Story and New Year

The girl's shoulders trembled slightly, and tears finally spilled over, unable to be held back any longer.

She sniffled, her voice thick with congestion as she spoke in broken fragments: "I... my younger sister's birthday is in a few days. She's always been so well-behaved since she was little, never asking for anything, but this is the first time she's ever specifically asked for this limited-edition hair clip..."

She gripped her pocket tightly, the tension in her fingertips gradually loosening, her eyes filled with helplessness: "My mother fell ill from the stress of working part-time jobs, and all the money at home is being used for her medical bills. I'm still just a student; I can't possibly scrape together 28,000 yen... I came to ask the price last time and cried about it afterward, but I just can't bear to let her down when she's looking forward to it so much..."

At this point, she choked back a sob and lowered her head, her pink hair dampened by tears, clinging to her cheeks: "I know stealing is wrong, but I really have no other choice... This is the last one. If I miss it, I'll never be able to buy it again..."

Hoshida No listened quietly, his gaze resting on the corners of her reddened eyes. His expression remained calm, devoid of ripples; he didn't know how to comfort others, so he simply rubbed his fingertips against his palm.

Once her sobbing gradually subsided, he spoke slowly, his tone gentler than before: "I see."

He turned and walked toward the checkout counter, picked up the scanner, and scanned the price tag on the shelf. After printing the receipt, he gently retrieved the hair clip from near the girl's pocket.

He placed the hair clip into a transparent bag, handed it to her, and crumpled the receipt into a ball before tossing it into the trash can: "Take it. Consider it a reward for telling me a good story."

The girl looked up abruptly, staring at him through tear-blurred eyes, her expression full of astonishment: "But... but this costs 28,000 yen..."

"It doesn't matter." Hoshida No interrupted her, his gaze drifting toward the window, his tone indifferent: "Compared to the price of a hair clip, a wish to not disappoint one's sister is more worthy of being fulfilled."

He paused, then added, "If you need anything next time, you can actually just tell me directly. There's no need to do things you'll regret."

The girl took the bag in a daze. The plastic still bore the indentations from his fingers, yet a wave of warmth surged through her heart.

She bit her lip, tears sliding down once more, but this time they were accompanied by relief and gratitude: "Thank you... thank you so, so much..."

Human joys and sorrows are rarely shared; her predicament was merely an incidental episode that Hoshida No had happened to hear.

Yet, when she mentioned her sister, Hoshida No couldn't help but think of Kei Karuizawa, who had once cried before him just like this.

After saying goodbye, Hoshida No returned to his state of slacking off, as if nothing had happened at all.

Later, whenever the girl had time, she would come by and take the initiative to handle some of Hoshida No's work—sweeping the floors or helping move small items—and through this, he learned her name was Ichinose Honami.

On the day of her sister's birthday, Hoshida No even specially prepared a small cake. It wasn't large, and he took a slice for himself as well.

On the eve of the New Year, the streetlights lit up early, casting warm, yellow patches of light onto the accumulated snow.

Hoshida No took a rare day off. With a light-colored scarf tucked into the collar of his gray overcoat and his hands shoved into his pockets, he followed Kei Karuizawa at a steady, unhurried pace.

Kei was clearly excited by the year-end bustle, her off-white wool coat making her features appear even more vibrant.

She stopped in front of a shop filled with New Year decorations and winked at Hoshida No.

Hoshida No understood. The two walked into the shop together and picked out two red-string amulets: one for "Academic Success" for Kei, who was nearing graduation, and one for "Peace and Health," which Hoshida No tied around his own wrist.

The two then went to a clothing store, where the warm air conditioning dispelled the chill and the warm yellow lights reflected off various winter garments.

Kei Karuizawa spotted an off-white turtleneck sweater in the corner at a glance. Her fingertips brushed the soft fabric as she turned to look at Hoshida No: "How about this one? It won't feel too heavy to wear in the spring."

Hoshida No's gaze landed on her, and he said calmly: "It suits you well."

When the fitting room curtain opened, Kei came out wearing the sweater and reached up to tug at the hem: "Is it too tight?"

"It's just right. It looks very clean," Hoshida No replied decisively, turning toward the checkout counter and picking up a matching light gray cardigan from the side.

Seeing this, Kei Karuizawa was about to say, "Brother No, let me help you pick..." but the words died on her lips.

Hoshida No had already paid. He handed her the bag with the cardigan: "For you. Wear them together; it's quite cold outside."

Kei's cheeks flushed, and she clutched the shopping bag, whispering her thanks. In her heart, she thought: Hmph, Brother No is such a handful, doing things without telling me beforehand.

In the end, Kei Karuizawa got her wish and picked out a gray sweater for Hoshida No, a matching style to her own. Hoshida No didn't mind.

There weren't many items to buy. Hoshida No carried the day's purchases in his left hand, while his right arm was held by Kei Karuizawa. As they walked home, they looked just like real siblings.

In the blink of an eye, New Year's Day arrived, and Uncle Kenichi's house was filled with warmth. The spring couplets at the entrance glowed red, and the low table inside was laden with pickles, sea bream, tempura, and hot miso soup. The warm light of the lanterns wrapped around the aroma of the meal.

"Sit down, little Star!" Uncle Kenichi said, wearing an apron as he brought out freshly fried tempura, while his wife followed to serve rice, her smile kind and welcoming.

Hoshida No thanked them and sat down next to Kei Karuizawa. The two were sitting very close, both wearing the matching sweaters they had bought that day, and Kei's face turned red again.

During the meal, Uncle Kenichi talked about the first time he met Hoshida No, and his wife chimed in, praising how excellent he was.

Kei Karuizawa, sitting to the side, appeared to be eating, but her gaze drifted toward the three of them from time to time, the corners of her mouth curling up involuntarily. Outside the window, firecrackers popped sporadically, while inside, the sound of bowls and chopsticks clinking created a particularly cozy atmosphere.

After the meal, the aunt handed them red envelopes: "Happy New Year!" Both thanked her, though privately, Hoshida No passed his envelope to Kei Karuizawa.

"Ding-dong—"

Hoshida No's phone gave two short chirps. As the screen lit up, two new messages popped up in his friend list.

The lady from the shop sent a "Happy New Year, little Star!" accompanied by an emoji, followed immediately by a message from Ichinose Honami, written in a crisp, clear hand: "Hoshida-kun, Happy New Year. May everything go smoothly for you in the coming year."

He tapped his finger lightly on the screen, replied with a concise "Happy New Year" to each, and then casually tucked his phone back into his pocket, his gaze drifting naturally toward Kei Karuizawa beside him.

Unlike the leisure on his side, Kei Karuizawa had been holding her phone to her chest the whole time, her fingers tapping rapidly on the screen. A faint smile played on her lips, and she lowered her head from time to time to reply, her hair swaying gently with her movements.

Seeming to sense his gaze, Kei Karuizawa looked up. Her brows curved into a soft arc, her eyes brimming with warm light, and her crisp voice carried a smile: "Happy New Year, Brother No!"

Hoshida No nodded slightly. This time, a smile finally bloomed on his face, shedding his usual stillness, and his tone was tinged with warmth: "Happy New Year, Kei."