Y/n POV
Hand it here.
Student "Here."
He handed you some ribbon and you wrapped it around some of the bars on the top catwalk inside the gym.
Student "I can take it from here, go and help the others down below with their parts."
One of the students took the ribbon out of your hands and you gave him a nod.
See you down below.
You jumped over the railing, about a 60 feet drop. When you hit the ground you rolled and landed right in front of Ryuuji and Taiga.
There you two are.
Ryuuji "Yeah sorry, Taiga dropped her box and we had to clean up."
Well, at least your here now. Cmon, I'll take those off your hands.
They handed you their boxes and you put both of them up on your shoulders and started walking towards the store room.
Ryuuji "Hey Y/n."
Yeah?
Ryuuji "Why are you wearing a tank top?"
It let's me move my arms more freely, why?
Ryuuji "We can see your armpit hairs."
So?
You couldn't see his face, but you could tell he was kinda shocked.
Until you've changed and showered in the same room as 30 other guys who are 30 and up, then come talk to me.
You opened the door to the store room and was meet with Ami, Noto, Kihara, and Kashii.
Ami "Your late, jeez what took you guys so long?"
Taiga "We ran into some problems, why do you care and why are you here anyway?"
Ami "I'm in charge of making all the ornaments, that's why i'm here. "
Ami held up a string with a bunch of bells on it.
Ami "Check it out, it's gorgeous isn't it?"
After she said that the bells all fell off and hit the floor. Taiga started laughing and making fun of her. You placed down the boxes of confetti and walked over to her. You picked up one of the bells that were near her feet and showed her.
You tied it to lose, what you wanna do is after you put the bell on you take the string and do this.
You put the through the hole and wrapped it around the whole before putting it on the string and tying a small, easily undo able knot on the string.
This knot will be able to hold it for as long as the string holds and can be easily undone.
Ami "Oh, i see."
You chuckled lightly to yourself.
Honestly Ami, your such a kid sometimes.
Her cheeks lit up with a red tint and she avoided your gaze.
"Coming through."
You looked and saw Kitamura had some jump hurdles around him.
Ryuuji "Are you, pulling those out for the party?"
Kitamura "No, it's part of the deal we made in order to use the gym. The teachers said we could but only if we clean out the storage room."
Noto "I'll take that."
He picked up the jumpp hurdles from around kitamura's body and placed them across his own.
Noto "Why don't you and Taiga go and make some more stars."
He handed Kitamura a pair of scisors.
Noto "You'll need this."
Kitamura "If you say so, you ready Aisaka?"
Taiga just nodded and they left the room while Noto followed behind them.
Ami "Oh, there getting awfully close."
You saw Kihara wasn't to happy with that comment.
Kashii "Cmon, let's go help them make some stars."
Kashii pushed Kihara out.
You go and help with what you can Ryuuji, me and Ami can take care of this.
Ryuuji "Alright, just let me know if you need help."
Will do.
He left, shutting the door behind him. As you were walking you talked to Ami.
So, why'd you tease her?
Ami "Me? Tease who?"
Don't act dumb, you and i both know how Taiga's in love with Kitamura.
You took a seat next to her, leaning back.
And now everybody and their mom is trying to get them together as a couple.
Ami "Why should you care about any of that? Unless your jealous."
Me, jealous? I don't care who she dates, just as long as she's happy.
Ami looked at you.
It's just...
She looked at your curiously.
I hate it when other people try and get into your business, especially when it comes to your love life or something as personal as that.
Ami "Really?"
She was quiet for a moment before speaking up again.
Ami "So kinda like a dad before his daughters getting married."
I guess, never had a daughter, never had a mother either as a matter of fact.
Ami "I can't imagine what that's like, working so hard to protect her, and then sit their and watch while some other guy comes and sweeps her off her feet. Especially there's no guarantee that he's going to treasure her the same way you did."
I'm not thinking in that mindset though.
Ami "Yeah, but you don't like seeing Yusaku and Aisaka together do you? It's kinda ironic, i mean, all this time you've been taking care of her with no romantic intentions what-so-ever, like her dad."
No, her dads a piece of shit. I made sure he doesn't hurt her again.
Ami Stopped
Ami "What do you mean?"
After that little event he pulled at cultural festival, at the bonfire i called my dad and asked him for some information. That included an address and name, a Mr. Rikuou Aisaka.
She was quiet.
After words i went and met with him at his house, taught him a lesson and made sure he never forgot my face. let's just say i left his nose in a different shape then when i arrived, so if anything, I'm the dad she never had.
She laid down on the mat and turned to where her back was facing you.
Ami "Why are you playing the dad role? Your relationship with Taiga is really......unnatural. It's like some childish game and you better stop."
You grabbed one of the strings with bells and started to tighten the lose ropes.
Ami "It's not right, you know it, and you better wake up before someone get's hurt. Forget it ever happened and just start over."
You kept silent as you just listened to her.
Ami "And then, maybe we can start over to."
Your eye's went wide, was she implying what you think she meant.
Wait, what did you say?
Ami "Nothing, you didn't hear so don't worry."
She stood up and looked at the door.
Ami "I don't even know what I'm saying anyway, might as well forget the whole thing."
Huh?
Ami "At the end of the day, the one person you least understand is yourself."
With that said, she went and left the room, closing the door behind her. You just sat their however, looking at the door.
If anything Ami, your just as special to me as Taiga is. But for love, I've never really explored it. Hell, you guys are even my first real friends.
You scratched the back of your head.
I mean, i guess i do have to find someone at some point. But, guess i should really start looking.
