Fikush-ON!

Ch. 11: Christmas Party

As the weeks went by, the temperature dropped day by day, forcing me to wear my winter attire once again. Soon came December, the ending of the second semester drawing near. During the past few months, I've kept in contact with Hirasawa almost weekly. I didn't want her to be worried about me, like last summer. We mostly just messaged each other, but sometimes I paid a visit to Hirasawa residence. This was one of those occasions.

I had just stepped inside, and had followed Hirasawa upstairs to the living room. Their coffee table had been replaced by a kotatsu, which was only natural. I walked over to the kotatsu, taking a seat at my usual spot, and slipping my feet under the blanket, while Hirasawa headed to the kitchen to prepare some tea. Huh, now where might Yui be? I'd imagine her to be the first to laze around under the blanket...

"Ah, Sugimoto-kun, hello," a voice next to me greeted.

Confused, I glanced down to my left, and flinched. It was Yui. She was completely under the kotatsu, and had poked her head out.

"It sure is cold outside," she murmured as she slipped her head back under the blanket.

Hirasawa, who had noticed the situation from the kitchen, put her hands on her hips. "Sis, get out of there. You're not a child anymore."

Yui poked her head out, this time from the opposite side. "But Ui~, it's cold out there."

"Then you won't get any snacks," Hirasawa threatened, continuing on preparing the tea.

Yui slipped back under the blanket, and soon popped her head out right next to me, making me flinch once again.

"Sugimoto-kun~, Ui is being cruel..." she sniveled.

"You're acting like I could influence the situation in any way..." I muttered.

Yui raised the blanket with her hand, a shine of confidence in her eyes. "You could slip under here, too. Then there would be two of us and only one of her."

I put my hands behind my neck, leaning back and gazing out of the balcony door. "She's still the one controlling the snacks."

Yui seemed to understand this, and continued on pondering, clearly planning her next move. Meanwhile, Hirasawa got the tea done and carried the tray over to the kotatsu, setting it down in the middle, and taking a seat across from me. She raised the blanket, peeking under it.

"Sis, I made some hot chocolate for you," she called out with a soothing voice.

A second later, Yui popped out of the kotatsu right next to Hirasawa, and quickly sat up. Man, Hirasawa really knows how her sister works. Yui reached over, grabbed the steaming cocoa mug from the platter, and took a careful sip. Her satisfied expression made me smirk.

As I was grabbing a cup of tea from the platter, Hirasawa asked her sister: "Are you going to tell him about it?"

"About what?" I asked.