing.
When I was a working adult, I never really paid attention, but as I looked around slowly, I could tell that the atmosphere screamed “end of year.”
Despite Tokyo rarely seeing snow, shops decorated with fluffy fake snow and placed Santa dolls in red outfits on window sills or put up Christmas trees.
…Yeah, I used to love Christmas when I was little.
As the year ended, I would feel inexplicably buoyant and yearn to go out for fun—
Ah, thinking it over, maybe it was because of winter vacation soon?
Adults don’t get winter breaks, huh? Especially for me, I might not have had specific days off to look forward to, just wrapped up with the weather growing colder or warmer.
A winter vacation, huh.
“Koto Ne.”
As I leisurely walked the path from the station to school, Koko spoke up.
“Yeah?”
“Do you want a present?”
“A present?”
“From Santa Claus.”
“…”
Oh.
“They say good kids get presents. You’re a good kid, Koto Ne.”
“…”
Is that so?
If I counted the times I’ve lied this past year, I probably have told more lies than in my entire life.
Although I tended to keep to myself while interacting in my previous life.
But still…
Could Koko actually believe in Santa Claus?
I mean, she might have some inkling, though.
“…I want one.”
I replied.
Honestly, I didn’t have any particular thought. I simply didn’t want to shatter Koko’s childlike spirit or ruin the Christmas mood here.
I don’t know how things will turn out in the future, but at least I want to create the best memories while we’re together.
It’s Koko’s first Christmas after all.
And it’ll likely be New Year’s for her as well.
“What about you, Koko?”
I asked.
“Do you want a present?”
“Yeah!”
At her response, I couldn’t help but smile.
“You’ll probably get one. Because you’re a good kid, Koko.”
“Koko is good?”
“Yep.”
“Wow!”
Koko exclaimed excitedly, raising both arms in the air.
“What should I get her? I wonder what Koko wants?”
I figured she’d be happy with just about anything. How about a giant plushie?
Taking a breath, I saw my breath clouding in the air.
The clothing was warm. The coat I wore over my sailor uniform was the same one Kagami had given me along with the kotatsu.
Koko was very happy to wear the same blue coat as I did.
“When we go back, let’s buy something else too.”
“Uh?”
At my words, Koko tilted her head curiously, but all I could do was smile.
Right.
Since it’s come to this, it wouldn’t be so bad to decorate our home with a bit of a Christmas atmosphere.
Just with Koko.
*
December is finals season. Of course, the tests were almost right before the vacation, and even during exam periods, if students weren’t really serious about studying, they usually look forward to the vacation afterward.
I was someone who tended to look forward to vacation even more.
Well, I haven’t really studied hard for exams since coming to this world. I’m content with being in the lower middle tier. As long as I’m not failing, that’s good, right?
Though I wasn’t the only one around who didn’t feel the same.
Flick, flick.
I heard the sound of paper fluttering from beside me.
Then there was the sound of someone writing something. Click click. The sound of a mechanical pencil being pressed.
“…”
Normally, I’m not that sensitive to such slight noise. After all, the walls in my house weren’t soundproof at all, and occasionally, I could hear people yelling from houses nearby or the sound of cars and motorcycles easily.
Naturally, I had to adapt to such noises to sleep at night.
But…
“…Yuka, you’re really studying hard.”
Kaoru commented, as if she were sensing something.
And she was right.
We were currently in the literature club room.
Out of the five club members, only two were truly studying.
Although Kaoru pretended to study by opening a book on her desk, the magazine on top was about the occult. Clearly, the textbook was just decor.
Speaking for Koko and me, we didn’t even open a book.
For reference, Izumi was also studying, albeit with a pretty scary face. Did she get motivated by Yuka, I wonder?
“This is the last test of the year, right? You’ve got to end on a high note.”
“End on a high note…?”
That’s not really a word commonly used by high school students. It’s not that it’s entirely unfamiliar, but at least among high schoolers I know, I’ve never heard anyone use that term so seriously.
“Yeah, Kaoru,”
Izumi said with a somewhat self-satisfied smirk.
“If you don’t study at all like that, you’ll completely lose to me this time.”
…Wasn’t Izumi’s rank almost the same as Kaoru’s?
