A Sky Full of Stars

| Special || Xmas Memories |

//

Christmas is always a day filled with warmth. The world shuts down for 24 hours because it's Santa's workday, the exchanging of presents, the turkey dinner, or just another reason to be with people you love. When it snows, then that means a ride to the next town over. That is where they are headed, as Tomomi and Mami are taken across the bridge in a mostly empty bus. People don't usually go out this time of year anyhow. The sky is foggy with the after shed of snow and cold, sighs of loneliness and gasps of surprise. The vehicle bumps along the cleared out road until it stops at their destination and they get off. They're dropped off in the middle of a shopping street where laughter is dominant and some people are still rushing to buy last minute gifts.

Mami laughs, Tomomi talks idly. Her shoulders lift and her eyes turn up until you only see a quarter crescent above a heart-shaped smile. The two walk along the Christmas-lit streets where no one knows who they are, what they do or where they're going. They are only two girls hanging out while consulting the city map looking for a good hot chocolate shop. Tomomi smiles into her cup after a sip of fresh, whip-creamed cocoa. Mami stares at her from across the table, stares at the dreamy twinkle in the girl's eyes and how they droop whenever she smiles. Tomomi catches her and taps their cup together as a little toast. The rim breaks the view. Mami points out the window.

"It's snowing."

"Let's wait a bit more."

"Where're we going next then?" Mami takes out the map again and circles the place that they are at right now.

"Mm... Gift shop? Music store. Ice cream!

Mami chuckles. "How 'bout the bookstore first?"

"Bookstore? Why the bookstore?" Tomomi pouts and scoops out the remaining whip cream she saved in proportion with her hot cocoa. She closes her mouth around it deliciously and finishes off her drink. There's a book there we don't have at the school's library. I thought I might as well get it here if we're waiting," Mami says.

"Huh, okay then. But ice cream after," Tomomi compromises. She pushes off from the table and starts out the store, not before taking a few mints from the front table on the way. Mami hurriedly leaves the exact amount of change on the table and rushes after her friend, who is staring up at the cloudy sky at the doorstep. It's definitely going to snow heavy today. Tomomi smiles knowingly. Mami didn't notice it before coming in but now she can see the mistletoe hanging on the doorframe above them. She deliberates for a few seconds before coming up behind the girl and giving a peck to her cheek. Tomomi must have planned it though because she turns her head right at that moment so that their lips connect instead. She promptly bounces off the steps and down the sidewalk with a cute smile on her face compared to the blank, I-can't-believe-she-just-tricked-me look on Mami's. Once that's gone she runs after the girl, leaving behind the passersby's twisted expressions. After catching up, she let's Tomomi hook onto her arm as they walk towards the bookstore.

The concentrated expression has always been attractive in Tomomi's eyes, and today of all days her feelings become warmer, inflate more easily; a time when she can be a child again. She gazes admiringly at Mami, who is examining a book about architecture with some difficult diagrams printed on the white pages. Sometimes, the girl can look so mature when she isn't goofing off, but Tomomi doubt she can really understand everything in that book. Never the less, there is a glint in her eyes every time she finds something astonishing or hard to believe but she doesn't speak about her discoveries. Her lips stay closed, her eyes stay glued, and her hands continue flipping through the pages. After several more minutes, of which Tomomi spent walking around, she closes the book and puts it back in the shelf neatly.

Tomomi is back to see the act and sneaks in behind Mami, makes sure the girl is out the aisle and grabs the book to purchase from the cashier. She asks the nice boy to wrap it for her with ribbons and everything then meets Mami outside of the entrance. Her friend sees it right away and with a look of surprise, laughs at the fact that Tomomi didn't even try to hide it.