Shiho Shimotsuki, 18 years old.
Incredibly, she still believes in Santa.
“Every year, I ask Mom and Dad to deliver a letter to Santa. Then, on Christmas morning, there are presents by my pillow. Isn’t that amazing?”
The other day, I wondered if, being a high school senior, she had started to realize Santa’s true nature. I casually asked her about it, and her eyes sparkled with excitement.
Shiho’s parents must still be spoiling her as always. It seems they’re still pretending to be Santa to make her happy.
“Hehe♪ I wonder what I should ask for… Lately, I’ve been wanting a gaming PC. The one that costs about 300,000 yen.”
Her studying must be over for now.
Shiho, fully relaxed, was speaking while using my lap as a pillow.
“300,000 yen… Isn’t that a bit too expensive?”
“Yes, it is… But it’s hard to ask Mom and Dad for something so pricey, but Santa is rich, so it should be okay!”
“If you buy a gaming PC now, you won’t be able to focus on your entrance exams, you know? Maybe you should endure this year and ask for something else.”
“Hmm. That’s true.”
She seemed a bit reluctant but understood that getting absorbed in games now would be problematic.
It’s good… A 300,000 yen Christmas present would definitely be troubling for her parents.
“Well then, um—”
As Shiho started thinking again.
“Yawn… Onii-chan, what’s for dinner?”
Azusa, who had just woken up from a nap, came into the living room.
With the school schedule being flexible due to entrance exam preparations, Azusa’s day and night have been reversed recently. Even though it was already evening, it was her wake-up time.
“Hey. Azunyan, you shouldn’t stay up so late, okay?”
“…Why is Shiho here too?”
“This is my house.”
“No, it’s my house!”
Well, it’s also my house, but it seems the Nakayama home has become Azusa’s property.
As usual, Azusa frowned at Shiho’s visit and rummaged through the refrigerator.
“Looks like there aren’t any ingredients. Let’s order sushi for delivery today.”
“…I actually bought the ingredients for nikujaga.”
“I can’t see them. Azusa prefers sushi with potatoes… Oh, hello. I’d like to order sushi—”
And so, she really ordered delivery. As expected of our little princess. Still as carefree as ever… Mother is inexplicably indulgent towards Azusa, so I’m sure she’ll overlook this expense as well.
“Onii-chan, they said it will come in about an hour.”
“…Alright, alright, I’ll take care of it.”
Well, that’s fine.
I’ll just make nikujaga for lunch tomorrow. As I thought this, Shiho got up and then sat on my lap.
“Mmm.”
She leaned against me in a cross-legged sitting position, making it clear she wanted attention, almost as if to say, “Don’t just focus on Azunyan, pay attention to me too!”
“Kotaro-kun?”
“Sorry, sorry.”
I laughed and apologized, embracing her from behind to comfort her.
Shiho finally let out a satisfied sigh.
“Yes, that’s good… Hehe~”
Her small body was snugly fitted into my arms.
While it was still a bit embarrassing to be this close, I was gradually getting used to it.
“It’s impressive how you can do this in front of your sister. Aren’t you embarrassed?”
Azusa seemed to be getting used to our affectionate moments.
She used to frown every time she saw this, but now it seemed normal.
She was exasperated but not more than that. Shrugging, she joined us at the kotatsu and sat across from us.
“Oh! By the way, Azunyan, what are you asking Santa for?”
The topic shifted back to the original subject.
Upon hearing about Santa, Azusa’s eyes widened.
“Huh? There’s no Santa, you know?”
…Oh no. She said it.
In our house, Santa is no longer a thing.
Azusa believed in Santa until middle school, but by high school, she had figured it out. S
o, she was unable to believe Shiho’s words.
“Well, Azusa might be childish, but she does understand that much! Santa Claus is Mom and Dad.”
Azusa clearly stated the truth.
“Eh……?”
What should I do now?
Azusa probably didn’t mean to be malicious, but her words ended up shattering Shiho’s dream. Shiho, like Azusa, had wide eyes.
They seemed unable to believe each other’s words.
…What should I do?
I need to find a way to handle this without crushing Shiho’s dream.
Should I gently explain the reality, or try to preserve the magic for her?
I need to consider her parents’ feelings too… I wondered what I should do to handle this smoothly when Shiho’s parents stepped in with a firm logic.
“How sad… Azunyan, staying up late and being selfish must have made Santa stop coming to you, right?”
It seemed Shiho’s parents had thoroughly armed themselves with a theory about Santa’s existence.
“I still get Santa coming to me! Because I’m such a good girl!”
Also, Shiho was so confident that she believed she was a “good girl who deserved Santa’s visit”, which made her logic seem coherent.
I see. In the Shimotsuki household, it seems they believe that Santa comes to good children’s homes and doesn’t visit homes where children are bad.
So, Shiho still believes in Santa at her age because of this belief.
