"Deck the halls with boughs of holly, fa la la la la, la la la...tis the season to be jolly...fa la la la la la, la la la la..."
"You sound like you're having fun", Nao giggled at her older brother who was humming while hanging small angels on their little Christmas tree.
"Just happy that I'll finally have the chance to let you meet my darrrlin'..."
Nao smiled but she was still uncertain about the whole thing. She met a lot of girls her brother dated during his high school days and they were always too arrogant, too dolled up, too sluttish or too violent for her taste. Though, she never meddled in her brothers relationships because to her love had always been something strange and distant.
"How did you get to know her?", she asked her brother inquisitively. He snickered:
"That's a funny story. Her first impression of me might have been a little...how should I put it? Well, the result was that she was yelling furiously and eventually pummeling me with a wet towel."
"I don't even want to know what you did to her", she sighed.
"That's not the point here anyway", he smirked, "I fell in love with her furious face and her short - tempered personality. She looked just so cute at that time that I kissed her on impulse and made her fall for me, too."
"Well, you're that kind of guy, onii-chan", she was not sure how to judge his rash actions.
"Yeah, I used to be a real player but since I met her I changed that part of me. Beside my cute sis, she's the only woman I need in my life", his smile was really affectionate this time and made Nao happy as well.
"I just hope you won't be too lovey-dovey this evening or I'll feel left out..."
"Don't worry, I don't want to make you jealous", he pinched her nose, "and there is also her little brother."
"He's still in grade school, right?"
"Of course, he's only eight. Both of them lost their parents, so my honey is taking care of him. Isn't she so dedicated? Don't you love little children?"
She nodded her head. Yes, when she was younger she even wanted to become a kindergarten teacher. Did she still have that dream? Maybe she could practice a little while taking care of that child. Maybe this Christmas would become the best she ever had.
"What are you doing here?"
This was his first reaction after he saw her standing in the narrow living room beside the crooked Christmas tree. Nao could not answer. She was still too confused. In fact, she could have had a slight presentiment as they arrived in front of the house of her brothers new flame. She had not been observant enough.
"I-I-I...", she stuttered and looked at her older brother in confusion, "I thought her brother was eight and not eighteen?"
"Well", Tatsuya scratched the back of his head, "maybe I misheard."
"Don't tell me he's the new boyfriend of my sister!", Kazama Ren looked more than shocked. Nao opened her mouth to say something but at that moment Kao - chan appeared beside her brother. Her face lit up in excitement.
"Darling", she exclaimed and flung her arms around Tatsuyas back. He smiled as well and kissed her on the cheek. Nao turned her head in embarrassment and her eyes landed on Ren. Her classmate was trembling with anger and his eyes were fixed on the hugging pair. It seemed like he wanted to kill the young man clinging to his dear sister. The couple did not even realize that their younger siblings were watching them.
"Let's talk", determinate Nao pulled Ren into his room.
"Could you tell me what your good for nothing brother wants with my sister?", he asked furiously. Nao felt that she was getting angry as well:
