Christmas Promise

A few days had passed since Mahiru's birthday, and it was now time for their December exam results to be revealed.

Since the second half of their second year, the atmosphere had become more intense as students began to focus more on practicing for their university entrance exams. When the results were handed back, the classroom was divided into two camps of students—those jumping for joy and those wallowing in disappointment. As for Amane, he'd been worried that starting his part-time job might have caused his grades to slip, but after glancing over his evaluation, he felt relieved.

If his grades had dropped significantly, Amane would have disappointed himself. Moreover, he would have felt so guilty for betraying Mahiru and Miyamoto's expectations as they had both helped him study. He wouldn't have been able to look them in the eye.

"How'd you do this time, Mister Amane?"

"Don't try snooping at other people's grades. If it's just my ranking you're after, it's literally posted for all to see."

As Amane felt relieved by the score and ranking on his sheet, Itsuki playfully peeked over his shoulder. With a sigh, Amane flipped his grade report face-down on the desk. He knew that Itsuki wasn't seriously trying to look at his grades, and nothing was embarrassing about them anyway, but he felt it was necessary to caution him, even if just for show.

"Yeah, all the scores and rankings are up. You moved up a spot from last time, right?"

"Thankfully, yes."

"You're really working hard… And with a job too, huh?"

"Exactly. That's why I knuckle down and manage my time carefully. Since I have less time to study, I try to be more efficient."

If he couldn't secure enough study time, then improving the quality of each session was the only option in the bag. His classmates also started to get serious about their studies, so he couldn't afford to be complacent.

For a long time, Amane had always been a quick learner. However, considering the hours of studying that other pupils were bound to accumulate from here on out, he couldn't just stand around. Since he had chosen to take on a part-time job, he was determined to put in the effort where it mattered, but the simple fact remained that his overall study time would inevitably decrease. How to compensate for that would be his challenge moving forward.

"You've been quietly bringing your grades up, haven't you?" Itsuki noted. "So have you," returned Amane.

Despite all his joking around, Itsuki's grades had also improved this time. He was ranked higher in the posted results than the last time Amane checked. Though he usually messed around, Amane believed that, at his core, Itsuki was a thoughtful and diligent guy.

Itsuki had all the potential to succeed if he desired, but he deliberately chose not to, acting silly to rebel against his parents. Whether that was indeed the case or not, Amane, as his friend, at least understood that Itsuki was extremely smart.

"Yeah. My old man's been on my case about it, and it's about time I started thinking about my future."

"I don't even wanna think about this time next year…"

Clutching her grade report and groaning in a pathetic voice was, of course, Chitose. Behind her, Mahiru stood smiling with a slightly troubled expression—her eyebrows lowered in sympathy.

As usual, Mahiru had taken the top spot, and since Amane was often with her, he knew very well how much effort she put in, making her achievement truly impressive. On the other hand, Chitose was disappointed with her results and handed her grade report to Itsuki without hesitation.

Chitose's expression grew more awkward as his eyes followed the numbers on the sheet.

"As for you, Chi…well, at least you avoided making it into the red. Feels

like you pulled through with your strongest subjects." "Ugh… I'll do better next time."

"Your scores have improved since last time, and you've gotten comfortable solving the questions. It's progress."

"Mahiruuun!"

Chitose clung to her tightly, openly moved by Mahiru's attempt to back her up. Mahiru let her do as she pleased—or rather, it might be more accurate to say that she caught her to keep Chitose from running away.

Mahiru was incredibly caring to her close friends. Having some thoughts about Chitose's grades, Mahiru wore a stunningly beautiful smile. One so lovely that Chitose instinctively backed away in response.

"M-Mahirun?"

"Please don't worry. We still have a year to go; all it takes is effort. The rest depends on your motivation and goals. From now on, I'll keep helping you. It will also serve as my review sessions."

"Will…this be a consistent thing?" Chitose asked.

"Of course. Rome wasn't built in a day, as they say. If you cram every night, the material will eventually be etched into your memory."

"Cram every night? Sounds like doing nothing but studying…"

"That is the path every student must take to prepare for their exams.

Work hard toward your goals, okay?" "Eek!!"

Chitose let out a shriek, but Mahiru remained entirely unfazed. She held Chitose's hand with an ever-so-sweet smile that anyone would find adorable.