* Timeskip *
Man, i thought that thing was never gonna end.
After school you walked home and met up with your dad.
Dad "You ready?"
Yeah, let's go.
You got in the car and drove to a nearby shopping market. You bought kids toys, gifts, clothes, and wrapping paper. On the drive home you were looking out the window when your dad spoke up.
Dad "So, wanna explain why you went off on me that day?"
Huh? Oh, that.
Silence.
Someone sent me a picture in the mail, there wasn't a return address so i couldn't figure out who sent it but.
He waited for your answer.
It was a picture of us, on my second birthday.
He stopped in front of Taiga's house, he put the car in neutral and looked at me.
Dad "Where is it?"
You went into your pocket and pulled out your wallet, you opened it and pulled out the folded picture. You unfolded and showed it to him. He took it out of his hands and looked right at it, not saying a word.
Dad "Son."
Yeah?
He looked right at you.
Dad "no matter what happens, know that it wasn't your fault. You were never the cause of all of this."
He put the picture back in your hand.
Dad "Promise me, that you'll live on, no matter what happens."
He just looked at you, awaiting your answer.
I promise.
He smiled at you before putting the car back in drive and parked in the garage. After that you wrapped up some packages and put the mail addresses on them.
Now, we just need to deliver them.
Dad "Damn, sorry but you have to do that one on your own."
Huh?
You looked at him and he was putting his phone in his pocket.
Dad "I got a date i need to get to."
He hoped in the car and drove off, leaving you to have to take a prowler.
Great, well let's get these things packed away.
You packed all the gifts into the patrol car and hoped in. You started up the engine and started driving on towards the post office. When you got there you brought the gifts to the front desk one at a time. When the last package was in place the lady at the desk looked at you.
Lady "Quiet a bit of gifts huh?"
Yeah, they're all for some orphans back in my home country.
Lady "Well, that's very sweet of you."
She had you fill out the paper work and she took one of the presents and you say someone you didn't expect to see.
Taiga?
She turned toward you.
Taiga "Y/n?"
You two just looked at each other.
What are you doing here?
Taiga "Me? What are you doing here?"
After explaining the situation and finding out that Taiga was doing the same thing as you, you all hoped into the prowler and started driving.
So Taiga, why do you send them presents?
Taiga "I want to let them know someone's watching over them. It doesn't matter if you grew up without parents, and it doesn't matter if you don't believe in god, there's someone out there watching over you."
You smiled to yourself as she talked to you from the passenger seat.
Taiga "I'm trying to let them know that in this cold world, there's at least one person looking over them."
But what about-
Taiga "I know, i do it as much for me as much for them. Cause i want to believe it to, that someone's out there watching over me. In that case, it's Santa."
You keep going on and on about Santa, you believe in Santa still?
Taiga "One things for sure, i love Christmas. The streets, the shops, how everything is so pretty, and all the lights, the people, everyone looks like their having fun. It's like this perfect time when the whole world is filled with happiness, and i guess i just want to be a part of that. I want to be part of all of that, see? Just another happy face. Lighting up the Christmas night."
You were still smiling to yourself, but felt like she didn't really have anyone to spend Christmas with.
Everyone should be able to spend Christmas with someone they hold close or at least some of their friends.
Taiga "Besides, i actually met Santa in person before. I was a little kid, my mom and dad were still together, it was Christmas eve, and i was sleeping underneath eh tree in the living room. I woke up cause i got chilly, and i looked out the window. There he was, Santa. He gave me a present, and then said 'If your a good girl Taiga, I'll be back next year.'"
You turned the corner to where you could be only a few minutes away from the house.
Taiga "I know what your thinking, maybe it was a dream. But man, it was the happiest dream ever. That's why I'm trying to be the best girl possible. Don't you think it's dumb to believe in a dream like that?"
It's not dumb.
Taiga "it's a dream so what's the harm in it? I know it's not real, and you can't count on something that isn't real."
But sometimes, it's that false hope that keeps us going.
* Timeksip *
You were backing up the truck with the Christmas tree tied down in the back, while Kitamura was helping you keep it in place. When you stopped you took the keys out of the ignition and hoped out of the truck.
Man, getting this thing in the back of the truck was the hardest part.
You handed piece by piece to everyone who came to help out while they brought it inside the gym. The last piece you wanted to bring in yourself. When you dropped it off you helped unpack the tree by doing the metal frame and setting it out based on size.
Man, this is going to be a bit of a pain to put all this together.
You all started putting it all together and you got a call on your phone. You left the gym to answer it.
< Hello? >
Dad < Y/n, I got some bad news for you buddy. >
< What is it? >
Dad < The chief just called me and said that we have a suspected attack on somewhere in the kejo district, he needs all available hands so you won't be able to stay at your party for long. >
< Damn, alright. Let him know that I'll be there ready if anything happens. >
Dad < Will do, bye. >
< Bye >
You hung up the phone and walked inside to see the tree was almost done.
Damn, how the hell did they get this thing set up so fast?
The lights turned off and the tree went up in a giant light show.
Damn, now that's pretty. And with that ornament on top, it makes it look even better.
Then a crash and the tree started falling over, and the ornament smashed into a million pieces.
??? POV
Me "Is everything set up?"
Yakuza member "Yeah, boss said we're ll good fro tomorrow. The trucks are loaded in and our distraction will work out if it all goes according to plan."
Me "Good, soon enough he will know what real lose and messing with my plans are."
Thoughts "Don't worry Y/n, I'll make you feel what i felt."