December 19. Monday.

The deadline of the arranged marriage is less than a week by now. Today is the 19th and, in a blink of an eye, 25th.

It is our Christmas break by now and everyone gets to stay at home and do nothing. The group-- my group, can't sit idly for a week. They have a marriage to ruin. My marriage at that.

If I think about it, it sounds weird. A person who wanted her group of friends to ruin the marriage for her? Humans like marriages so much and I don't know why. Joan backed out because she doesn't want to ruin a human's "best day ever". I wonder what she means by that.

Lying down the bed with nothing but the ceiling since I don't want to see the darkness. It was the end of the day and I have nothing to do. Do humans really like this type of lifestyle? They may have a lot to do in their break, yeah. Some humans hate responsibilities and so, abuses their break. Wait, what am I thinking about? They're just students, they're not employees. I hope they don't give too much work for the kids. They don't deserve it.

"Celeste..." I hear Kanae calling out despite being just beside him on the same bed. "Are you awake?"

I stayed silent and stared at him. His eyes are still closed...or half-closed, I don't know. I can't tell. Is he sleep-talking or actually talking? Or someone else is talking?

"It's morning now, stupid!" In a blink, I felt a knuckle hit me on the head off-guard, making me stagger and fall down.

I immediately sat back up and glare at the person standing across me. In front if not for the bed in the middle.

"What do you want?!" I shouted, caressing my head.

"Isn't it your turn to cook breakfast?" He shouted back. "I've been waiting for ages for you to wake you up!"

"You could've just go and cook for yourself!" I protested. I have no intention of losing this verbal fight!

"You're just doing your own way of trying to escape responsibility again!" He reprimanded. I want to protest but he's quite true.

"Like humans don't do that." I pouted.

He threw a pillow at me, targeting my face. I'm surprised he could get me off-guard as he assassinates me.

"What the hell dude!" I removed the pillow that he threw on my face. I was about to fight back, probably throw at his face too but his face is currently occupied with something more sinister and scary.

"BREAKFAST. NOW." He glares.

I'm afraid of him more than oil splashing its way onto my skin so I got up and ran to the kitchen.

•

I watch him eat. I stare at him trying to consume the "food" that I "cooked". I sit across him, my plate already empty. I already ate 4 more meals consecutively. That's enough for my food to fully disappear...if only this guy in front of me were to quickly eat it. I wait for him to finish patiently.

"Hurry up. I still have dishes to wash." I impatiently tap my hand and foot.

"Then wash them first." Kanae slowly chews while furrowing his eyebrows in annoyance.

"I'm talking about your dishes."

Kanae glances on the sink and it was completely clean, yet .there are no dishes in sight. "No you didn't." He decided to answer back.

"You'd know if you would check their respective places but you're eating so don't bother." I shrugged.

Kanae narrows his eyes at me like I'm being accused of lying so he rushed to the kitchen. I can hear his fast and heavy footsteps and drawers opening furiously, like he wants to see evidences impatiently. Every time he opens something in the kitchen, he goes, "fuck!" And proceed to rummage the next one.

In the end, he moped his way back to the kitchen table, staring at the half-full/half-empty plate and pushed the plate to me instead with an expression written all over his body--despair.

I smiled as I threw the food away and proceeded to clean and dry his dishes.

After I finish all my work, what now?

•

I walk around the house, looking for something to do. I bumped into Kanae and he stopped me. Normally if I bump into people, they would crash or fall down.

"Are you looking for something, Missy?" He playfully asked.

"Yeah, I'm looking for something to do." I replied without raising my head to face him.

"Why don't we go somewhere to talk about the plan to ruin the wedding?" He smiled as if he's hiding something. "Look, I already arranged a meeting." He took out his phone and displayed the screen. It was a group chat made by him in messenger and as he said, he already messaged everyone about the meeting and says that they will come.

"Guess I have no choice, huh." I dryly responded. I'll accept anyway even if he won't show me the message.

•

"So, everyone's gathered like planned!" Kanae commented, staring at us in awe. "Hey Himbocole, what are you doing in the corner?" As soon as he says that, we all faced the corner and soon found Joan, desperately trying to keep her disguise as a man in a trench coat and a hat. The appearance looks familiar.

"Don't use my father's clothes please." Cervi gently reprimanded. Ah right, Adam Smith. Boy do I miss him!

"Uhh... I don't know what you're talking about." Joan said in the deepest and manliest voice she can put up.

"You suck at acting. We all know it's you." I dryly stared at her. She keeps her eyes occupied in the newspaper that's upside-down. How hopeless, a girl like her.

