“I lied to you. We already finished cleaning yesterday… Are you ready to hear my secrets?” Maki asked, still looking at the fountain in front of them.



MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Every one was happy inside their room. Yasuda and Abe sensei organized a Christmas party for the grade 6-A today for tomorrow will be the official start of their Christmas vacation. It’s their treat also for the varsity team. They invited Ayumi, Masae Hitomi and Miki in their room although their in section B.

“I hope that you ordered more cakes… I think those two will devour all of the sweet foods available.” Abe told Yasuda while she pointed at Nono and Aibon, greedily eating their food on one corner.

“It’s alright, let them eat everything till their stomachs’ bursts open… Christmas comes only once a year… And I may not see them next year… Maybe they’ll go to a different school after graduation.”

“You’re right. I’ll miss the teasing of those two.” Abe sighed. It will be the last year that she will be handling the best players she ever had in her 5 years of stay in that school. Yasuda also sighed. She handled this section as a proxy adviser when their grade 5 teacher died in an accident. Ever since then, she came to love this section.

……..
“Oi! You’re depleting our resources fast! Think of other people like us who wanted to taste them also!” Sayu growled. In contrast to her fragile and thin body, she was an eater. Eri and Reina were pretty envious of their friend. Though she eats a lot, she never gained weight..

“You’re just too slow to get one… Now that’s it’s gone… you’ll blame it on us?” Aibon answered while licking the chocolate flavored creampuff, making Sayu angrier.

“How will I get one when the TWO OF YOU TOOK THEM ALL!!!!”

Eri came to the rescue… “Don’t shout at them… Here… I’ve managed to take three. I’ll give them to you if you want.”

“Hontou?! Thanks! Oh I really love you!!!” Sayu hugged her friend. Nono and Aibon’s eye sparkle with mischief. They were ready to ‘monomane’ their classmates’ gesture when…

“Don’t get the wrong idea there…OK? The three of us loves each other… just like the two of you loves each other…” Reina gave them a glare. Nono and Aibon sighed with defeat and went back on ravishing their foods.

“I’m gonna miss their antics after graduation…” Maki suddenly blurted out.

“Oh yeah… I haven’t had a chance to ask this to you before but, where are you going to move?” Rika asked. Sadness was clearly seen on her face.

“Tokyo… But it’s still tentative… My mom will finalize it after Christmas.” Maki replied.

“Oh….. Speaking of Christmas... My parents approved me to stay with your family. We will go to the shrine first… and after it, I can sleep over in your house… IS your mom ok with that?”

“Duh… She was the one who asked me to invite you this Christmas….” Maki laughed and Rika followed.

“You’re really a good chef…” Rika said after eating the special Okonomiyaki that Maki cooked.

“Well, Yasuda needed some help and she knew that I can cook well… That’s why she borrowed me for a while.” Rika noticed that Maki’s eyes were somewhat red from tiredness. She guessed that she woke up really early that day for this occasion.

“It’s good that you’re the one who cooked some of our foods today. At least we tasted your cooking… It’s delicious..” Reina said while eating some of the Okonomiyaki that Maki cooked.

“Thanks… and by the way… can I talk with you privately?” Maki winked at Reina.

“Why would you want to talk with her alone? I want to hear it too…” Rika said in a sulking tone.

“Though I want too, it’s a secret between the two of us… But when the right time comes, I’ll tell it to you also.” Maki assured Rika before pushing Reina to a far corner of the room.

“So… I guess this is about our conversation on the amusement park right?” Reina started.

“Yeah… can I ask an itsy-bitsy favor from you?”

“….Shoot…”

“Our Christmas party will end at 3 in the afternoon… I want the three of you to invite Rika to any place and hold her there till 6 in the evening…”

“Ok… and what will happen after 6?”

“Leave her at the park near the fountain… then, you can go home by that time.” Maki sheepishly smiled.

“I guess, you’ll give her your gift by that time right?... Sounds like a good plan. I’ll tell it to those two…” Reina somewhat had an idea on what Maki will do. The lights on the fountain will open at 6 and it creates a somewhat romantic atmosphere. The water and the light looks like its dancing to a mellow tune which makes any passersby to marvel at its beauty.
Reina immediately run towards her two best friends while Maki went back to Rika.

“What did you tell her?” Rika’s right eye brow arched. She also crossed her hands to her chest to prove a point.

“Hmmm… Secret… I can’t tell it right now… Maybe later or tomorrow..”

“Hidoi…”


…………
“Eh? Why are you leaving me here?” Rika was astonished at what her friends said. Earlier, they invited her to join them to sing in a karaoke bar… and then they went window shopping. It’s already 6 in the evening and the sky was already dark then suddenly her friends wanted her to stay ALONE near the fountain.

“We’ll just get our ‘gift’ for you… It’s a surprise…” Sayu winked at the two..

“I get that point… My question is WHY do you want me to stay here alone? Two of you can get the gift… then one of you will stay here with me…” Rika explained.

“Ano… It’s so heavy that it takes the three of us to carry it here.” Eri said but her voice was somewhat stuttering. She could not think of other good ideas.

“If it’s heavy, take me there so that you don’t need to carry it here..” Rika said.

“Sorry, but you MUST stay here alone… You need not to worry… We’ll be back in a flash…” With this, Reina pushed her two friends and ran away from Rika.

“MATTE!!!”... Rika didn’t bother to follow her three fleeing friends. She was suddenly amazed when the fountain lit up and the water seemed like it was dancing in tune to the changing lights.

“You like it?” Rika looked towards the owner of the voice and was surprised to see Maki beside her.

“What are you doing here? I thought you will help your mother to clean your house… Are you already finished?”

“I lied to you…” Maki sheepishly smiled at her.

“Ehh?” that was Rika’s only response. She had no idea what Maki was talking about

“I lied to you. We already finished cleaning yesterday… Are you ready to hear my secrets?” Maki asked, still looking at the fountain in front of them.

“H.. hai…”