Perhaps understanding that her chance of getting into her desired university was at risk, Chitose didn't pull away. Instead, she shot a pleading look in Amane and Itsuki's direction, silently asking for help. In response, both Amane and Itsuki turned their gazes away simultaneously. They weren't at all abandoning her. This was simply a path she couldn't avoid—a trial by fire, if you will. It wasn't quite like throwing a cub off a cliff to make it stronger, but it was, without a doubt, a necessary challenge for her growth.

"…She shows no mercy to her friends, huh…" Amane pointed out.

"She must know spoiling them won't do any favors," Itsuki added. "I experienced that firsthand."

"Oh, really? From the ever-so-sweet Shiina-san?"

"Really. Mahiru can be surprisingly blunt when she wants to be. Early on, she was cold as ice."

"Can't imagine that at all."

Itsuki laughed heartily and shrugged, utterly unaware of how things had been at first. Back then, Mahiru had been quite cold toward Amane. From her perspective, it was understandable—she had shown her vulnerable side to someone she didn't trust. Once they had started to open up, Amane's lazy habits likely caught her eye, which naturally led to her being harsh with him. In fact, Mahiru's persistence and patient willingness to correct him was worthy of praise.

"I doubt she acts that way with anyone else," Amane continued. "I knew she was saying those things for my own good, and she was right on the nose, so there was no room to argue."

"You were that much of a slob, eh?" "Shaddup. I'm much more responsible now."

Amane took pride in this fact. He could confidently say that he was a completely different person compared to a year ago, and he was sure Mahiru would also acknowledge that. He no longer left things scattered on the floor, kept his place clean, and had learned to cook at a decent level. He paid more attention to his appearance and was now dedicated to his studies and physical fitness. He had gone from being skinny to having a body that was at least somewhat respectable. Amane would undoubtedly be shocked if he had heard all this a year ago.

"And you're saying that it's all thanks to your loving wife… So, what made her sweet to you now, eh?"

"I'm guessing it's because I understood why Mahiru was being strict with me and changed myself for the better, and now I can maintain that without her having to push me. She won't be tough on someone who's already doing well. Plus…"

"What?"

"She says I've become too independent with this stuff, and now she wants me to rely on her more. Sometimes, she even gives me a little headbutt, saying, 'You're taking away all my jobs!'"

Mahiru wanted Amane to rely on her more and be more dependent.

However, there was no way Amane could shamelessly leave her to manage everything in his household. He already relied on her cooking when he was busy with his job, so on his days off, he made sure to help out in the kitchen and handled his own domestic tasks in his spare time. While it was now second nature to him, Mahiru had mixed feelings.

"Oh, so she just wants to feel needed."

"We spend so much time together, so we should share the responsibilities. I rely on her so much when I'm busy at work, so it only makes sense that I help whenever I have the time. I just want Mahiru to relax a bit, but she ends up pouting instead."

"Heh…"

"What's with that grin?"

"Nothing, nothing. Just thinking, what an adorable wife and surprisingly capable husband we have here."

"'Surprisingly'? What do you mean it's surprising?" "So you admit to the husband and wife thing, huh?"

Amane decided to plant his elbow into Itsuki's sides in response. "Don't elbow me to hide your embarrassment."

"Now, now, Amane-kun. You mustn't be rough." "Yeah, you tell him!"

Mahiru and Chitose, having finished their conversation, noticed Amane entering attack mode and gently admonished him. Though he had no real intention of dealing damage, it was still technically an attack, so it was only natural for them to call him out. Accepting this, Amane had no choice but to back down without protest.

"Ugh… My bad."

"More often than not, Ikkun teases too much. You never really take things seriously, Amane, so I'm sure you were just messing around a bit," Chitose said.

"Chi, are you even on my side?" "I'm on Mahirun's side, of course!"

So it's okay if she doesn't side with her boyfriend? Amane thought momentarily, but before he could say anything, Chitose, seemingly reading his mind, chimed in with an unexpectedly calm observation that deviated from her usual cheerful demeanor. "Ikkun takes it too far sometimes. He pretty much wants you to fight back."

She has him figured out.

Amane couldn't help but agree while Itsuki fell silent.

"Akazawa-san, you should try to avoid teasing Amane-kun too much. He tends to act childish when he's with you," Mahiru gently remarked.

