The Binding Vow of Lazarus

Chapter 17

Shoko, for her part, seemed more focused on avoiding the chaos than actively participating, ducking behind a tree with an amused smirk as Suguru tried—and failed—to dodge Satoru's relentless onslaught of snowballs. 

“Traitor!” Suguru shouted at Shoko as a particularly well-aimed snowball smacked into his shoulder, sending him stumbling backward. 

“I’m playing strategically,” Shoko called back, sipping from her thermos of coffee like this was the most natural thing in the world. 

Sarah, grinning ear to ear, turned her attention to Satoru. “You ready?"

Satoru, crouched behind a hastily built snow fort, adjusted his sunglasses with a dramatic flourish. “Born ready.” 

The two of them packed snowballs as fast as they could, then scrambled over to Yaga’s office window. Sarah tapped lightly at first, but when there was no response, Satoru banged on it with both fists, smirking when Yaga finally appeared, looking absolutely unimpressed. 

“What?” Yaga grumbled, opening the window just enough to glare at them. 

Without missing a beat, Satoru lobbed a perfectly-formed snowball straight at him, catching him square in the chest. Sarah gasped in mock horror, covering her mouth with her mittens, while Satoru doubled over laughing. 

“You—” Yaga started, but instead of retreating, he reached for his jacket. Moments later, to everyone’s surprise, he stormed outside, a small army of cursed dolls trailing behind him. 

“Oh, no way!” Suguru exclaimed, dodging one of the dolls’ surprisingly accurate snowballs. 

“Cheating!” Satoru hollered, though he was clearly having the time of his life. 

The courtyard erupted into a full-blown war, with Yaga’s cute little cursed dolls proving to be relentless opponents. Sarah was the first to call for reinforcements, running over to Yaga with a bright grin. “We need Panda!” she announced. 

“Panda?” Satoru asked, his interest piqued, though he feigned ignorance for the sake of his friends.

Yaga sighed, shaking his head. “You kids are exhausting.” But he whistled anyway, and moments later, a small, furry figure waddled out from the main building. 

Panda, barely three feet tall and full of excitement, beamed up at the group. “Snowball fight?” he asked, his little voice full of childlike wonder. 

Shoko actually lowered her coffee, her jaw dropping slightly. “Is that...a talking bear?” she asked, pointing at the fuzzy little thing. Suguru blinked, looking genuinely dumbfounded.

“Panda!” Satoru said simply, grinning like an idiot. 

Sarah knelt down and took Panda’s little paw. “Come on, buddy, I’ll show you how to make a snowball!” she said with a smile.

Panda giggled, following Sarah eagerly to a patch of fresh snow. She demonstrated with exaggerated motions, and Panda mimicked her, his small paws packing the snow with surprising precision. 

“Got it!” Panda declared proudly, holding up his first snowball.

"You're perfect and I love you," Sarah whispered, hugging him close.

As noon approached the sun was up at its peak and the cold started to seep into their clothes, the group called a truce, collapsing in a pile. Sarah pulled Panda into her lap, wrapping him in her scarf as he leaned against her. 

“This,” Satoru declared, lying spread-eagle in the snow, “might be the best Christmas ever.” 

Sarah grinned, looking around at the joyful chaos they’d created. “I’d say it’s a solid contender." 

Even Yaga, brushing snow off his coat, couldn’t help the small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. For once, he let them bask in their victory, no reprimands necessary. 

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The room was quiet, save for the soft crackle of the dying fire and the faint sound of Shoko’s steady breathing. Sarah and Shoko were slumped on the couch, their heads tilted in opposite directions as they dozed off. Panda was nestled between them, clutching a tiny pillow like it was the most precious thing in the world. The little bear snored softly, his paws twitching every now and then in some dream-filled adventure.

Outside, the snow was falling again, the flakes catching the last golden rays of the setting sun. Suguru was leaning against the window sill, arms crossed and gaze distant as he watched the world outside. His expression was calm, serene, like he was soaking in the quiet moment after all the fun and wildness of the day.

Satoru, surprised Suguru by sidling up beside him. He didn’t say anything at first, just stood there with a rare soft smile on his face. Suguru glanced at him out of the corner of his eye and smiled too. They stood in comfortable silence for a few minutes, watching as the snow painted the world in soft shades of white and gold.

Finally, Satoru cleared his throat. “So,” he started, his voice quieter than usual, “Have you decided if you’re gonna spend New Year’s with us?”

Suguru tilted his head, pretending to think it over. “Hmm," he sighed, "My parents would probably be disappointed if I didn’t come home…”

Satoru groaned dramatically, rolling his eyes. “Yeah, yeah family... blah, blah, blah. But come on, it’s New Year’s! Shoko already said yes, and Sarah doesn’t have anywhere else to go. You’re really gonna leave us hanging?”

Suguru smirked at his friend’s theatrical plea, but he didn’t answer right away. Instead, he turned back to the window, watching as a particularly large snowflake drifted lazily to the ground. “It would be fun,” he admitted after a moment, his voice thoughtful.

Satoru took that as his cue to ramp up the charm. He leaned in close, clasping his hands together in front of him. “Suguru,” he said, his tone dripping with exaggerated sincerity, “My best friend. My partner in crime. The other half of my soul. If you don’t spend New Year’s with us, I will literally die. Then what would you do? Do you want that on your conscience?”

Suguru laughed softly, shaking his head. “You’re unbelievable."

“Unbelievably convincing?” Satoru offered with a grin, raising an eyebrow and pointing finger guns at him.

Suguru sighed, but his smile gave him away. “Fine,” he said, his voice laced with mock exasperation, “I’ll stay. Happy?”

Before he could react, Satoru threw an arm around his shoulders and gave him a playful shake. “Perfect!” he said, his grin widening, “We’re gonna have the best New Year’s ever. Just you wait.”

Suguru chuckled, letting himself relax into the moment.

As the sun dipped below the horizon and the room was bathed in the soft glow of the fireplace, the two friends stayed by the window, watching as the snow continued to fall. Behind them, Sarah shifted slightly, murmuring something in her sleep, and Panda’s little paw stretched out as if to keep her close. It wasn’t loud or flashy, but it was perfect in its own way—a quiet moment shared between friends as the year drew to a close.

Satoru didn't know when Toji would strike, or even why he chose New Year's last time, but this time he would be ready. He wouldn't let his friends out of his sight. He'd made a big mistake, warning the Sorcerer Killer ahead of time but in the end he would come out on top.