[A/N: Sorry for not posting yesterday; I had a fever. To make up for it, I drew extra art for this chapter featuring Nishiki and Gold Way. I think you will enjoy the drawing.]
Rudolf walked down the hallway of the dorms, frowning for a moment before sighing. She didn't really know why she accepted Echo's request; Echo Eclipse with puppy-dog eyes is too dangerous a weapon for her.
She adjusted the fake antlers on her head and her reindeer onesie before knocking on one of the dorm rooms.
"A-ah!" a girl shouted, surprised, inside the room. "I'm coming! Wait a moment!"
Rudolf could hear clattering and objects dropping as they made their way to the door hurriedly, opening the door just enough for their face and a hint of their neck to be seen.
"R-Rudolf? W-What are you doing here?" Gold Way said, flustered; sweat could be seen on her forehead and neck.
"Hm? Are you running a fever or something?" Rudolf mumbled, confused. She then noticed many small, dark red spots on her neck.
Before Rudolf could mention the 'bug bites', Bizen Nishiki appeared from behind Gold Way and took over, seemingly having a strange glow on her face as she hums.
"Hey Rudolf~" Her words trailed off as Nishiki noticed her wearing a reindeer costume. She blinked repeatedly before smirking, "Ah~ So Echo convinced you to dress up for today's Christmas Eve, no?"
[Art of Chibi Rudolf wearing a reindeer onesie.]
Rudolf nodded as she was just about to respond, but once again. Nishiki spoke first, "Sorry, Gold Way and I will be busy. We won't be able to hang out with y'all."
"Mh? But I didn't say anything?" Rudolf tilted her head, confused. This is the third time this has happened. How could her friends already know that Echo and she wanted to invite them to Echo's family house? And they are strangely busy to come too.
"You sure?" Rudolf asked, before remembering about bug bites on Gold Way's neck. "Ah, right, are bugs biting Gold Way? I can ask the dorm manager to fix the vent and window to ensure it doesn't happen again."
Nishiki froze, and then she chuckled while shaking her head.
"It's fine, don't worry. Now shoo, Echo must be feeling alone~." She hummed, effectively preventing Rudolf from persisting in trying to help.
Rudolf stood there, balancing the weight between Echo's potential loneliness and helping their friends. Although quickly, the imaginary scale slammed toward Echo's potential loneliness by a landslide.
Rudolf nodded, saying a few words to them and then leaving. Returning to Echo.
Lately, she can't get Echo's smile out of her mind. She doesn't mind it, though, even if it has proven difficult to focus on her task away from Echo.
Nishiki stared at the back of Rudolf, who was walking away, before closing the door with a wide smirk. Gold Way shuddered and stepped back away from Nishiki's wolfish grin.
"N-N-Not again!"
[A drawing of a theoretical scene between them. No confirmation.]
"I'm back," Rudolf said as she entered their dorm room, seeing Echo, who was wearing a Santa onesie, packing her snacks into her backpack.
"Welcome back!" Echo said happily. She can't wait to have a big party at her family's place and have fun with her friends!
It's almost been a year since she last saw her family; she can't wait to tell them stories and introduce them to her friends and Rudolf too!
"Mh, I'm back." Rudolf nodded with a soft smile, happy because Echo was happy.
"But everybody is busy, strangely enough. Looks like it's just you and me going to your family's place."
"Ehh, really? Aw, it would've been fun to hang out with everybody," Echo pouted and swiftly spun around tragically, falling onto her bed.
Rudolf chuckled at Echo's antics, "Yeah. Looks like it's you and me."
'That's right... you and me... Eh?' Rudolf froze once she registered the thought. Wouldn't this be like... meeting her parents-in-law?!
She took a deep breath and put on her poker face before going to the bathroom to change out of her onesie. Even though they are both girls, it doesn't feel right for her to stare at her crush's naked body.
"Ah, right? Rudolf!" Echo shouted out to the bathroom. Rudolf hummed in response, wondering what Echo wanted.
"U-Uh... Um... I-I-Is there anything you like or want this year?" Echo nervously asked, fidgeting her fingers on the other side of the door. Rudolf, due to her wearing rose-tinted glasses whenever near Echo, didn't notice the nervousness and weirdness in Echo's tone.
'You, but I can't really say that...' she thought before speaking, "A book?"
"Of what?"
"Um... You can decide."
Echo stared for a moment before nodding, exiting the dorm. Causing Rudolf to continue changing out of her costume until her brain realised why Echo asked that. Echo must be planning to gift her something for tomorrow.
She should pretend she doesn't know.
She took a deep breath; there are still a few hours until both Echo and she travel to the train to Hokkaido. Has she forgotten anything?
Snacks for Echo? Echo has that covered. Topics of conversation? Just talking about running is enough. What else? Dress? Echo rarely dresses up and always wears her training outfit. What about flowers? No, no. That's too bold; what if it weirds Echo away?
How about trophies? She can give her trophies she got from all of her wins to Echo's parents. That might give her brownie points.
Symboli Rudolf nodded, resolved, as if she were about to set off to war. She stopped and grabbed her reindeer onesie and put it into her own backpack. She is sure that Echo would want her to dress up for Christmas Eve.
Meanwhile, Echo is frantically running through the bookstore, looking for the perfect book for Rudolf. How could she forget to buy a present for Rudolf?!
"What should I buy... The book must be practical, at least something Rudolf could use in her daily life." She browsed through the aisle until her eyes locked onto a pun book.
"Dad likes using puns... Maybe if Rudolf knows how to use puns, my parents might accept her." She checked each book, looking at animal puns, dad puns... Dad puns?
Dad puns, it is!
She grabbed the book, paid for it, packaged it into a gift, and ran back to her dorm. She had spent 2 entire hours just browsing for the right book!
"Gah! I'm late by 10 minutes!" She was supposed to meet up with Rudolf at the Tracen Gate before they left for the station!