Ah, but thinking back, maybe neither of them usually studies passionately like this. They spend so much time together at school, they probably see how much the other studies.
Not that either of them would study hard at home.
Despite that, both of them still ranked higher than me, which is impressive.
“Getting motivated by a junior, huh?”
“What about you who doesn’t even do that much?”
“Ugh…!”
It’s been a long time since Izumi hit Kaoru where it hurts.
Kaoru glared at Izumi and aggressively pushed the magazine aside.
Then, with much gusto, she lowered her head and began studying earnestly.
…Now we have three study enthusiasts…
But thankfully, good-hearted Yuka didn’t give me any dirty looks to study. After all, it’s not her nature. Of course, she might comment if my grades dropped too low and I was on the edge of failing.
“…”
Flick, flick.
Scritch scratch scratch.
“…Koko, want to study together?”
“Wow?”
As I suddenly asked, Koko, who was eating dorayaki, blinked at me.
Yeah. There was no direct pressure on her.
But still…
If the atmosphere turned into a study room, I wouldn’t be able to escape studying…
With a slight sigh, I took my textbook out of my bag, and Yuka glanced over at me.
Her eyes were sparkling.
I guess I was caught, but what else could I do?
It isn’t anything bad, after all.
…Yuka will definitely get a nice present from Santa this year too.
*
“Yuka, you’re going to celebrate Christmas too?”
“Huh? Of course!”
For reference, Christmas is not a public holiday in Japan. Even Buddha’s birthday is not celebrated as a holiday. Quite terrifying, to be honest.
Then again, if viewed from a religious standpoint, this could be more neutral. But from my perspective as someone coming from a different country, it’s quite surprising that such a Buddhist-heavy culture does not pause to celebrate Buddha’s birthday.
Anyway.
“Is it strange for someone who lives in a shrine to celebrate Christmas?”
“Um…”
That made me curious about her response.
Thinking back, I too am associated with something that would get labeled as a heretic by Christians. Koko is even more so.
But how funny is it that we celebrate Christmas?
“My grandpa and dad bring out a tree every Christmas. And presents—”
“Wait a minute.”
Before Yuka could spill anything further, I quickly interrupted her.
Fortunately, using my usual acute perception, Yuka noticed and stopped talking, though she didn’t understand why I interrupted.
When I glanced at Koko, Yuka also glanced back at Koko.
“Presents!”
Before Yuka could say anything, Koko opened her mouth first, not understanding my actions.
“Does Santa only bring presents to Yuka?”
“…”
That caused Yuka’s mouth to drop open as well.
For reference, a couple of passersby also looked taken aback, but I decided to ignore them.
“Oh, uh… yeah.”
After a brief stutter, Yuka managed to respond.
“Yuka has been a good girl too!”
Koko said, covering her mouth with her hand.
To express Yuka’s expression, that word would probably be the most accurate.
*
But I didn’t expect Yuka to follow me home.
Since it was a day off anyway, we had plenty of time. We went to Yuka’s place to eat dinner together before collecting the things she needed and then headed to my house.
It’s not like it’s a weekend or something, and it’s a weekday, plus during exams, so thinking of overnighting is something of a surprise. Ah, maybe a study session earlier made her feel ready to go home tonight?
Not that I disliked it. Honestly, I was happy to have friends over.
I’m not sure if it was due to being alone for a long while before coming here.
It’s likely that the pivotal moment was when I casually said, “We’re going to decorate the house today,” while explaining Koko’s situation in a roundabout way.
In this regard, it feels a bit more relaxing not having Kagami living with me. It used to be nearly impossible to have friends sleep over back in high school, all thanks to family presence.
“Wow!”
Koko shouted, raising her arms, and Yuka and I joined her, also lifting our arms in the air.
Although we didn’t shout in unison, it was still a joyful moment.
On top of the TV sat several Santa dolls. The wall was adorned with shiny cords used to wrap around the Christmas tree, along with large ornaments that sparkled in red, gold, and silver.
We bought stockings for presents, but hadn’t hung them up yet. This was specifically for bulk when Christmas Eve came.
After casually finishing up the decorations, we put the tangerines in a basket and placed them on the kotatsu.
*
“Ah… this feels nice. Winter should be like this.”