"Leave that guy alone, guys. You're scaring him. Let's just talk about Joan as a starter for a conversation." Zan suggested. I know where he's going so I immediately joined in.

"You know, I don't really get Joan sometimes." I started. "She knows about humans and love a lot but she doesn't know anything about sex."

Everyone gasped. It was not acting this time, that was their real reaction since they couldn't think that Joan is that kind of a person, or I'm that kind of a person.

"I don't know about that." They all commented simultaneously.

"Of course. Since none of you ever talked about this kind of topic to her, right?" I lazily leaned back on my chair but still, everyone froze in shock.

I read their thoughts in curiosity. "Just what kind of topics are you talking about with her, Celeste?" They're all thinking the same thing. Yeah, I think they're more disappointed in me than what I'm leading them to. I wanted them to be disappointed with Joan, not me. Screw you, backfiring karma!

"Joan is like a mother." Zan started. We all attentively listen to him. "She scolds us for every bad thing we do yet doesn't praise us for every good thing we do." We all nodded in agreement. I can see her twitch in anger.

"But there are times she acts as a teenager too, you know." Cervi was next. "No, not teenager. A child." He corrected himself. "She's inexperienced and bugs us every time she shows up in a scene. Perfectly describes a child indeed." He nodded arrogantly, thinking that's an insult we become crazy for. We merely nodded in agreement though.

"I have a lot to say about Joan." Kanae raise his hand. This is where shit goes down. Kanae... The insult machine 5000, the mouth that never stops insulting, the perceptive kid who takes advantage of new embarrassing information about a person, the delinquent who loves to blackmail... He has earned a lot of titles and nicknames.

"She always minds other people's business, especially romance, and acts like a cupid to matchmake two people who don't even love each other in the first place. As Cervi said, she's childish. Being an angel isn't an excuse for being childish and inexperienced. Celeste is also inexperienced but she's not childish...sometimes. And even though she boasts being an angel, she acts as a devil that gets in your nerves. Makes you wanna kill it. And--" He doesn't let anyone get past his blunt and insulting nature. That's the Kanae we know! Too bad that he was interrupted too soon.

"Ok, ok, I get it!" Joan slammed the table with both of her hands, getting rid of the disguise in a flash.

We all sharply turned to her, wearing devilish smirks. Joan slowly backed away as an attempt to escape but we held her down before she can even take a step away from her place.

"Ok, ok, I'll cooperate!! Geez!!" She whined in retreat.

"You said that you're not going and you don't want to go with the plan but look at where you are right now." Kanae smirked as he's taking his time, stepping on the defenceless Joan on the ground.

"It's mean to step on a lady! Or on a person in general!" She tried reprimanding but we can't take her seriously if she's defencelessly pinned down the ground, unable to do anything.

We all dryly stared at her. One certain man bravely took out a mirror. He crouched down to her and show her the mirror. "Look at yourself first before you think that you're in a position where you can say those kinds of stuffs." Zan says with a teasing smile.

•

We were all beaten up by an angel. It's embarrassing for both parties. An angel? Beating people up? Shame on you. A person? Getting beaten up by a defenceless angel? Shame on you.

"Speak." The angel was triggered. She went back to her demon self. Well... She was raised by demons though so it's no question that she will revert back sooner or later.

"Carol eagerly wants to marry Celeste and he's always on guard since a lot of people tried assassinating him earlier than I did." He sighed afterwards. "I think Carol became stronger because of his family working behind the scenes and so, harder to assassinate or ruin the wedding."

"So what now?" Cervi asked with a hint of trouble.

"Joan is the perfect mastermind." Kanae commented.

We all looked at her to await for her commands. "Is that why you immediately pointed me out?" She stared at Kanae dryly with a hint of anger.

Kanae nodded with a wide grin and answers honestly, "you got that wrong. You were going to cooperate sooner or later. I just wanted to do it sooner."

Joan sighed she started to talk.

•

December 20. Tuesday.

I walk around the corridors and while doing so, I unexpectedly bumped into a person. He seems so indulged in his phone that he carelessly bumped into me even though I'm careful enough to not let that happen.

"What made you so focused?" I snickered, hoping to hear an interesting answer.

Yet, he ignored me and continued on walking like nothing happened. How rude! My eyes followed him until he disappeared from my sight as he walks farther and farther away from me. Now he looks so distant.

With a sigh and a guess, I took out my phone and dialled Joan in hopes of finding the answer of the question that was refused to answer.