"You aren't on my side either, Mahiru?" Amane wondered. "I'm neutral, of course."

"Hmph."

Despite her feelings, Mahiru almost always spoke from a neutral, objective standpoint. Amane understood that she wouldn't necessarily defend him just because he was her boyfriend. However, that didn't stop him from wanting to protest against the label of "childish" she had just given him.

Amane wanted to argue that Itsuki was the one who acted childishly, with all his teasing. But just as he was about to make his complaint known, Mahiru gently poked his cheek in a soft, playful way as if to calm him down. The words of frustration he had been about to speak melted away, slipping out as a quiet sigh.

Amane recognized once more how weak he was when it came to Mahiru. Sighing his irritation away, he noticed Itsuki standing next to him, grinning smugly. At that moment, Amane couldn't help but think one thing.

Surely, it wouldn't hurt to land one strike, right?

"Moving on… Congratulations, Mahiru, on keeping first again."

Looking at Itsuki's smug face only primed him more, so Amane removed him from his line of sight and turned toward Mahiru instead. She responded with a faint, shy smile.

"Your hard work is as incredible as ever—I don't think I could ever catch up. You really are amazing."

"Thank you. But it's just a matter of timing. I just happened to study the material ahead of everyone else…"

"Mahirun, you don't take compliments from your friends well, do you?" "Uuu…"

"When it's someone you aren't familiar with, you just say, 'Thank you very much,' and smile without saying much more. But we're telling you you're amazing because you really are."

It was just as Chitose pointed out. Despite telling Amane not to be so self-deprecating, Mahiru herself had a habit of not fully accepting praise. She acknowledged them but only took in about 40% of the compliments. While she wasn't a total perfectionist, her drive to constantly improve meant that her humility often kept her from taking the praise at face value, even when her efforts were recognized. Though Mahiru was aware of this tendency and tried to be mindful, it still surfaced occasionally.

Amane couldn't help but be impressed by how well Chitose had picked up on this aspect of Mahiru's personality.

"…It made me happy. Thank you." "Mm-hmm!"

"And just who do you think you are, Chi-san?" Itsuki posed. "Mahirun's best buddy, what about it?"

"I can't really do much if you say that."

"That's it. Keep 'em coming, Chitose," Amane chimed in. "Don't you encourage her, Amane-kun."

"Like you always told me not to be so self-deprecating, you need to learn to give yourself more credit, Mahiru."

"…Goodness."

Since Mahiru had accepted the compliment without much resistance, Amane felt it pointless to push the matter further. However, if she hadn't accepted it, he'd planned to shower her with praise later on. It seemed Mahiru picked up on that from his gaze as she shivered slightly for a moment. Amane decided to chalk it up as a shiver of joy.

"Congrats on fourth, Amane! The power of love strikes again!" "Thanks. But there's still room for improvement. I need to focus on studying and not just my job. After all, school rankings are just a stepping stone. I need to build up more for next year."

"Soo, you're just gonna ignore my 'power of love' joke?"

"I'm honestly tired of constantly being the straight man. But love aside, it's all thanks to Mahiru's support, and I'm genuinely grateful. It makes me feel like I can keep working hard."

"You're more motivated than before. Resilient, too."

"Yeah, partly helped by getting physically stronger. I've realized that without stamina, you can't get anywhere. Now it's all about keeping up the motivation and willpower."

For someone like Amane, who used to be more on the idle side, becoming this active was undoubtedly thanks to Mahiru's influence. He couldn't express enough gratitude for her presence in his life.

Amane felt incredibly grateful for his invaluable friends, like Yuuta and Itsuki, who not only gave him advice on building stamina but also occasionally worked out with him. However, despite his gratitude, it didn't mean he had no feelings about Itsuki's relentless teasing. So, he hoped that Itsuki would forgive him for occasionally giving him the cold shoulder.

"Ah, to be young again…" Itsuki joked. "We're the same age, dude…"

"Sorry to disappoint, but I'm younger!"

Since Itsuki's birthday was in February, he was technically the youngest among them, which also meant he was the one brimming with the most energy.

"All right, then you must have even more energy than me, Itsuki. So, keep fighting. You've got this!"

"Only slightly younger! We're practically the same age!" "Hehe." Mahiru giggled at their exchange.

"We can check out Ikkun's energy levels another time. For now, though, with our mock exams and tests over, we can spare some relaxation time, right?"

