Sunday//December 25//Early Afternoon//Home
Wrapping the last strands of pink hair around the hot curling iron, Ai hummed along to Ayabie's 'Kimi no Koe to Yakusoku' as it played from her laptop. Her roomed was now put together; the walls were painted pink with a yellow border, her desk set up along with a nightstand and mirror, and posters and pictures put up everywhere. Even her favorite moonchair was set up in the corner. Above her bed, she had taped up the pictures that she had taken with Kyou, and the flyer she had gotten from Maikeru. Anything new from Tokyo, Ai had decided to pin up in that exact spot. Everything was in place and colorful as ever, making her bedroom a pleasure for Ai to be in.
Unwrapping the now curled hair, she turned off the curling iron and set it down to cool. Ai looked in the mirror and examined her completed self. She was dressed in a red, Sweet Lolita outfit with white petticoats, lace, and ribbon. She rarely wore such an outfit, but the occasion of Christmas called for it. Her legs were covered in white stockings, and her hair parted into two low pigtails that she had tied in red ribbon and curled. Barely any make up was applied to her young face. With a smile, she twirled in a circle, satisfied.
Momo and his new friend came running into Ai's room, playing excitedly with eachother. She giggled at the two puppies. Her parents had given her the new puppy, a Pembroke Welsh Corgi that she had named Aiko, that morning for Christmas. It made her feel much better about leaving Momo home when she was at school, seeing that he'd now have company while she was away. Thinking about presents, she wondered if Junpei was enjoying the new tops and jewelry she had gotten him. He had texted her shortly after she had woken up that morning with a 'happy christmas~!'
She picked up a small silver ring from her desk that her Junpei had given to her before she left Kyoto as a Christmas present. Inside he had had engraved 'Always and Only Yours, Junpei.' Ai had cried that morning as she opened the velvet box and found the ring inside. Junpei always was one to give Ai gifts that simply made her emotional. She loved him for it, but always gave him a hard time for making her cry. Infact, she had sent him a text shortly after opening the present saying 'you big meany!' With a soft smile, she slipped the ring onto her left 'ring' finger.
Pausing the music that played, the Ayabie CD that Junpei had also gotten her, she closed her laptop. She slipped her cell phone into a convienent pocket of the dress, wrapped the matching shawl around her shoulders and buttoned it at the neck, and grabbed a small box wrapped in silver holiday paper before leaving her room. Momo and Aiko followed her curiously.
"There's my daughter, cuter then ever," Senichi chuckled as he pulled Ai into a hug.
"I'm going over to Kyou's now," Ai informed her parents with a smile, walking over to the door and putting on the red, doll like shoes.
"Have fun, baby," Reiko said, planting a kiss upon her daughter's forehead.
"Hai~! Ittekimasu~!" Ai cheered, leaving the apartment.
She had planned to surprise Kyou today with a visit and a Christmas present. She had walked Kyou home just a few days ago after their sleepover, and remembered exactly where her friend lived. She skipped joyfully, holding the small box close to her. Inside, she had put the two DS games she had bought for Kyou, and the photo duplicates that the two girls had taken together. She hoped Kyou would like her presents.
A few people looked questionally at Ai as she skipped past. Ai simply smiled kindly at them and wished them a happy Christmas, knowing exactly why they were staring her. In the lolita dress and her hair curled as it was, she looked even younger then she already did in normal attire. Chances were, the people she passed were simply wondering why a young child was by herself and not with her parents. What child had pink hair and a lip piecing, though, Ai wasn't sure. Ai still found it amusing, and couldn't help but giggle.
Finally reaching Kyou's home, Ai walked up to the door and rang the doorbell. It probably would've been wiser to call first and make sure Kyou was home, not knowing what her family's Christmas traditions were. Ai wanted to surprise her friend so badly, though, and had decided to just take the chance and arrive unexpected. Anxiously, she waited for the door to be answered.