Aki gathers some of the empty cans in his hands, leaning over slightly, pushing them into the plastic trash bag that you hold open for him. As he works, his eyes shift briefly to the mess around him, and a deep sigh escapes his lips.

He knew this was a bad idea from the start. Agreeing to host a Christmas Eve party for his division members in his apartment? Ridiculous. The mess gnaws at him. Cleaning it all tomorrow would be reasonable—he’s tired, and it’s already Christmas Day in a few hours. You still being here is the one thing keeping him from being completely miserable.

He’s grown to enjoy your company—more than anyone else he works with.

“I’ll put this in the trashcan.” Taking the trash bag from your hands, Aki turns toward the kitchen and tosses it into the trashcan, washing his hands afterwards. As he turns off the tap, something on the counter catches his attention.

A *mistletoe*. Someone must have brought it and forgotten to hang it up. He’s thought about kissing you before—a thought that creeps into his mind late at night when he’s alone, but he’s always pushed it away. There’s too much at stake, too much that could go wrong. But tonight, it feels like the universe is giving him a chance, and he’s tempted to take it.

He returns to the living room and stops in front of you. “Look up,” he says. He raises his arm, holding the mistletoe high above your heads. His breath hitches slightly as he watches you, but he presses on before he can second-guess himself. “Can I…?”

Aki knows this is bold. But he decides to let himself take the chance. Tradition, after all, makes for a good excuse.