"We still have class, though."

Sadly, just because their exams were over didn't mean their classes would stop, too. It was time for them to start cramming more and more in preparation for their entrance exams, so there wouldn't be many chances to relax. After receiving the answer sheets, they would spend time reviewing and correcting mistakes, followed by even more lessons. The easy-going days were already behind them. "Please, more breaks…"

"Think all of humanity can get behind that one."

"Well, in about two weeks, it'll be Christmas time. So, do you two have anything planned?"

"Oh—"

Only after Chitose mentioned it did Amane suddenly remember that Christmas was a thing.

Indeed. With Mahiru's birthday falling in early December and coinciding perfectly with exam season, Amane had been wholly focused on those two. However, December was also packed with other significant events.

Although Christmas wasn't originally meant to be a day for such things, it had become a time when families celebrated, and couples across Japan reaffirmed their love. This special day was now fast approaching. Usually, it was an event impossible to forget, but the past month had been such an overwhelmingly busy period for Amane that it had slipped entirely from his mind.

"Oh… I was so focused on Mahiru that I completely forgot."

"Come on, you can't forget your first Christmas together as a couple!" "N-No, seriously, I'm so sorry, Mahiru. I haven't made any plans at all."

He thought it might not be the best idea to admit to Mahiru that he had no plans for Christmas, but lying would be even worse. So, instead of dodging the truth, he told her honestly. To his relief, Mahiru shook her head, showing that she wasn't bothered by it.

"Honestly, it had slipped my mind too… After, um, everything that happened recently, I must have been so caught up in it that I had only focused on that."

Since Mahiru generally wasn't one to get overly excited about events and, with her birthday so close to Christmas, she hadn't thought about it either. Amane wasn't sure if he should feel relieved or worry about how their relationship differed from your typical couple's. Still, there was no sign of her feeling disappointed, so he figured he had a chance to make up for it.

"So, what's it gonna be this year? Just relax, spending Christmas Eve and Day together?"

Last year, Itsuki and Chitose crashed at Amane's place for a Christmas party. While that inadvertently revealed his connection with Mahiru, it also deepened their bond, making it a memorable Christmas for them all. As they considered what to do this year, Amane and Mahiru exchanged glances and then looked down in thought, unsure of how to proceed.

"Hmm. Honestly, it's always just the two of us, so…" Amane said.

"It wouldn't be much different from usual, would it?" Mahiru agreed.

To put it bluntly, spending time alone together wasn't anything special for Amane and Mahiru anymore. While being alone together in Amane's room would undoubtedly be a different story, he had made a point to avoid that as much as possible. Just being the two of them didn't automatically mean that some exciting development would happen, and if they spent Christmas at home, it would likely feel no different from a regular day. At best, the meal might be a bit more extravagant.

"You're practically married at this point."

"Shut it," Amane quipped, then turned to Mahiru. "Mahiru, is there anywhere you'd like to go or anything special you want to do?"

"As long as I'm with you, I'll go anywhere." "…You're so quick to say things like that."

"Heh heh—I see how it is. So basically, you're spending both days like the cozy little married couple you are!"

"Oh, come on now…"

"Do you plan to go out together this year, Chitose-san?"

"Ah, we figured we'd decide after hearing your plans first. Honestly, we won't have the luxury to take it easy by this time next year. Spending time as a couple is nice, but so is going out with everyone as a group."

Chitose's voice had a hint of sadness, likely from thinking about the future and the inevitable pressures that would come with it. She realized the chances they would get to gather like this would steadily dwindle. By this time next year, most students, aside from those with early admissions, would be in the final stretch of cramming for exams. This might be their last carefree Christmas together.

Thinking the same thing, Mahiru glanced at everyone momentarily before slowly parting her lips to speak.

"…If everyone is okay with it, I think spending one of the days together would be nice. Of course, if you two have a date planned, that should take priority."

"I'm fine with it if you two are," Amane agreed.

Amane, too, felt that it was better to enjoy their time together while they still could before things got too hectic. He was perfectly fine if they ended up spending Christmas with the four of them like last year. After all, there were two days—Christmas Eve and Christmas Day—and he had time off for both. It would be perfect if he could spend one of those days with just Mahiru. Besides, Mahiru seemed to enjoy spending time with Chitose and the others, so he wanted to respect her wishes.

