"Why didn't we sign up for the contest earlier?" Hyosuke asked through chattering teeth.

The lakeside park was a sight to behold. The waters of Kizaki, formerly a shimmering blue, were frozen in a silver sheen, and the vibrancies of the verdant vegetation were clothed in snow. Most everyone marveled at the scenery—most everyone.

"I'm just saying what we're all thinking," Hyosuke said, rubbing his hands together for the fifth continuous minute.

"We heard you the first time, buddy," Kei told him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "And the second and the third."

Mizuho giggled and gestured to the line of folks in front of them, which extended at least twenty yards to the event registration table.

"I'm guessing you're right," she said.

"Makes you wonder why everyone didn't just sign up online," Ichigo posed, shuffling her feet in the snow.

Matagu shrugged as he popped a peppermint into his mouth and gave another one to Koishi. "Probably trying to get into the presale to get into the presale of everything," he suggested.

Time passed. The line continued to inch forward. Hyosuke continued to complain about the cold, which led to Kaede and Ichigo pelting him with a snowball each. Kei and Mizuho huddled together partially for warm and partially to hide Marie, who kept trying to squirm out of Mizuho's inner coat pocket every time he heard Matagu unwrap another piece of candy.

"Try not to get jealous again, dear."

"Jealous?" Kei said, looking at the people departing the sign-up table that was just past the park's central fountain. "That must be…"

"Hey, Kei!"

Before Kei could finish what he was saying, his Uncle Minoru and Aunt Konoha had spotted him and the rest of the group.

"Uncle Minoru, Aunt Konoha, you're in the decorating contest, too?" Kei asked.

Konoha nodded. "Thankfully, since there have been so few patients coming in to see us, your uncle and I actually have these last few days leading up to Christmas off."

"It's good that people are staying relatively healthy this year," Minoru added, throwing an arm around his nephew. "We can really get out into the hustle and bustle of the holidays, and it's so good to see you kids joining in!"

"We're looking forward to it," Kei answered.

"This is gonna be great!" Kaede exclaimed. Everyone seemed to be warming up in every way knowing that they'd all be together, but Minoru's blood seemed to boil with heat as white as his doctor's coat when he looked at Mizuho.

"Oh, and Ms. Kazami! I…I…mean Mrs. Kusanagi…" the physician stammered, running a hand over his beard. "We did see your mother and sister signing up earlier as well. Wonderful… Mizuho. Hatsuho. Ho ho h…hey!"

"This one's definitely aiming to be on the naughty list," Konoha said, pushing her husband along with the toe of her mauve snow boot. "We'll see you all tomorrow! We'd love to have one of you on our team!"

Mizuho looked to the side and stroked her cheek. "So that explains why Mother and Maho barged into our home...somewhat…"

"Wait, what did your aunt mean when she said 'one of you'?" Matagu asked Kei.

"This is the last time we do something without finding some kind of written information about it," Koishi said.

"Come on, Koishi," Ichigo protested in her familiar neutral tone. "There are so many little surprises in life."

The group was walking back up the stairs to Kei and Mizuho's apartment after signing up for the big event, and each member pored over the flyer that they had neglected to look closer at for so long.

Come Create a Winter Wonderland!

Lake Kizaki Park Annual Christmas Tree Decorating Contest

December 22 at 11:00 AM

Entry fees will be split 50/50 between Safe Haven Homeless Shelter and Greater Area Children's Hospital.

Bring your favorite ornaments! Only four people each to a team.

"Look, let's not pout and play the blame game," Matagu urged, looking back at Koishi, who just shook her head. "It's gonna be a fun time."

"Plus, we get to make even more awesome trees now," Hyosuke added as he bounded up the last three stairs and rounded the corner. "But whoever's on mine and Kaede's team will be winning the big prize, so yeah."

"What prize?" Kaede questioned, following alongside. "The winning team just gets a little blue ribbon."

"And their picture in the paper," Matagu pointed out.

"Page seven right next to the used car ads," Kei quipped, causing the others to giggle.

"Knowing that we're the best Yuletide designers around is good enough for me!" Kaede's boyfriend answered, planting a big kiss on her cheek."

Reaching the door, Kei sighed and looked at Mizuho, who just giggled and closed her eyes while tossing him the keys. He unlocked the door and opened it only to be yanked into the apartment.

"Get over here, partner!" Maho yelled, stuffing a green Santa hat on Kei's head. The girl's mother was lounging on the sofa and eating a Christmas tree-shaped cookie, one ankle crossed over the other. Kaede squeezed Hyosuke's hand extra hard.

"Maho! Wait, what?" Kei shouted.

Maho nodded. "Yup. You. Me. Partners for this whole tree deal."

Mizuho pulled Kei to her by the back of his jacket. "Excuse me?" she cut in. "Kei and I were planning to be on a team together."

"Now now, dear," Hatsuho interrupted, getting up from her seat and walking over to her eldest child and her son-in-law. Marie hovered out of Mizuho's jacket and Hatsuho gave him the other half of her cookie, ingesting it in one gulp. "Maho doesn't get to spend much time with Kei or his half of the family, so we decided it would be a nice idea for her to be on a team with him and his aunt and uncle."

"Trying to stay out of Minoru's wandering eyes?" Mizuho whispered.

"Oh please," her mother responded with a warm smile, also tilting her head toward Koishi and Matagu. "He'll be instrumental in getting those two lovebirds to finally sing a romantic song together."

"But they seem to be getting along just fine without any help," her eldest daughter replied.

"Yeah," Kei interjected, sliding up to the two women. "Plus, last time you helped, my friends almost got run over by Maho driving a go-kart…"

Just as Maho stuck her tongue out at Kei, Ichigo chimed in, "At least I'll take pictures of the madness and the happy couple this time."

"Oh, Ichigo, you're like the third daughter I never had," Hatsuho said sweetly as Maho nodded her head.

Just then, Hyosuke nudged his way into the group.

"Hey guys, I overheard some of the things you said," he whispered. "Matagu and Koishi might hear you."

"Aw, that's okay, Blondie," Maho said, putting her hands on her hips while the young man raised an eyebrow. "Miruru is distracting them now."

"Wha…

"AHHH! There's that other Marie!" Koishi shouted, jumping back about five feet after a blur zipped by her.

"What planet do these little guys come from?!" Matagu exhaled, his eyes as wide as they could be. "Are you sure that's the same one from this summer?"

Sure enough, Miruru, Hatsuho and Maho's technical assistant, glided through the air and struck a pose near the Christmas tree. The light-purple extraterrestrial let out a happy cry, waving her little wand in front of her. Marie's cheeks glowed as red as the M&M's he was about to devour, but he dropped his loot and knocked over the entire bag of candy as he bolted in flight, reached Miruru, and started spinning around in circles with her hand in hand.

"It begins again…" Kei and Mizuho said with a sigh.