That is what's going on

Mello sat at the table with his chin in his right hand, lazily biting off a piece of chocolate. He had been working on the computer for hours after breakfast. He had been writing the fiction lately, exactly, stories – stories he heard from L a long time ago and already constructed. But he was really inefficient today and lost his thought at the Christmas tree in the living room now and then.

"What are you doing?" Three days ago, as soon as Mello had opened the door of the apartment, he saw Halle fiddling with a Christmas tree that was almost as tall as the bedroom door.

"The shop is closing out everything before the Christmas holidays. I convinced the owner to sell me the Christmas tree at the door of the shop, but I didn't expect it to be delivered today." Halle grinned at him as she pressed the small button of the remote control. Little colored lights twining around the tree came on. When Halle pressed the button again, all lights changed into another color.

"Why did you buy it? Didn't you say you were going back to your hometown for Christmas this year?" Mello took off his red leather jacket and hung it on the hanger in the foyer, changing shoes and walking over on cloth slippers.

Near generously gave all SPK members eight days off, thankfully, it started on the 24th December. After an one-hour-long phone call last weekend, Halle learned that her siblings were all going back to hometown this Christmas and decided to spend time with her family on Christmas holidays.

"It's ages since I went back." Mello rarely saw such a look of anticipation on Halle's face. She had been in a significantly better mood since then. Mello was amazed to find that Halle had hummed in the kitchen as she fried eggs and made coffee before he got up every morning. She once told him that she was too busy working after college. Considering the risk of her job, she had gradually reduced her contact with her family, which was evident from her use of a false surname. Her siblings were also busy. They had been married and had their own families over the years. It was probably the first opportunity that Halle could reunited with his parents and siblings since she joined CIA.

"Yes, but what does this have to do with me buying a Christmas tree? It's our tradition. The Christmas tree should be put up at home after Thanksgiving Day." Halle said as she bit her lips.

The living room looks smaller. Normally, Mello would have blurted out something like this out of habit. He seemed to think of something and licked his lips, swallowing back the words came to his mouth.

"I'll go to the mall after work tomorrow. Will you join me?" Halle blinked and asked.

"Would you still want to go shopping?" Mello asked, frowning. Only the other day Mello had accompanied Halle to the mall twice, said to buy Christmas presents for her nieces and nephews to satisfy kids' wishes. Mello knew that Halle was actually unwilling to part with his free labor - Which time did he come back from the mall without bags of stuff? Why did presents for kids include her new clothes and new shoes?

Early this morning, A suitcase was spread out on the floor, as Halle tried every means to stuff the toy she had bought for her nieces into the full suitcase.

"You'll miss the train if you keep dawdling." Mello, who had been sleeping on the sofa, sat up and stared at Halle, covered with a blanket he slept under. It was obvious that Halle didn't mean to wake him. But as a light sleeper, he was still awake.

"Give me a minute. I shouldn't have forgot this last night." Halle crouched on the ground, as she pressed the box with one hand, the other hand zipping up the suitcase after long struggle.

"I wonder why you don't drive back. It's just a few hours' drive." Freshly woken up with messy hair, Mello walked unhurriedly into the bathroom. The room was warm enough that he was wearing thin pajama.