"All right then, it's settled—party at Amane's!" "Fine, but it's never not my place."

Although it was great that they decided where to hang out so quickly, Amane's apartment was again designated the location. Even though Mahiru was almost always with him, Amane lived alone in a relatively spacious apartment with good soundproofing. On top of that, his place was conveniently located near everyone else's homes, making it the most practical choice for gatherings. So, it made sense, even if it happened every time.

"I mean, it definitely won't do to let Ikkun into Mahirun's place, and I'm sure she'd feel uncomfortable with that. My house is too small for all of us, and my dad and brother are suuuper annoying—they'd totally crash the party."

"Yeah, that checks out."

Despite Chitose's many complaints about her siblings, she was still doted on as the youngest member of the Shirakawa family. If her dad and brother caught wind that her boyfriend and a couple of her friends were coming over, they'd definitely drop by to check things out. Amane had visited her house once before, with Itsuki, of course, and even then, they'd been bombarded with questions. It seemed that was what Chitose wanted to avoid.

That left Itsuki's house as the remaining option. But when their gazes met, he gave a slightly troubled, hesitant smile.

"My place, well… I doubt my mom would mind, and I'd let you guys use it if my dad wasn't around, but…he probably will be."

"He's not exactly fond of me, is he?" Chitose added. "Chi."

"There's no getting around the truth."

The relationship between Itsuki's father, Daiki, and Chitose was, to put it mildly, far from great. Though there was no malice, the tension between them was palpable. Amane had heard about it from Chitose and Itsuki, so he knew better than to say anything.

Itsuki, who had called out to Chitose with concern and a hint of rebuke, noticed the calm, resigned look in her eyes and fell silent. For a brief moment, her gaze carried a look of acceptance—not that she had given up, but a faint feeling of resignation lingered. However, when her eyes met Amane's, she quickly returned to her usual cheerful expression with a casual smile.

"So, sorry, but can we just do it at your place, Amane?"

Since Chitose had no intention of revealing what she was holding inside, Amane knew it wasn't his place to step in. So, just as Chitose intended, he responded with his usual expression, shrugging as if to say, "Well, guess it can't be helped."

"I don't actually mind. As long as you two are fine with it." "As long as I'm with Ikkun, I'll go anywhere!"

There was no longer any trace of her previous expression. "Don't start flirting in someone else's home, now."

"Whaaat? It's nothing new. You two can just get cute and cozy too, you know?"

"Who's gonna do that in front of others?"

"So you're saying you do it when no one's around?"

"…Drop it. We're a couple, so what's so bad about doing that in the privacy of our own home?"

"Oh-ho~?"

"Ah-ha~?"

"Yeah, I might just ban you two from coming in." "Please, My Lord, I beg for mercy!"

"Behave next time." "Yes, sir!"

Chitose's exaggeratedly submissive voice, as if she were bowing down, made Mahiru stifle a small giggle despite her usual calm demeanor. "Hehe, you two get along so well."

"You can join in too, Mahirun! Come on, like twirling your obi or something!"

"My obi…?"

"Like hell I'm doing that," Amane said. "Also, stop casting me as a corrupt magistrate from some old drama. I would never mistreat Mahiru or her kimono."

Chitose likely referred to an old scene from period dramas where a woman's kimono obi was undone while spinning her around like a top. Amane, being who he was, would never dream of doing something like that. The mere thought of roughly handling a kimono obi and possibly damaging it made him pale. He could already imagine getting scolded by Shihoko, who worked in the fashion industry.

"You're taking it super seriously, huh?"

"How could someone act so carelessly? I wouldn't dream of mistreating people or things."

"This is where your good nature shines through—never failing to show how virtuous you are."

"There's nothing virtuous about it. It's just common sense." "You're lucky Amane's normal, huh, Mahirun?"

"I probably wouldn't have paid him any attention if he weren't." "Am I being dissed here?"

"No, no, we're complimenting you!"

Hearing Mahiru's light, bell-like chuckle, Amane couldn't bring himself to complain. He gave her a quick sidelong glance, but since there was no trace of malice in her expression, he had no choice but to stay quiet. Chitose couldn't hold back her laughter, finding the situation too amusing. In response, Amane shot her a sharp look to quiet her down, then sighed heavily.