Hachiman's Christmas Carol

Death of Christmas Pasts

It was a week before Christmas. The streets in Tokyo were bustling with life as everybody was busy preparing for the festive season. Whilst newly-wed couples flooded shopping malls attempting last minute shoppings, children were out in the open playing with snow and building snowmen. The colourful Christmas lights decorating the streets further enhanced the joyous atmosphere, putting everyone on the street in a good mood. Amidst the cheerfulness and anticipation, however, lays a sulking individual whom, despite all the festivities, remained sullen and downtrodden.

That individual was me.

My name is Hikigaya Hachiman. I am nothing short of a successful individual whom, after graduating from university, began my pursuit for a life of entrepreneurship and have been shooting to the moon since. At the tender age of 24, I amassed enough wealth to buy a lavish penthouse in the most affluent district in Tokyo. Four years later, the title of "Youngest billionaire in Japan" was bestowed in me. Fuelled by ambition and success, never had I slacked off for a single day. By age 35, I owned various monopolies which further elevated my wealth.

In the brief 35 years of my life I have yet to see a point to a marriage. People who marry always end up caged like a bird, burdened by the harsh reality of quarrels, feuds and kids. Marriage is but an unnecessary obstacle to my success. Why do I need it then?

The one thing I disdained more than marriage is festivities. Why do we need festivities, when after all it is just an elaborate and socially-acceptable way for slackers to goof off? I don't need any festivities in my life. 

I believe most successful people in the world have no love for festivities either. Festivities are but for the lazy and unambitious.

The festivity that I hated the most was no doubt Christmas. Never had mankind invented such a bloody and cursed holiday! Couples walking on the snowy pavements, huddling together like filthy bunch of swines, how could one even stomach this scene?

All over Tokyo, people are celebrating the night before the sacred day with family, rejoicing in the joyous, homely atmosphere of their warm abode. Me? I'm working my ass off while others are jerking their ass off! Tell me more about what you did the whole year to deserve even a single day worth of celebration? Christmas is useless. It only panders to the fools. 

In the name of blessings, Christmas is nothing but a curse to me.

Worse still, my worthless, frivolous employees were not helping at all.

"For the last time, Sakamoto, I am not going to attend the Christmas celebration!" I hollered at my secretary. The latter had invited me to the company's Christmas celebration, in hopes of raising the spirit of his visibly gloomy employer.

"But Mr Hikigaya, you have not being attending our Christmas celebrations for years, please make an exception this time round! Come on, it's holiday seasons, at least spend some time with us! I understand you have a lot of work to do, but how is losing one day worth of work going to affect us in any way—"

"Losing one day worth of work means nothing to you? Sakamoto, I hate to be blunt, but this is the reason why I sitting down and you're standing up right now. Now get out of here and stop asking me to come for your worthless celebration again!"

Sakamoto's lips quivered and he became teary-eyed. As he escorted himself out of my office, I could feel remorse accumulating inside me. Sakamoto was a mighty fine fellow, and he has worked for me ever since the establishment of this company. Nevertheless, he need to grasp the concept of no meaning no. I have turned away such invitations for years, and I'm not going to make an exception this year.

Still, I was slightly pained at the fact that I would be spending Christmas alone yet again. I wished to make an exception this time, but who could I spend my Christmas with?