Yuka said, sounding somewhat like a grownup.
“Wow…”
Koko melted into the warm kotatsu.
Of course, it was still colder than a house heated through and through. But it was a drastic improvement from the cold place that hadn’t had any heating devices until now. Honestly, sitting inside feels amazing.
The tangerines were delicious too.
The TV, which was quietly on, was showing a drama with no discernible title.
It didn’t seem that stimulating.
As I reached over to grab a tangerine, I popped it in my mouth. It tasted great.
I’d never have thought it would be like this when I first started out here.
As we sat there quietly, staring blankly at the TV—
Bzzz
“Whoa!?”
Just as I rested my head against the kotatsu, a sudden vibration startled me.
Koko, Yuka, and I sat up straight all at once.
“Ah, I’m sorry.”
Yuka apologized hurriedly while looking at her vibrating phone on the kotatsu.
“Hello? Ah, yes, grandpa.”
At first, Yuka answered the call leisurely, but…
“…Yes.”
Her expression soon darkened slightly.
Her eyes were watching me carefully. I wonder if this is something we shouldn’t hear?
“Yes, yes. I understand. But…”
After pondering for a moment and nibbling her lip, Yuka said, “Okay, I understand. I’ll think about it.”
She hung up the phone, and I continued to watch her intently.
“…Hah~~”
Yuka sighed heavily and rested her arms on the table.
“Why do they want you back home so soon?”
“Huh? No, it’s not that.”
While Yuka looked around, she finally sighed deeply again and spoke up.
“…They want me to help out.”
“Right now?”
“No, not right now.”
Yuka scratched her head, speaking.
“Do you know anything about Satori?”
“Thought?”
“…It’s written in kanji like this.”
Yuka pulled out a notebook from her bag and wrote down the kanji. ‘Satori’. Of course, it’s a Japanese-style kanji.
“It’s a Yōkai. It looks like a monkey.”
I had never seen that name in any novels.
While I enjoy subcultures of Japan, I don’t know much about its indigenous culture, so I quietly listened to Yuka’s explanation.
“Simply put, it’s a monkey that reads minds. Usually, it hides in its nest…”
Yuka let out another sigh.
“It seems like higher-ups think it’s ‘needed’.”
“…”
That’s quite arbitrary, isn’t it?
“So they need my help to find it?”
“Yes, that’s true, but…”
Yuka tilted her head slightly, as if finding it strange.
“They said not to rush, just to think about it slowly.”
“…”
So, did they want to reserve my assistance?
“Has it ever caused harm to people?”
“Um, well, who knows.”
Yuka slipped her hand inside the kotatsu.
“It’s not a creature that causes harm. It doesn’t attack or eat people, and it just looks like a monkey. Of course, being a Yōkai, it moves from its nest.”
But that doesn’t conclude the explanation.
“Besides, it usually avoids people. Since it can read minds, it’s naturally sought after by humans, so it’s quite sensitive to malicious intents.”
“Ah.”
“Right, exactly.”
Yuka scratched her head.
“…If it weren’t for you, catching it would be really difficult. Probably, those higher-ups are aware of that and scheduled it for a longer timeframe. If they fail, that’s the end. If they catch it, great. That’s about it.”
“Do they know it exists?”
“I don’t remember the exact details, but… I’ve heard from my grandpa that there’s been a report about it from around ten years ago. It seems they failed capturing it alive that time.”
And they left it free because it wasn’t dangerous, I guess.
But then, was there any reason to catch it on purpose? I don’t want to spill blood unnecessarily.
Besides, considering it has such a awkward ability as reading minds, it’s likely to be used in some very troublesome capacities.
“Can I share my personal opinion?”
“…Sure.”
“I wish you wouldn’t do it. Because I’m sure… it’ll turn out like that again, right?”
“…”
I quietly watched Yuka’s guilt-ridden expression and nodded my head.
“Alright. I won’t do it.”
“Good thinking.”
Yuka’s response was a bit more relieved.
“Letting you know was probably for those who might come looking for you later. …I think my grandpa told me that with the same thought in mind.”
That makes sense, probably. Because they are ‘higher-ups’.
I shrugged my shoulders and grabbed another tangerine.
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