It was nearing Christmas. While Saito didn't really know much for the reason of the celebration, he nevertheless never said no to spending time with his family with no chance of interruptions. It was only a few days before the start of the holiday, but the snowy weather had gotten everyone, even himself, to a festive mood. Before the holiday hit, he and his friends would be spending some time together.
"Nee-chan, please don't sleep yet!" Saito sighed and pulled the cushion from under the slightly tired maid, "We're going to have a hotpot with everyone, so we need all the cushions on the floor and not under our butts!" He scolded her lightly.
Due to the cold weather, it wasn't odd that Yukari was so sleepy. Even Saito himself felt oddly relaxed due to the weather. Still, this wasn't the time for napping!
"Geez, Nee-chan....!" Saito sighed and pulled the loose green sweater tighter around his shoulders, "You promised you'd help me with setting up everything! Aria and the others will be here soon!"
Since it was a rare occasion, Aria said she wanted to join in their little festivities and that she would bring a couple of friends along too. Kazehaya and Ken were all for it....the latter almost disturbingly so. Anyway, it wasn't like he was going to complain. The more the merrier, as the saying goes.
Saito liked the company. He often found himself being talkative and cheerful when it came to talking to Yukari or his friends. Sure his parent's didn't spend time with him much, but that doesn't necessarily mean the two of them didn't care for him. He never held it against them or anything. Still, talking and spending time with his friends helped keep his mind off it and onto more happy subjects. Watching Ken's attempts to...what did he call it? ...."Score chicks" was extremely amusing.
"Mmmn.... five more minutes Mom...." Yukari scooted in her seat and waved off Saito's prying hand. In the process of doing so, the loose pink sweater she wore had started to ride up her stomach, "....Was working late last night....."
Saito blushed slightly when he saw her exposed belly. If the sweater had ridden up just a bit more, he would've been able to see her- Bad thoughts! Thoughts that must be banished from his mind! Jeez, he wasn't Ken! He didn't have to put his mind in the gutter.
....Even when it looked like she wasn't wearing a bra.
Sighing to himself, he grabbed a blanket from the couch and draped it clumsily over the peach haired girl. Looks like he'd have to prepare the hotpot by himself. Oh well, at least it was a hot pot and not a five course meal. The last time he had to do that, he nearly burnt himself out from the effort. He had to remind Aria to give him a heads up next time she was bringing over a group of friends.
Saito made his way to the small kitchen and grabbed the metal pot, ignoring the slight strain it placed against him. With that done, he made his way to the semi-large table and placed the pot down. The cushions around the table currently numbered at 4, so he decided to add 3 just in case. Aria mentioned that she was going to come along with a couple of her friends, so that meant there would be 7 people all in all.
"Phew, now I just need to prepare some-"
*Ding Dong*
Despite the interruption, Saito couldn't help the smile that made its way to his face. His friends always tended to be early when it came to group hang outs.
"Ah, I'm coming!" Saito made his way to the door, making sure his footsteps wouldn't disturb his sleeping childhood friend, "You guys are kinda early, so I'll still be preparing the drinks for.....Aria?"
When he opened the door, what greeted him weren't his two friends. Scratch that, they weren't even male to begin with.
"Hey, Saito~!" Aria pushed forward through the door and hugged her surprised brother around the shoulders, "Sorry we're early; club got out early and all of us thought going here would be better than waiting around school."
"...A-Aria," He didn't show much outward reaction, but his cheeks were dyed slightly pink from the contact, "Ge-Get off! You're covered in snow!"
True to form, the snow from the outside had clung onto the thick jacket Aria wore. With her quick movement, the white substance had discharged from her shoulders onto the both of them.
"U-Umm, Aria-chan? I think you should let go of him before her gets a cold."
"......Nice apron."
'That's right, Aria said she brought a couple of friends...' Looking past his twin sister, he made out a pair of feminine figures wearing similar thick jackets.
The first one he distinctly remembered as a close friend of his sister's. Her name was Aya Nanami. Though he never really talked to her much, their relationship was decent enough. Her long chestnut hair was covered in a thin sheet of snow, and her slightly pale face was dyed red, most likely from the cold temperature inside. She usually had a small blush on her face even in most situations. She must've been naturally red-cheeked. It contrasted oddly with her brown eyes.
The second one was unfamiliar to him. Compared to the light hair colors of most of the people he knew, her hair was pure black and cut just above the neckline. Opposite Aria and Aya, her expression remained blank and uninterested at the proceedings. Aria mentioned a friend called Yuki was coming, which meant she was most likely said person.