"What made him so focused in his phone? Wait, he's the one who spams in the group chat?!" She shouted in surprise.

"That's not really an answer, Joan. What exactly is he spamming about?" I try to root out the answer myself since it seems she can't do it directly.

"He keeps saying 'hurry up' or words or sentences that are like that." She lazily answers as I hear crisps being chomped by her. What a noisy eater.

"Yet you're just lazing around." I dryly commented.

"I won't do anything until much later." She noisily chomped another crisp.

"Yeah right." I sarcastically responded, rolling my eyes even though I know she can't see it.

"Well believe it or not, it's all for your sake though. Kanae's harsher than before. I can't even lead properly since he kept being skeptical and thorough. He's taking this too seriously." She talks about him behind his back.

"I can't blame him though. He should be since this arranged marriage may be the end of me, Carol, or our families." I flopped down the ground, staring at the dull ceiling with my phone near my ears.

"I think he's worried about you the most though." She hummed. Well I'm just glad she stopped eating crisps while talking to me in such a manner.

".......the awaited wedding is drawing near." I commented. The dull ceiling started to swirl around. It may be only because I feel dizzy.

"Right. And so is Christmas!! The birth of Christ, as the humans believe!" She laughed like she's condescending the humans just because she's an angel. "Do you know when Kanae's birthday is?"

"Huh? Not really." I am surprised she has to ask me that. Is it important?

"You know... Since he's prioritising you more than himself, he must have forgotten about it." Her voice sounded more solemn and quiet. "His birthday is on December 25."

My eyes widened, my whole body paralysed, I lie down the ground, motionless, still.

December 25... He never mentioned it to me. How does Joan know? Why, out of all the dates, my wedding on the 25th of December, where it's Christmas and Kanae's birthday? What better date could it possibly be?

"Do you get it? Do you get what I'm saying?" Joan eagerly and excitedly asked. I don't get why though. I feel bad for Kanae for having his two friends (with one being unknown whether he's actually a friend or not) be married on his birthday and he's ruining it for the sake of his other friend rather than himself. He sacrifices more than enough.

"Let's get him a birthday present!!"

Her sudden burst of suggestion in such an optimistic manner made me freeze in shock again. A birthday present, she says? I don't know where to begin...

"I don't even know what he wants!" I complained. Even if I'm not against the idea, I still have some complaints here and there just because. Given the current circumstances, I don't think I'll be able to give him something he would genuinely like.

"And you call yourself living with him?" She hummed in disappointment. Sometimes, I want to hit her face with a frying pan. There's a limit on how much of an airhead she can be!

"First of all, I do not call myself living with him. Second, his lifestyle doesn't give a clue on what he wants for Christmas. Third, he's fucking rich! He could purchase a whole mall for all I care!" I continued to list down the reasons why I'm against the idea even though I wasn't initially.

"But still... Celeste, no offence but you're contented with everything you have, right?"

"Huh? Yes?"

"Then why are you still living?"

"Isn't that obvious? I still have some unfinished business."

"Nobody's complete in the end." I feel like I can quote her with that. "Even Kanae have some hidden desires. Use your devilish abilities to good use, Loyal Familiar!"

"Ok first of all--" why isn't she saying anything right? The only thing she did right was to blurt out that quote.

"Just shut up and sneak into his room." She sighed. I can hear another bag of crisps being opened. Hopeless angel.

I looked left and right. It seems the coast is clear. And even if it wasn't, he wouldn't be able to see or even sense me at that. Plus, we share a room. How is this sneaking in? It's like walking into my own room.

"I don't see anything particularly useful for information here~~" I hummed, merely looking around and not even examining the things he has.

Suddenly, Joan jumped out of my phone and dusted herself as she landed. The phone is unbroken and it looks untouched. Just what kind of a reckless angel is she?

"What are you doing here?" I dryly stared at her, uninterested about her sudden forced entrance.

"I'm here to help you look for some useful information here~~" she hummed the same tune I was humming...only a bit more emphasised and so, annoying.

Without any further word, she began rummaging through all the things in the room...even messing up mine.

In a short period of time, the whole place was thrashed. It was around this time that I can't afford to stand idly, gawking at her like there is going to happen sooner or later.

I slowly walk towards her with my spear in my hand, intending to smack her on the back of her head or knock her out unconscious but as I raised my spear, ready to hit her any moment, I noticed her staring at a picture frame. That picture frame is the last thing she examined.

"Hey, are these his parents? It looked like they went to Japan in this picture." She points at the picture frame while talking to me. I'm standing still with my spear still in my hands, raised and ready to hit her yet she doesn't seem to care.

