November drifted into December, and a biting chill settled over Willowgate. The weather here mirrors the Ordinary world's calendar, making it the heart of the Christmas season. Students stayed indoors to escape the freezing wind as the first snowfall loomed. Looking ahead to January, Tavian is set to face Malthen, while Fyrnic and Daven will clash in what promises to be an intense month of Exigros.
Early one December morning, Simon was busy practicing swordsmanship with Dean. At Simon's own request, Dean began teaching him basic combat skills to prepare him for the future. Although the sword felt heavy in his hands at first, Simon had gradually learned to manage its weight through persistent practice. Despite the cold numbing his ears and fingertips, the vigorous movements left him flushed and sweating.
"Left foot... right foot... spin and swing! No, you're making a mistake—lead with your left foot first..."
Dean coached him while parrying Simon's strikes with ease. Simon followed every instruction diligently, and despite his frequent stumbles, he continued to give it his absolute best. After a while, they called it a day as the temperature dropped significantly.
"So, any plans for the Christmas break?" Dean asked Simon as they walked back toward the castle. Simon thought for a moment before shaking his head.
"What about you?"
"I'm heading home for the holidays... spending Christmas with the family," Dean replied.
"I see..." Simon pondered his own situation. He briefly considered returning to the orphanage to spend time with the children, but as memories of the lonely Christmases he had endured there resurfaced, he decided against it. He'd simply send a letter to John and the kids to let them know he wouldn't be making it back.
A few days later, the holidays officially began. Most students had departed to be with their families, leaving Willowgate feeling hollow and still. Even Jack, Toad, and Finn had gone home, but Kai chose to stay behind. He didn't want Simon to be left all alone, so he stayed to keep him company throughout the break.
On Christmas morning, Simon walked into the Common Room carrying a small package he had ordered via pigeon-mail. He found Kai already there, huddled by the firepit. Outside, heavy snow blanketed the forest in a thick layer of white.
"Simon! Merry Christmas! Come over here and get warm by the fire," Kai greeted him warmly.
"Merry Christmas to you too, Kai."
Simon took a seat beside him and handed over the box. "Here... this is for you."
"What is it?" Kai asked, curious.
"A Christmas gift." When Kai opened the box and saw the Spider-Man gloves, he was overjoyed.
"Simonnn, you're literally an angel!"
Simon smiled, touched by Kai's reaction. Then, Kai grabbed a bundle from beside him and handed it to Simon.
"And this is for you. Open it!"
Inside, Simon found a beautifully knitted wool scarf. "I noticed you didn't have one, so I asked my dad to send this. Do you like it?" Kai asked with a cheeky grin.
"I love it!" Simon replied earnestly. He had never owned a proper scarf before; even his winter clothes were just oversized hand-me-downs from Mr. Grabby. Receiving something brand new and thoughtful meant the world to him. Seeing how much Simon cherished the gift, Kai beamed with pride.
After a heavy snowfall, all of Willowgate was transformed into a vast winter wonderland. Simon and Kai headed to the small clearing near the Herbology greenhouses, a perfect spot for a snowball fight thanks to the scattered trees providing ample cover. Kai quickly packed a massive snowball and hurled it at Simon—splat!—it hit him right in the face.
"Ow! That's cold!"
Simon immediately scrambled to gather snow, launching a counter-attack at Kai, who was peeking from behind a thick trunk. To get his revenge, Kai fashioned a snowball nearly the size of a real ball and chased after Simon as he tried to make a break for it.
"Don't run, Simon! Here... try a taste of this one too!"
Kai shouted with glee as he gave chase, while Simon ran as fast as he could through the thick snow, laughing so hard he could barely breathe. Their joyful shouts and laughter echoed through the silent, snow-covered woods of Willowgate.
After their exhausting snowball fight, the two decided to build a snowman. Kai was busy shaping the body, while Simon stood nearby holding a carrot they'd borrowed from the kitchen and two dry twigs for arms. At that moment, out of the corner of his eye, Simon caught sight of someone walking through the nearby hallway. He turned to look—it was Henry. Henry's face was half-buried in a thick muffler against the biting cold, and he seemed completely oblivious to his surroundings. Simon stared in surprise; he had assumed Henry, like most of the others, had gone home for the holidays.
"Simon, the carrot!"
"Simon..."
