Episode 387: Christmas Party (Prologue)

「Onii-cha~~~~n… boom!!」

「Whoa!? Haha, Mio-chan, welcome!!」

I caught Mio-chan, who had launched herself like a tiny homing missile into my stomach, and lifted her up for a bit of high-five skinship as a greeting.

As I was being healed by the cuteness of Mio-chan’s joyful squeals, two silhouettes appeared on the stone steps of the shrine, looking around as if searching for something…

「Aaaaaah, I knew it!!!!」

「Mio-chan, that’s not fair!!!!」

As soon as they saw us, they opened their mouths to level accusations at Mio-chan… and threw glares and voices that seemed to condemn me right along with her.

Hey now, I think that’s a bit much, don’t you?

「It’s not unfair!! Onii-chan is Mio’s Onii-chan, so only Mio gets hugs!!」

「Muuu…」

「Uuuu…」

The two girls puffed out their cheeks at Mio-chan’s rebuttal, sending even more resentful glares toward her… or rather, toward me. Meanwhile, Mio-chan was rubbing her cheek against mine like a clingy kitten in full pampered mode… sigh, she’s cute… wait, that’s not the point!!

「Haha, as popular as ever, aren’t you, Kazunari?」

「True. It’s quite enviable.」

「Takanashi-kun, you really shouldn’t be underestimated, getting fought over by girls like this… maybe I should tattle to Sara.」

「Listen here…」

Natsumi-senpai and the others, who had been watching from behind, called out with voices full of delight at teasing me… no, no, if you have that much spare energy, at least help deal with those two over there. Especially the two guys laughing!!

「Oh honestly, I’m sorry Takanashi-san, Mio is always like this.」

「I’m so sorry, Vice President-san. Come on Sakura, let go.」

「Yuki-chan, let’s let go of onii-chan, okay?」

The mothers, who arrived a bit later than the children, rushed over in a panic as soon as they confirmed the situation. They began trying to peel Sakura-chan and Yuki-chan away, as they were currently clinging to my legs… but Mio-chan, as if escaping Kazumi-san’s hands, pressed herself tightly against my body, switching from kitten mode to koala mode. Mmm… it’s the time of day when it starts getting chilly, so she’s warm.

So, a bit late for an explanation, but today’s Christmas party is a large gathering consisting of the guest of honor, Mio-chan, her friends Sakura-chan and Yuki-chan, and their three respective mothers, along with our own group.

This came about because Mio-chan bragged about our party at kindergarten, and as a result, her particularly close friends Sakura-chan and Yuki-chan insisted they wanted to join. After Mio-chan asked me directly the other day, we ended up in this situation…

「Um… it’s a bit late to ask, but is it really alright for us to join in as well?」

「That’s right. If it’s a problem, we could just have the children join and we can come pick them up later…」

「No, it’s perfectly fine. Besides, if it were just the children among a bunch of strangers, those two might feel anxious…」

Mio-chan aside, Sakura-chan and Yuki-chan didn’t seem the type to be shy, but we concluded they’d probably be nervous thrown into a group this large, so we invited the mothers to participate as well.

「We’re really sorry for making you go to such trouble…」

「No, no, please don’t worry about it!」

That said, I could tell the mothers were feeling quite overwhelmed with gratitude… so I tried to sound as bright as possible, telling them it wasn’t an issue at all.

Well, I doubt they’ll just say「Then we won’t hesitate」and leave it at that.

「Onii-chan is so kind~」

「He is. I wish the boys at kindergarten would follow his example.」

「Ehehe~ Mio’s Onii-chan is the best in the whole world!」

Whether she truly understood what they meant or not, Mio-chan replied to Sakura-chan and Yuki-chan’s praise with a cute, proud look… and once that was done, she started rubbing her cheek against my face again.

Mmm, Mio-chan is in full extra-sweet pampered mode today.

「…Huh? Hey Onii-chan, is that white stuff… snow?」

Suddenly noticing something, Mio-chan, while still clinging to me, let out a curious voice as she looked over my shoulder toward the community center.

Following her lead, Sakura-chan and Yuki-chan also turned their eyes in the same direction…

「Aaaaaaaaaah!!!! It’s snow!!!!」

「Whoaaa… there are snowmen tooooo!!!!」

Sakura-chan and Yuki-chan started running in great excitement. Seeing that, Mio-chan turned a pleading gaze toward me…

「Go ahead, Mio-chan, you go too.」

「Yeah!! Snow snow snoooow!!!!」

Mio-chan started running after the other two with slightly clumsy, tottering steps. I was a bit worried she might trip, but she managed to join them safely, which was a relief.

「Takanashi-san, what on earth is that snow…」

「It’s artificial snow. We had it specially prepared.」

「A-artificial snow…」

「Whoa… s-so easily…」

「Ahaha… well, it’s normal to be surprised.」

Ski resorts and tourist facilities are one thing, but anyone who thinks about it for a second would realize how unusual it is to prepare artificial snow for a private location like this… so it’s no wonder they’re shocked.

「There’s even such a large Christmas tree…」

「Um, it’s a bit sudden to bring this up, but… about the costs.」

「As much as we appreciate it, we feel like we can’t just say thank you for all of this…」

Apparently, from an adult perspective, they were concerned about that point. The mothers asked with a mix of apology and slight anxiety…

「Um, it’s really okay, so please don’t worry. But if you’re absolutely concerned…」

「The sponsor for this is inside, so if you’d like, you can thank them directly! I’ll introduce you later.」

Natsumi-senpai jumped in to back me up, and the mothers looked at each other and gave a small nod.

I also thought it was a very reassuring explanation, even if it was short… as expected of Natsumi-senpai. But I won’t praise her, because she’ll just get carried away.

