Kaoru's heart skipped a beat, the world narrowing to the figure under the lamppost. Aya stood there, snowflakes catching in her hair like stars, her coat hugging her frame against the winter bite. In her gloved hands, she held a small, neatly wrapped box, red paper with a simple gold ribbon, the kind that screamed "thoughtful" rather than "flashy." Her eyes widened in mirror-image surprise, cheeks flushing not just from the cold.
"Kaoru?" she repeated, her voice a mix of disbelief and something warmer, like the first sip of hot cocoa on a frosty day.
He blinked, snow crunching as he shifted his weight. "Aya? What are you— I mean, merry Christmas? Wait, that sounded dumb."
They both froze, gazes locked in that awkward limbo where words failed but everything else screamed familiarity. It was like a scene from one of his mangas, a chance encounter under falling snow, protagonists stumbling into fate. Except this was real, and his brain was short-circuiting.
Then, in perfect sync, they both blurted out.
"Huh... Deja vu hits hard."
The words hung in the air for a split second before they burst into awkward laughter, the sound echoing off the quiet street like a release valve. Kaoru clutched his side, chuckling harder than the joke deserved, while Aya covered her mouth, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "We thought the same thing." she managed between giggles, shaking her head. "Of course we did. Why am I not surprised?"
Kaoru wiped a tear from his eye laughter-induced, he told himself and grinned. "Great minds, right? Or maybe we're just predictable. What are you doing out here? I thought you were 'disappearing' for the holidays."
Aya adjusted the box in her hands, her laughter fading into a soft smile. "I was. Am. But... I needed some air. Deadlines are off, but my brain doesn't know how to quit. You?"
"Same boat." he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "Apartment felt like a ghost town. Figured a walk might shake off the ramen coma."
They fell into step naturally, walking side by side down the snow-dusted sidewalk, the crosswalk light forgotten behind them. The city felt like a shared secret, empty streets, twinkling lights reflecting off icy patches, the occasional car humming by with holiday music muffled inside. Kaoru stole glances at her, noting how the cold brought out the determination in her stride, the way she tucked a stray hair behind her ear. She'd always been the unflappable editor, slicing through his drafts with precision, but here, without manuscripts between them, she seemed... approachable. Human.
"Perhaps because she finally has the holidays from editing. Obviously. Yes I answer my own questions." (Narrator.)
"So.." Aya started, breaking the comfortable quiet. "Tell me about your life these holidays. Beyond the manga chaos. What's Kaoru Kagami up to when he's not Erebus-sensei?"
He snorted. "Bold of you to assume there's a 'beyond.' But alright. I've been experimenting with new art styles. Digital brushes that mimic watercolor, you know? Makes the panels feel more alive. And... stargazing, obviously. That telescope changed things. Feels like Grandpa's still around, pointing out constellations."
Aya nodded, her expression softening. "I can see that. You've been different since that night. More grounded, maybe? As for me... I've been reading actual books. Not just proofs. Novels with no deadlines attached. It's weirdly liberating. And cooking I've tried making tonkatsu from scratch. Burned it twice, but third time's the charm."
Kaoru laughed. "You? Burning food? Miss Perfect Editor strikes out? Tell me more. I need blackmail material."
She elbowed him lightly, playful spark in her eyes. "Hey, editing manga doesn't teach kitchen skills. But it's relaxing. Reminds me of my grandma's recipes. She always said food's the best way for comfort."
Their conversation flowed like a well-paced chapter, easy jumps from personal quirks to deeper shares. Kaoru opened up about his early days sketching in notebooks during lonely school lunches, how manga became his escape hatch from grief after losing his grandparents. She listened.
"I envied creators like you." She confessed. "All that raw imagination. I just polish it."
"You're more than that." Kaoru said earnestly. "You make the chaos coherent. Without you, 'Erebus' would be a mess of plot holes and bad pacing."
Aya's cheeks pinked again, but she waved it off. "Flattery won't get you extensions."
From there, talk shifted to their friends, the crew that had turned his solo life into a ensemble cast. "Come to think of it.." Kaoru mused, kicking a snow clump off the path. "I bet Takeshi's having the time of his life right now. He's definitely on a date with Emi. Remember how they told us. They 'accidentally' ended up at that cafe together. Total setup. Takeshi fell in love at first sight, yet after he confessed. Emi fell for him harder!"
Aya laughed. "Oh, absolutely. Takeshi's been dropping hints like breadcrumbs. 'Emi's so reliable.' he says, all casual. And she was oblivious until he spells it out. Classic opposite rom-com trope"
"Man... I'm envious of couples." Kaoru admitted with a sigh, watching a pair across the street share a snowball fight, laughter carrying on the wind. "Not in a bitter way. Just.. you know, the shared stuff. Inside jokes, backup during tough times. Must be nice."
Aya glanced at him sideways, her voice thoughtful. "It is. But friendships hit different. Like us. The whole group. We've got that without the drama."
"True." he agreed. "Time flies so fast this year, doesn't it? Like every year, everyone says 'time's so fast this year, that year, whatever...' But seriously. January feels like yesterday. Deadlines blurring into hiatuses, telescope nights... poof, Christmas."
She nodded, slowing her pace as they reached a small park, benches dusted white under bare trees. "Feels like we're all leveling up. Kaede's more independent, Naoki's opening up. Even Emi's less nonchalant slightly."
They paused by a bench, the conversation tapering like a fading panel transition. Snow fell steadier now, blanketing the world in hush. Kaoru stared at the ground, lost in thought, memories flashing like quick-cut scene. Kaede's spray-paint arm, Takeshi's steady grip on the tube, Naoki's late-night gaming rants, Emi's bubblegum pops punctuating laughs. And Aya always there, guiding, challenging, seeing through his bluster.
'Oh well... I really do have great friends, aren't I? The best of the best.' The thought warmed him more than any scarf.
He turned to her, breaking the silence. "Merry Christmas, Aya Takahashi."
"You too, Kaoru..." she replied, her tone carrying an undercurrent like a character hinting at a subplot. She hesitated, fiddling with the box, her intention clear in the way her eyes searched his. Maybe a hangout? Something more?
Then she spoke, voice steady but laced with vulnerability. "Do you... wanna watch New Year's together next week? Fireworks, countdown the whole thing...
..Just us?"
Kaoru's eyes widened, the question hanging like a cliffhanger panel, his response teetering on the edge. Before he could answer, a snowball whizzed past them, kids from the park, giggling apologies. But in that split second, his mind raced.
"Was this the plot twist he'd been sketching all along? Hell NO! He ain't got more game than me, I'm THE Narrator!" (Narrator)
He opened his mouth, heart pounding.
"..."