Chapter 93, Merry Christmas

Snowflakes are falling.

The clock shows the current time.

11:49, eleven minutes until Christmas.

The lights were on in Utsunomiya Shuo's house, and it was quiet.

time flies.

This is how Zhuo deceived himself—in fact, he felt it was quite difficult and extremely sleepy.

It's a bit awkward that I haven't said anything, haven't done anything, and have been forcing Zero to stay until now.

Just when Utsunomiya Shuo was thinking about whether he should flatter a few people to ease the atmosphere and start a conversation.

Ling suddenly raised his head.

A pitch-black shadow flashed before my eyes.

"You can try to make a wish. There is a shooting star passing by." Utsunomiya Shuo narrowed his eyes.

pat.

"It's a mosquito." Zero killed the mosquito at a speed that could not be captured by the naked eye, and wiped his hands with a tissue.

“How can there be mosquitoes in winter?”

Wash and ask.

"It's the mosquitoes that have been trying to reproduce since summer."

"Really? That's a lot of effort."

"It's a pity that I met you."

"Ah."

Zero didn't deny it and responded calmly.

Time flies so fast. It feels like I just entered high school, but in the blink of an eye, it’s the end of the year again.

Moreover, he and Zero had unknowingly developed into a close relationship where they could chat with each other casually like they do now. When they first met, such a thing would have been simply unimaginable.

However, although it is called the past, it has actually only been more than half a year, almost seven months, for things to develop like this, and there were also holidays during which the two did not meet.

At this time, the two fell into silence for a moment.

It suddenly became quiet.

The snow that had been drizzling since yesterday has now completely turned into the size of goose feathers, like a tsunami, leaving you with no way to escape.

This is a residential area, and today is Christmas night. The sound of vehicles and noisy voices can be heard from far away downstairs. I can hear Christmas music playing in someone's house, but there are no celebratory or lively sounds.

As the bells from the distant clock tower rang, the time officially reached midnight.

That is the next day.

Christmas.

Zhuo looked out the window and exhaled a breath that formed a white mist. The sighing sound sounded particularly clear.

"Merry Christmas, Zero."

"……Merry Christmas."

"And," Utsunomiya Shuo paused and reached for the crack in the sofa: "Happy birthday."

Ling, who was staring at the table in a daze, was stunned and suddenly looked up.

She looked him straight in the eyes, then quickly glanced behind him.

With her hearing, she always noticed the sound of Zhuo's tone and the friction between the paper bag.

The aqua blue eyes looked at Zhuo, then turned to the paper bag in his hand.

Her expression was puzzled at first, then turned indifferent.

"Happy birthday."

Zero hesitated, but still responded, "...Thank you."

"Gift."

Utsunomiya Shuo put the paper bag on Zero's legs and said with a smile.

Zero focused his eyes on the things wrapped in a box in the paper bag and frowned in embarrassment.

"I didn't prepare a gift for you."

"I didn't prepare anything either. This is a birthday present."

"…Um, do you want me to open it now?"

Zero looked up at him.

"Suit yourself."

Zhuo's tone was a little stiff, or even stiff and cold.

Because this atmosphere was a bit awkward and he was not used to it.

——It’s still more comfortable to complain to each other.

Seeing Zhuo nod, Ling took out the box from the paper bag, then carefully opened the wrapping paper and untied the ribbon.

It was also very unusual to witness the recipient opening a gift in front of me.

I really want to find something to complain about.

Paper boxes, gift bags, ribbons, these are all small items given away as gifts when you buy something in a store, and they can be seen everywhere on the street... He did it on purpose.

To make this gift seem less sensitive, it is better to make it as inconspicuous as possible.

The things in the gift box will look very small when he washes his hands, and it doesn't match him at all... like an NBA player holding a baseball.

But in Zero's hands, it was just the right size for her to hold it with both hands.

Just when Zhuo was thinking, "Should I leave for a while... and go to the bathroom?" — Ling had already taken out the things inside.

The moment she saw that thing, her beautiful light blue eyes blinked frequently, and then she reached into the gift box and carefully held up the things inside with both hands.

"…Zorro?"

Zero whispered the name of this thing as if he was talking to himself.

"..."

Zhuo was speechless for a moment.

It is indeed the ragdoll cat with a rapier sewn on its hand—but when most people see this thing, shouldn’t their first reaction be “Hello Kitty Knight?” or “Garfield holding a sword?”

You know, the world is really amazing. Some things may be worthless in your eyes, but they are completely different in the eyes of others.

But that's exactly what it is,

Zhuo felt awkward no matter what.

He is really not good at dealing with this kind of situation.

In his two lives combined, he only followed the crowd and bought a carnation for his mother in his previous life when he was in junior high school in his previous life... and then it was thrown into the trash can at night.

This thing was bought at a fireworks display in July, and it has been unused for more than five months. He has thought more than once about "just throwing it away", and now he finally has the chance to give it away.

Fortunately, things are over now and there is no need to worry about them anymore.

"I bought it from a roadside stall."

Zhuo made himself stay in the lying position of Mr. Ge as naturally as possible, and said: "...I don't mean anything else."

During this time, he stole a glance at Ling, fearing that this girl would look at him as if he were an "enemy", just like the last time he invited her to Yurina's house.

But this time, Zero didn't notice his gaze. She was staring at "Zorro"'s face intently.

It was impossible to tell from her face whether she was happy or unhappy, she just stared at "Zorro" intently.

There is a color in his eyes that Zhuo cannot understand.

"……Thanks."

Zero looked up and thanked him again.

This time her voice was surprisingly soft, although still without any intonation.

"Whoa whoa."

Zhuo was frightened by her and had to nod.

Zero looked at the "Zorro" in his hand again, and placed his hands under the armpits of the puppet's arms, as if he was holding a child.

It seems...that the person involved is quite satisfied?

In this case, it can be considered as repaying Ling for his daily care, right?
“Did you buy it for a long time?”

Zero suddenly spoke up.

She held "Zorro" in her arms with her slender arms, hugging him with both hands, with extremely skilled movements.

"Because I once had a little bear, and his name was also Zorro."

Zero said, looking him in the eyes.

"Oh oh," Zhuo knew about this, of course, but: "...I said what was in my heart again?"

"Ah."

"Ok."

Zero blinked and waited for two seconds. Seeing that he didn't respond, he repeated, "Have you bought it for a long time? "Zorro"."

Zhuo hesitated for a moment: "Uh, not long."

Zero looked at him and paused, freeing one of his arms and pointing his fingers behind him.

“There had been noises there.”

Zhuo: “…Oh, that’ll be a long time.”

"Yeah. Thank you."

Lingdao said, lowering his eyes slightly and looking at the doll in his arms.

This was the third time she thanked him.

The expression on her face was still the same as usual, without any fluctuation.

But her eyes changed slightly, becoming calmer and softer, yet with something indescribable.

I have no idea what this thing is.

I won’t ask.

But there are definitely a lot of stories in there.

"——I shouldn't have watched it if I had known."

Utsunomiya Shuo turned his face away.

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(End of this chapter)