"Aria, seriously, get off!" Saito shook himself free after a little bit of effort. He halfway expected her to just cling into him again, but she thankfully made no move to do so.
"Where's Yuka-chan? I thought she was going to help you with the setting up?" Aria asked him, pointedly ignoring the pink apron her brother was wearing. She didn't want to embarrass him more than she already did.
Saito smiled slightly and pointed behind him, "She was working late last night, so she's sleeping at the couch,"
Aria's face broke into a big grin and she barreled past the apron wearing boy, most likely intent on playing a prank on the older girl. Aya and Yuki walked past him, the former staring at him just a little longer than normal. He chose to ignore it and go back to the kitchen.
"Hey Saito!"
Or not.
Just as he was about to close the door, a male voice broke through the cracks. He recognized that voice all too well.
"Kazehaya.....Ken, you're here!" He opened the door and found himself face to face with his two closest friends.
Kazehaya was popular around the school, not the least due to the fact that he was a pretty boy and a natural charmer. His similarity to naturally Bishonen characters in anime meant he got a lot of job offers to be a model, something he outright refused to do. If Saito had to describe him, he would say he looked similar to a short haired English gentlemen.
Ken, by contrast, seemed to be Kazehaya's complete opposite. Wearing glasses, awkward around people, a loud and proud otaku, and a self proclaimed voyeur. While Kazehaya was tall and lean, Ken was short and somewhat stocky in build. He reminded Saito of a stereotypical best friend seen in manga.
How the three of them started hanging out was a mystery. Saito just remembered them going to the arcade a lot and going to each others houses when they were bored. None of them were complaining about each other, so they just continued.
"The others are already inside, so just sit around the table," Saito felt a pang of worry as he saw Ken take deep unsteady breaths, "......Right, well......I'm going to get some drinks, then we'll start the Dark Hotpot game." As he made his way to the kitchen, he called out to them one last time, "Just make yourselves at home. And keep quiet, because nee-chan is sleeping.....that means no camera's, Ken." He gave a pointed glare at his stockier friend.
"Aww, come on Saito-chan!" He scowled at the odd honorific Ken gave him, "Don't be so strict! Just one shot and I'll be able to die a happy man!"
"Let me think about- No!" Saito shook his head and removed the apron from his upper body, "I'm just going to get some drinks. I don't wanna hear the click of a camera, or I'm chucking it out the window."
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With the hot drinks dealt with, all 6 of them managed to pile around the table and finally get started on the hotpot. For some inexplicable reason, Aria had insisted that he sit next to Aya for the duration of the dinner. Well, it wasn't like he minded, but he did wonder why.
"Hold on, what about Yuka-chan?" Aria asked.
"She's asleep," Saito facepalmed and pointed to the sleeping figure, "I tried to wake her up earlier, but she just said that she was working till late last night. I'll just wake her up later when it's her turn for the hotpot."
"That won't do! You just don't know how to wake her up properly. Here, let me do it." Aria stood up from the table and made her way to her. Saito gave her a questioning look, but Aria ignored him and whispered something to the peach haired girls ear.
"Aria...what are you-" He didn't get the chance to finish. It wasn't due to being shot or attacked, but more on the fact that Yukari had actually woken up from her sleep.
"Saito...." Wait, something was wrong. Her eyes looked slightly off, like she was still half-asleep. She also walked slightly slower than normal and her steps looked similar to a zombie's shambling.
"Nee-chan, are you okay...?" He stood up and made his way to her, "You look kinda pale, maybe you should lie down or something-"
".....Morning kiss..."
"!?" He suddenly felt something soft making contact with his cheek, just as inch from where his lips were. Not being satisfied with the small gesture, Yukari sat down and placed the younger boy on her lap. Though she wasn't exactly big, Saito's shorter stature made it manageable enough.
The others reactions were.....mixed.
"Well...that's interesting..." "Indeed..." Kazehaya and Yuki just laughed slightly, as if the gesture was nothing unique.
"Hahahahaha! Saito, you look like a kid!" Aria looked surprised, but she started laughing soon after she saw her twin's blushing face, "I just whispered that it was Christmas and that she should do something for you as a present. I didn't think she would- Fuahahahahaha!"
"Saito....you promised me that we'd be allies in our lack of love!" Ken looked like he wanted to commit murder, "First Kazehaya, and now you! I'm alone in this world!"
"No...No fair!" Aya looked down and pouted, the beginning of tears at the side of her eyes, "I never thought she'd be so bold, I need to get better!"
As all of this was happening, Saito felt his head go lightheaded. Whenever someone hugged him, he would end up not being able to do anything and just wait for it to finish. Well, they could always do the hotpot later. There was no rush.