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"Y-You don't have to."

"But I want to"

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Maki Harukawa was never really one to enjoy Christmas with others. 

She'd get invited to parties here and there but she'd never fully enjoy them. 

She'd much rather spend her time alone, either reading or prepping up for a new mission. 

Well, that was before she met the girl by the donation box. 

(Maki's POV)

Snow danced around me like white fireflies. 

As if in a trance, I watched them slowly fall from the sky, and into my brown locks. 

It was always cold in Japan's winters. I never liked them. The lake shores would freeze up and make it difficult to walk on, the sky would always be a dull grey, and the snow would pile up on everyone street corner, causing miles of traffic to occur. 

I sighed as I looked down at the bags of groceries in my hands. Kaede wanted me to go buy decorations and food for her Christmas party. I found it quite strange how she wanted me to buy a mistletoe however, as I wasn't sure if I'd be comfortable with that hanging in our classroom. 

Pushing aside my thoughts, I shook the loose snowflakes off my hair and began walking towards Hope's Peak. The store wasn't very far, as it was only a brief 5-10 minute walk.  

I began walking back to school, when the familiar sound of bells caught my attention. 

Turning around, I saw a h/c haired girl standing next to a red donation box. She was ringing a bell and smiling through a thin scarf she had around her neck. 

What really caught my attention however, was how thin her clothes were.

She only wore a light jacket, with a skirt and some thin leggings, not very suitable attire for Japan's harsh winters. 

She coughed into her gloved hands, clearing her throat and continuing to smile. 

"Please donate to the children of Rosewood Orphanage! It would really make their Christmas wish come true!" 

Those words stung a bit. Of course the charity had to be an orphanage. But I couldn't help but pity the poor girl. Why was she doing this in such thin clothing? She's going to receive unwanted attention from strangers. 

Taking another glance at the girl, I noticed how she was shivering, her legs quivering as she tried her best to stay warm. 

Once again, the girl rung the bell and asked for donations, smiling while shivering in the cold. 

People ignored her and walked by, some giving her weird looks. 

"Poor girl, can't even afford the proper necessities in life," a woman stated. 

"I bet it's a fake charity, tch, really get's on my nerves," another said. 

"Can't believe sluts like you are desperate enough in this weather," one man commented. 

These comments were enough to make the girl clench her jacket tighter, a look of sadness flashing on her face. She looked like she was about to cry, her lips quivering as her eyes turned glossy. 

I've had enough. 

I walked over to the girl, my boots trudging over the dirty snow. I slowly took off my jacket and offered it to her. 

"Here, you look like you need it." 

The girl looked up at me with her e/c eyes. "N-No, I couldn't possibly-"

"I insist."

The sternness in my voice made it almost impossible to say no. 

The girl gulped and nodded sheepishly, gently taking my jacket and putting it over her. It wrapped around her small body like a perfect fit. 

It looks good on her. 

The girl grinned nervously and locked eyes with me. 

"Thank you ma'am, you really didn't need to do that," she said, smiling at me. 

My face was tinted with a bright red, but it was probably because of how cold it was. 

"No need to thank me. Anyone who had the decency to be a proper human would do the same," I said, reaching into my wallet and pulling out a $20 bill. 

The girl's eyes widened as she wrapped her gloved hands around mine, making my face heat up a little. 

"Ma'am I just simply cannot allow you to do that! You've already been so kind to me an-"

"It's for the children, is it not?" I asked, my red eyes locking with her e/c ones. 

The girl fell silent, her eyes shifting towards different directions. 

"I...I..."

I simply smiled at her cute stutter, taking my $20 bill and sliding it into the red donation box. 

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" I asked. 

The girl slowly shook her head, not making eye contact with me. 

I sighed and began walking away. 

"W-Wait!" the girl yells, running over and grabbing my hand. 

I turn to her, watching her look up at me with a worried gaze. 

"Wh-What about your jacket? I-I can't just take it!" 

I smiled at her. "I have others. If you want more then I can lend you more."

"But!"

I leaned in close towards the girl, making her blush due to how close we were. 

"For you, I'd give up all the jackets I have."

The girl blushed a bright red and began stammering while shifting her gaze. 

"Y-You...I-I..."

"What's your name?"

"S-S/O L/N."

"Well, S/O, you can call me if you ever need a jacket."

I grabbed her hand and slipped in a white piece of paper. 

She looked at it for a few seconds, before she realized what I had given her. On the slip was my full name, and my phone number. 

"Y-You don't have to."

"But I want to"

S/O looked at me with a red face before giggling to herself. 

"If you insist, Maki-San."

I smiled and stayed with her for a while. 

Let's just say, I was a little late to Kaede's party. 

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