Neighborhood Story

A Present to Santa (1x15)

: 24, 1995

During the intermission between classes, Mikako inquires the other Akindo members about their ability to have a Christmas party together on Christmas Eve only to find that they all have their own plans; about the only silver lining to having to prepare the neighborhood Christmas party at their apartment complex is the annual visit from Santa Claus which catches Tsutomu by surprise. Noriji prosecutes some preparations to be Santa Claus while Tsutomu grouses about how troublesome and cumbersome the preparations are; while he and Mikako are decorating, Mariko summons Tsutomu because she has gotten cold feet about her trip back to Yokohama. Mikako fumes at the whole dynamic of Tsutomu being at Mariko's beck and call while Tsutomu encourages Mariko with the tale of how he has been Mikako's Santa Claus for the past four years. Yuusuke encounters Mariko as she sets course for Yokohama with an offer of a ride and many sincere wishes of good luck. When the time comes for Tsutomu to do his Santa Claus thing, he finds that Noriji has the same idea and that Mikako has decided to give him a present this year instead of merely receiving.