Christmas Of Fire!-Rings

I entered the restaurant venue. The start time was 6:00 PM, but I arrived an hour early to help with preparations. The food was a buffet-style standing party. Several women were arranging homemade dishes and desserts they had been allowed to bring in. Since we couldn’t use the restaurant’s own tableware for outside food, we laid them out on trays and dishes we had brought ourselves. A table had been set up next to the restaurant’s professional spread, where portable stoves were placed to keep the handmade food warm.

I noticed Kazumi-san had come up beside me. She quickly scanned the surroundings. Karen was some distance away, talking to other guys. She had been absorbed in conversation for a while now, doing almost no prep work.

“The timing is at the end of the party. You understand, right?” Kazumi-san whispered.

“During the ‘Best Couple’ segment,” I replied. Kazumi-san nodded.

“When Toko calls for you, come forward. And then…”

“Understood,” I answered curtly.

“Thanks for gathering, everyone! Last year, it seems we were doing something discriminatory like having separate parties for ‘with lovers’ and ‘without lovers,’ but this year, let’s get hyped as fellow members of the same circle!”

Kazumi-san shouted into the mic. The Christmas party had begun! Everyone burst into laughter, though a few heckles flew through the air.

Kazumi-san was the MC. Despite joining midway through her second year, she had already become a central figure in the circle thanks to her natural brightness, proactiveness, and lack of shyness.

Watching the proceedings from the side was Nakazaki-san, the circle leader. He wore a stern expression, hiding a sense of vigilance. Given what was about to unfold, it was only natural for the leader to be worried.

Since the party used to be divided by “relationship status,” there were many couples present. Even if one’s partner was from outside the circle, they were allowed to participate. It was also okay for people who weren’t actually dating to form temporary pairs for the night. Simply put, it was like a high school prom.

The couple standing out the most was, predictably, the pair of Kamokura and Toko-senpai. Kamokura wore a leather jacket, slim jeans, and a white long-sleeved T-shirt—a casual look, but he pulled it off with style. Toko-senpai wore a thin white mohair sweater with the waist tightened by a sash belt featuring a large ribbon at the back. Her bottom was a navy blue pleated skirt that hit just at the knee, with a beige bolero draped over her shoulders. The outfit perfectly highlighted her slender waist, her full bust emphasized by the thin sweater, and her long, elegant legs extending from beneath the pleats. It was a look that brilliantly showcased her incredible figure.

Many male students were talking to her. Toko-senpai treated every single one of them with an even, graceful smile. Kamokura, as if to emphasize “She’s my woman,” kept his arm around her shoulders or spoke while holding her close.

…Just you wait. Enjoy being on top of the world while you still can…

“Yu-kun, what are you looking at?”

Karen had come up beside me before I realized it.

“Oh, nothing in particular. Just looking around.”

“You were looking at Toko-senpai, weren’t you?”

I didn’t answer.

“Toko-senpai always flirts with men like that,” Karen muttered.

Toko-senpai? I retorted in my mind. You’re the one who flirts with every man in sight.

“It’s true. Guys probably can’t see it, but she puts on that ‘I’m not interested in men’ face while subtly wearing clothes that emphasize her chest to grab their attention. Even that refined ‘lady’ act is just aimed at getting guys to like her. It’s so irritating to watch!”

Today, Karen was showing blatant hostility toward Toko-senpai. I had a good idea why. It was the “Best Couple Vote” held at the end of the party. The pair chosen as the “No. 1 Best Couple of the Party” would receive a luxurious prize.

There was no doubt that Toko-senpai and Kamokura would be chosen. Karen clearly couldn’t stand that. She gripped my left arm tightly.

“I don’t want to lose to those people. No way.”

In Karen’s eyes, the overhead lights reflected like a Will-o’-the-wisp.

The food was starting to run low. Incidentally, the “baby back ribs,” “potato salad,” and “shortcake” Toko-senpai had brought were extremely popular. As the person who had served as the taste-tester for her practice sessions, I felt a twinge of pride. When I went to grab the last of the ribs, Ishida was there.

