My childhood sweetheart is Nishimiya Glass

Chapter 374 Christmas Part 1
"..."

After listening to them chat for a few more minutes, Gang couldn't help but yawn and turned to leave.

But before he could take another step, Kitano, quick as a flash, grabbed his arm.

"Miyamura, what do you think of my suggestion?"

"Not really." Tsuna shook his head, then asked curiously, "Didn't you like your childhood sweetheart? Why have you changed your mind now?"

"Hey……"

It would have been better if he hadn't asked. As soon as he did, Kitano put on a long face and said, "I've completely given up on this, haven't I? I've seen through it all."

"Please speak like a human being."

“He already knew perfectly well that his neighbor didn’t like him; he only saw him as an older brother,” Nishikata translated.

"..." Tsuna raised an eyebrow.

"I used to think that childhood sweethearts would end up together, but when I think of you and Shoko, I just... ugh...!"

Before Kitano could finish speaking, Tanaka covered his mouth from behind, saying, "That's enough! I've heard you say those lines so many times, I can practically recite them by heart!"

Taking advantage of the break, Tsuna slipped away and returned to his seat at the back of the classroom.

As soon as he sat down, Shoko leaned over and stared at him with curious eyes:
"Tsuna, why did Nishikata call you out just now?"

Tsuna didn't rush to answer; he first scanned the classroom with his eyes.

After confirming that Ayumi Ajitani was chatting and laughing with a small group of girls by the podium, he turned to Shoko, whose expression had changed from curiosity to confusion, and explained in a low voice.

In the back row, Takagi, who was leaning back in his chair pondering how to tease Nishikata later, noticed the two's mysterious expressions and leaned closer.

"Really?! Kitano-kun is going to confess to Ayumi-chan later??"

"Shh... Keep your voice down!" Tsuna, in a moment of panic, almost instinctively reached out and covered Shoko's mouth.

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly felt something soft and warm brush against his palm, which was pressed against her lips.

His arm stiffened, and he withdrew his hand as if he had been electrocuted, instead lightly flicking her forehead.

"knock!"

"It's filthy! How can you lick your hands like that!"

"It's not dirty at all!"

Shoko immediately puffed out her cheeks, like a little hamster guarding its food, put her hands on her hips, and her eyes were full of sly pride: "My Tsuna's hands are the cleanest!"

At the end of her sentence, she tilted her chin up slightly with a hint of smugness: "The important thing is... it's incredibly good-looking!"

"..."

Takagi, who was inexplicably fed a mouthful of dog food (a Chinese slang term for witnessing public displays of affection), suspected that this was a setup by the two of them.

"So...Miyamura, you just meant that Kitano will confess to Ayumi-chan after school?"

Her words interrupted the two who were playfully fighting.

"Takagi, don't let Shoko lead you astray, okay?" Tsuna pinched Shoko's slightly puffed-up cheek and glanced helplessly at Takagi.
"I only said I would give the class monitor a gift after school, it's not as dramatic as confessing my feelings."

"What's the difference between that and confessing your feelings?" Shoko gently slapped his hand away, rubbing her slightly flushed cheeks.
"Giving a gift to someone of the opposite sex for Christmas is about the right thing to do, isn't it?"

"They're not old friends. Kitano-san and Ayumi-chan have only known each other for less than a year. The amount of talk they exchange in a week..."

"I'm afraid it will be difficult to even gather five lines."

As she spoke, Shoko held up five slender fingers and waved them at them.

Seeing that Tsuna and Takagi both fell silent, Shoko snorted and raised her chin, as if to say, "I'll stop here and you can figure it out yourselves."

Takagi thought Shoko's words made sense, and as she thought about it... she even imagined Nishikata giving her a Christmas present later, wondering if he would use that as an opportunity to confess his feelings... Tsuna, on the other hand, was thinking about Christmas Day, what surprises and big meals his mother would prepare at home, and if nothing unexpected happened, Shoko's family would be coming over for dinner...

"Dong...dong...!"

The long, piercing school bell suddenly rang, and the students who were playing in the corridor instantly fell silent and hurriedly returned to their seats.

Ms. Nanase stepped into the classroom, her gaze sweeping across the room. The four conspicuously empty seats under the podium silently announced today's list of absentees.

The lessons became secondary; the warmth of the holiday was the main focus.

With a smile, Ms. Nanase instructed Ayumi Ajitani to lead Tsuna and Nishikata to the teachers' office and bring back a large box of sparkly Christmas decorations.

Red ribbons, green pine branches, golden bells, five-pointed stars, and rolls of sparkling ribbons.

The following time felt like being immersed in the sweetness of the holidays.

As if by magic, Ms. Nanase produced boxes of Christmas cookies she had carefully prepared: gingerbread men, star-shaped sugar cookies, and candy canes.

The sweet aroma instantly filled the classroom. Everyone received a serving, and the small surprise brightened every smiling face.

In the last two classes, the curtains were drawn, the lights were turned off, and the light from the screen illuminated the focused faces.

A classic Christmas movie tells a story of love and hope, and even as the school bell rings, the joyful carols from the film seem to still echo in the air.

………………

Takagi leaned back lazily in her chair, resting her chin on her hand, her gaze fixed on Ayumi Ajitani's backpack, which seemed about to burst from the weight of the gifts she had received.
"I never imagined Ayumi-chan would be so popular."

Colorful wrapping paper, gift boxes with ribbons and bows.

Watching the other person struggle to shove the last small box in, only to have the zipper awkwardly jammed, she couldn't help but burst out laughing.

“That’s right, that’s right.” Shoko nodded in agreement.

"Glass-chan, you're not much worse, are you?"

Throughout the day, Ayumi Ajitani's hands were almost constantly exchanging gifts.

Regardless of gender, she would immediately reciprocate by giving away homemade Christmas figurines whenever she received a gift.

She baked them all night long, especially for this special day.

Since Tsuna was around, all the gifts that Shoko received were from girls, and she would reciprocate with a gift she had prepared in advance.

Takagi's situation is a little different. During breaks between classes, she also receives gifts from girls, and a few from boys as well.

They were all stared at by Nishikata with a resentful look, but despite the stares, they would still deliver the gifts.

In contrast, it is much less common for boys to exchange Christmas gifts.

From the moment Tsuna and Nishikata stepped into the school gate in the morning until the school bell rang in the afternoon, they only received a total of four or five gifts.

One of them was a routine gift from Ms. Nanase, who was also the homeroom teacher.

Seeing that Tsuna's harvest was significantly less bountiful than in previous years, Nishikata naturally understood what was going on and wouldn't be foolish enough to make fun of him.

Because they were afraid of being killed by Nishimiya's gaze, or worse, being met with the silent, head-shaking stares of the three of them.

…………

"It's a date then, see you at the usual place tonight! Remember to bring your gifts!" Ayumi Azumi's breath steamed in the cold air.

He waved to the four of them and turned right at the traffic light intersection onto the street decorated with neon lights and colorful Christmas ornaments.

Her figure quickly blended into the crowd of pedestrians hurrying by, the faint sound of Christmas carols drifting by.

(End of this chapter)