"Hm? What's Japan? Where's Japan?" I lowered my spear and decided to ask her with a dumbfounded expression.

"Ah, you don't know? You know, the place where..." She suddenly stops and faces me. I don't know what the big idea is but it's annoying how she's staring at me with eyes that resembles pity. "Why am I even telling you? It's hopeless. Japan is a place, ok?" She did a facepalm and sighed exasperatedly.

"A place..." I whispered.

I hear the door rattle from the outside. Someone's coming! Oh, what the heck, "someone" isn't even the right word for it! Kanae's coming!!

In my own instinct, I pushed Joan in the closet to hide her and I hid the picture frame by sliding it under the bed. I then went to my spot and hoped that my acting skills are good enough.

"Huh? Celeste?" He asked, dumbfounded. Even after all that, he still has his phone in his hands. What a troublesome guy. "What did you do to my room?" He blankly asked like it has nothing to do with him. Geez, since then, he acts like nothing ever has to do with him.

"Nothing, I was just looking for something." I then rummaged under the bed like the item I was searching for was there to hide the fact that I slid his family picture there.

"Well if it's you, I know you can find it easily." He murmured under his breath. Recently, he's turned to some kind of a serious sociopath who intends to kill his victim before the clock strikes 12.

He walks past me and grabbed something from his drawer. He was too fast for my eyes to follow. Wait, was I really that slow? No. I purposely let my eyes slow down in shock. It looks like...Kanae is nothing more than a walking dog. And he's supposed to be my master?! Stupid!!

Once Kanae exited the room, Joan exits the closet too and heaved a heavy sigh. "Are you planning to suffocate me inside, you idiot?!" She threw her hands up as if she was really scolding me.

"No. I acted on impulse." I replied, not looking at her. My eyes stayed glue at the door. I have no other energy to reprimand or explain things to her.

"At least look at me when I talk to you!"

"Hey, do you think he will be happy if his parents come for him?" I interrupted. Besides from being utterly rude, I changed the subject pretty quickly too. I should be proud of myself.

"Of course. Anyone will be happy if their parents come for them." Joan solemnly answered like the conversation earlier didn't exist. As expected of an airhead angel.

I took a small glimpse of Joan and her eyes seem...melancholic. Which reminds me, I don't know her real parents. The parents of hers that I know are the ones who raised her like a demon. Was she happy when her real family finally came for her?

If that's so, I wish I could've seen her cry with joy as she hugged her parents in utter delight. If that's so, then I wish I will see Kanae in the same state. It might be common that people lose their parents, the supernaturals are no exception, but to be reunited with them again might be the best gift for a person's "best day."

"Then I know what I will give him for his gift." I smiled triumphantly.

"Huh? No fair! I was the one that discovered it first!"

"You'll just have to find another one. Hahaha!!" I stuck out my tongue and skipped my way outside, following Kanae. Joan is left helpless in the room with an urge to clean the place she just trashed up. I'm not using her though. She just gave me a little push.

I see Kanae in front of me now. This might be easy. I dashed to him then, in a flash, snatched away his phone. Kanae was slow to realise. Is he that off-guard?!

I felt bad for taking his stuff while he's off-guard. It's boring. He lacks everything that I liked about him. Even so, I'm still continuing to try and give him the best gift. How idiotic of me.

I dialled his mother from his phone. She quickly picked it up. How long did he last contacted with her? For her to panic like that...is that normal for a parent?

"Kanae?" I hear her voice. My suspicions were correct. She is worried and panicking now because her son haven't contacted her in ages. I feel bad for her...for having such a son.

I looked at Kanae with dead eyes. His eyes then snapped back to normal. A short moment away from his phone is enough to revert him back to normal, huh? Why didn't I think of that?

"What are you planning to do now, Missy!? Don't do anything reckless!" He reprimands like I'm his teenage daughter or something. This scene is quite familiar in TV shows and movies.

"Look who's talking. Like you're not doing something reckless." I smirked. He was about to reach out to me but it was too late. I already teleported to "Japan" it seems, where Kanae's parents are.

"Good--..... What time is it?" I carelessly ask as soon as I teleported to their house. I peeked out the closed window and since I'm too lazy to open and see the sky in order to know about the time, I just sighed as his useless parents lean on the wall in fear of me.

"Wh-what do you want f-from us?" His father asked, trembling so madly in fear.

I know that dominance over them would do nothing good so I guess I'll just have to act proper, even if it's only this time.

"Please visit your son on his upcoming birthday."