「Onii-chaaaaaan, Mamaaaaa!!!! Over here, hurryyyyy!!!!」

「Mama, come over here tooooo!!!!」

「Mama, Mama, a big Christmas treeeee!!!!」

「Come on Mio, it’s dangerous to run on the snow!」

「Yes, yes, I’m coming!」

「Yuki-chan, don’t shout!」

At the children’s exuberant calls, the mothers switched gears and broke into happy smiles…

「Onii-chan and the others, hurry up tooooo!!!!」

「Coming!! …Well, shall we go too?」

「Yeah. Let’s go.」

「Right. I have to at least enjoy this as much as a makeup date…」

「Yuji, don’t say unnecessary things!!!!」

First, let’s start the party with a little snow festival.

「Now then, first, after you, Mio-chan.」

I spoke as we cut the childhood-reminiscent snow play short and stood before the doors of the community center, today’s party venue. This was, of course, because of the production waiting ahead… inside the community center, Sara-san and the others, who are not here right now, have taken their positions and are waiting for the entry of Mio-chan and the others…

「E, excuse meee.」

Perhaps feeling something, a slightly nervous Mio-chan leads Sakura-chan and Yuki-chan, with whom she is holding hands, through the door… actually, the idea of having the lights inside the building turned off as a production had been a candidate, but considering the possibility that Mio-chan and the others might get scared, it was ruled out.

「Waaaaah, so cute!!」

「Amazing amazing, so many reindeers!!」

「Ah, Latty-chan is here!!」

Greeted by the various Christmas decorations adorning the entrance of the community center and the reindeer sleigh object with a certain famous character dressed as Santa Claus on it, Mio-chan and the others start frolicking here too.

Seeing them actually being happy like this, the effort of the preparations was worth it…

「One, two…」

「「MERRY CHRISTMAAAAAAAAAAS!!」」

Pop!!

Pa-pan!!

Pa-pa-pa-pan!!

What rang out there along with the promised shout was a chorus of party crackers, which are a staple and companion of parties, as you know. Then Sara-san and the others, who had been waiting in the shadows of the room, appeared all at once… even Mio-chan and the others, who had shown surprised faces at first, immediately changed back into full smiles once they realized those were crackers and the people who pulled them appeared…

「Sara onee-chaaaaaaaan!!」

Finding Sara-san there, Mio-chan carries out a small missile charge with visible joy!! …However, Sara-san skillfully lets that impact escape and gently catches Mio-chan with a truly light touch.

As expected of Sara-san… she is good at handling children.

「Welcome, Mio-chan.」

「Yeah!! I’m here… nuzzle nuzzle.」

「Hehe… that tickles, Mio-chan.」

「Ehehe, Sara onee-chaan.」

Just like the way she was spoiled toward me earlier, Mio-chan’s way of being spoiled toward Sara-san also seems to be increased by about twenty… thirty percent compared to usual. Well, she must be that happy, and Sara-san, who is spoling her, also looks truly happy… so it’s only natural that I, who am watching them, also become happy.

「Onii-chan, over here!!」

「Coming.」

Beckoned by Mio-chan, I move to Sara-san’s side… just to a position where Mio-chan’s hand can reach, then the smiling Mio-chan reaches out her hand… should I just hold her hand?

「Together with Onii-chan and Onee-chan!!」

「Haha, that’s right.」

「Hehe… you look happy, don’t you, Mio-chan?」

「Yeah! Ehehe…」

Gazing back and forth between Sara-san’s face and mine, Mio-chan wears a smile as bright as the sun, without a care in the world. Really… she’s beyond just being cute.

「…Whoa. As expected, those two look like a young couple with a child, don’t they?」

「…Hehe, isn’t it truly heartwarming and good?」

「…Oh, Eri-rin is composed.」

「…Ufufu, I’m seriously looking forward to seeing the faces of my great-grandchildren♪」

「…There you go talking way too far ahead again.」

「…Ahaha.」

「Ug… I’m jealous, Mio-chan.」

「Yeah. Together with Onii-chan and Onee-chan…」

「…Whoops.」

Sakura-chan and Yuki-chan, who were staring at our exchange, had their expressions clouded sadly… what should I do, Sara-san is holding Mio-chan, and right now I…

「Mio-chan?」

「Yeah.」

When I call Mio-chan’s name, whether she understood the meaning or it was just by chance, she softly let go of the hand we were holding… I should probably interpret this as having received permission.

「Sakura-chan, Yuki-chan?」

When I call their names while beckoning, for a moment, the two of them wear blank expressions… but when I hold out both hands to each of them, their expressions brighten up, and they tightly (though Sakura-chan is half-clinging) hold my hands.

For now, if I can get them to feel better with this…

「…C, the children increased to three!?」

「…Yoko, that way of saying it is…」

「…Honestly, Kazunari is popular in interesting ways.」

「…Right. I never thought he was a man who would be popular in this way either.」

「…Ufufu, Sara-chan is safe in the future too♪」

「…What on earth does that mean.」

「Ehe, Onii-chan♪」

「Onii-chan, I wonder how it would be if you just stayed Sakura’s Onii-chan as you are?」

「That’s no goooooooood!!」

「Poon, Mio-chan is a meanie!!」

「Ha, haha.」

「Hehe… you’re having a hard time, aren’t you, Kazunari-san?♪」

At the children’s heartwarming(?) exchange, Sara-san wears a truly joyful smile… and so I couldn’t help but feel truly happy at that smile of Sara-san…

「Now, Kazunari-san, take Mio-chan and the others.」

「Right. Well then everyone, shall we go?」

「「Yessssss!!」」

With the three energetic replies as a signal… now, I invite them into the party venue!