“It’s almost time,” Ishida whispered.

“Yeah. The ‘Best Couple’ voting starts in a little bit.”

“Everything’s gone according to plan so far… but the problem is what happens after this.”

“Yeah.”

Ishida paused for a moment, then leaned in close to my ear. “By the way, is ‘that thing’ decided for you, Yu?”

By “that thing,” Ishida meant the person Toko-senpai would spend the night with.

“I’m not sure. I haven’t heard from her.”

“What do you mean ‘you haven’t heard’? It’s only a few hours away. And yet…”

“I don’t know because I don’t know. What do you want me to do?”

As I spoke with irritation, Ishida lowered his voice even further. “Do you think she has anyone else in mind?”

Someone other than me that Toko-senpai might spend the night with.

I hadn’t ignored that possibility. Many men had pursued Toko-senpai. There were several in this circle, and there were rumors that the leader, Nakazaki-san, had once confessed and been rejected. Even some alumni were after her, and there was a guy in her department’s second year who was supposedly on good terms with her.

However, I had heard that she hadn’t had personal contact with any of them. The only person who had succeeded in taking her on a date was Kamokura. In that sense, I was the second.

“I don’t know, but it’s not like there are zero candidates.”

Ishida looked dejected. “Right. The guys in this circle aren’t the only ones after her. Male friends from her department, acquaintances from high school, coworkers from a part-time job… a girl like Toko-senpai must have endless opportunities to meet people.”

Ishida was right. Even we had said, “Once we get into Joto University, I’m asking Toko-senpai out!”

The party was nearing its end. Finally, each couple gave a “self-appeal” speech to win votes. Twelve couples each gave a short speech. Surprisingly, Ishida and Kazumi-san stepped up as a pair. Kazumi-san, giving the speech, boldly stated:

“Hey everyone, I’m paired with Ishida-kun here temporarily, but I’m actually single. So, I’m waiting for approaches from any wonderful guys out there. Thanks!”

The crowd roared. Since being a real couple wasn’t a strict requirement for the party pairs, it was fine.

Then came our turn. Since it was just a short speech, I left it all to Karen.

“Hi~! Merry Christmas! Everyone’s so happy today, right? If you have a lover, you’re happy, and if you don’t, you’re happy because you have friends! Now, for Christmas, don’t you want a little surprise instead of the usual same-old thing? So today, let’s celebrate a fun couple! We’d be so happy if you voted for us! Thanks, everyone~!”

Karen’s speech seemed to go down well with some of the guys, but most of the girls looked at her with cold indifference. From behind Karen, I watched the reaction of the room.

At this rate, except for a few guys, almost no girls are going to sympathize with her…

As her “ex-boyfriend,” I felt a bit conflicted, but she brought this on herself.
Last were the heavyweights: Kamokura and Toko-senpai. Just by Kamokura standing in front of the mic, high-pitched cheers of “Kamokura-senpai!” broke out from some of the girls. Indeed, standing tall and slim under the lights, he looked like an idol or a star.

“Merry Christmas! It was great having almost the whole circle here! It’s time for the final event of the night. Everyone, just write ‘Tetsuya Kamokura and Toko Sakurajima’ on your ballots without saying a word! To end with one thought: ‘There are only two kinds of couples in this world. My couple, and everyone else!’”

He just had to spit out a line like that. If we weren’t in a restaurant, I would have spat on the floor.

But the crowd was hyped. It seemed Kamokura really was popular.

Meanwhile, Karen was puffing out her cheeks in dissatisfaction, staring straight ahead. Her gaze was fixed on Toko-senpai.

As for Toko-senpai…

She was looking down, her hands clasped in front of her waist, staring at the floor. Was she thinking about something? No, it looked more like… she was hesitating.

…No way, Toko-senpai…

In my heart, a sense of unease grew even stronger.