Kai noticed Simon wasn't responding and followed his gaze toward the hallway to see what had captured his friend's attention.
"That's Evering, right? The famous guy," Simon muttered as he suddenly dropped everything in his hands. His eyes sparked with a sudden realization.
"Kai, I need your help with something!"
"Huh?" Kai looked up, confused.
"Stop him... don't let him reach his dorm yet! Just stall him for a bit. I'll be right back!"
"Wait, what? Why? Simon! Hey!"
But Simon was already sprinting away through the thick snow. Left alone with the unfinished snowman, Kai could only stare after him in bewilderment before reluctantly dashing toward the hallway to catch up with Henry.
Kai sprinted to catch up and planted himself right in front of Henry, blocking his path.
"Hey... wait! Your muffler is actually really cool. Where'd you get it? The color is amazing!" He kept talking and reaching out, trying to stall for time.
Henry's brow furrowed in clear annoyance as he stared at Kai. When Kai tried to touch the fabric, Henry stepped back, his voice cutting through the air like ice.
"Don't touch it. I don't like being touched."
Kai's heart skipped a beat at the coldness, but he kept a grin on his face. Internally, he was fuming: 'Ugh, what a snob! I'm trying to be nice here.' Still, since Simon hadn't returned yet, he had no choice but to keep the awkward conversation going.
Kai stood his ground, blocking Henry's path and rambling about anything just to keep him from leaving. They had only ever seen each other's faces in passing—never even exchanged a single "Hello." So, Kai's sudden erratic behavior was not only bizarre to Henry but increasingly irritating. Just as Henry said, "Move," and tried to push past, Simon burst onto the scene, panting heavily.
"Wait! Just a second... Henry!"
Simon arrived out of breath, clutching something carefully wrapped in a small cloth. Having sprinted through the snow, his cheeks were flushed a deep red, and his breath hitched in the cold air.
Henry stopped dead in his tracks, staring in confusion at the boy who had just rushed toward him. Seeing Simon finally arrive, Kai exhaled a massive sigh of relief and stepped aside, his job of stalling finally complete.
Simon stood there, panting heavily as he tried to catch his breath. He felt a wave of guilt for having blurted out Henry's first name in his haste.
"I mean—Evering. Please don't be offended," Simon corrected himself quickly.
Henry looked at Simon briefly before shifting his gaze away. "It's fine. Just be more careful next time," he replied coolly. While his tone remained frosty, the sharp edge of annoyance he'd shown Kai seemed to have softened slightly.
Simon nodded frantically and offered the small, wrapped bundle to Henry with slightly trembling hands.
"This is... a Christmas gift for you. Merry Christmas. It's nowhere near as valuable as the fountain pen you gave me, but... I hope you'll accept it."
Henry didn't take it immediately. He stared at the package in Simon's hand for a long moment before looking back up at Simon's face. There was a flicker of surprise and hesitation in his green eyes—a rare break in his usual stoic demeanor. For someone who usually kept to himself, this unexpected gesture seemed to have caught him completely off guard.
Henry quietly accepted the gift and muttered a soft "Thank you." Seeing Henry take the package made Simon beam with joy.
"It's... it's a wooden swan. I wasn't sure what you liked, so I carved it myself. It's not the most beautiful thing, but..." Simon explained, a bit bashful about his craftsmanship.
Henry simply nodded in acknowledgement. "Thank you. Merry Christmas," he replied before turning to walk away.
Kai nudged Simon as they watched him go.
"Whoa, Simon! You actually got a 'thank you' out of that human iceberg. Since you carved it yourself, I bet he'll actually treasure it."
Simon watched until Henry's figure vanished around the corner of the hallway. "I hope so too..." he murmured back to Kai.
Simon had prepared Christmas gifts for everyone he cared about. Using the last of his Sevans, he had bought gloves for Kai, a notebook for Jack, chocolates for Toad and Finn, and a pen for Dean. He even sent tins of sweets to the children at the orphanage. By the time he was done, his pockets were empty. However, he didn't mind the cost at all.
The reason he gave Henry a handmade gift instead of a store-bought one was simple: ever since he received that fountain pen from Henry, Simon had been pouring his heart into crafting something special just for him. It was a deliberate, long-planned gesture, which is why he chose this Christmas to finally present it.
Henry returned to his room in the Daven Chamber. Upon his arrival, his roommate spoke up. "Oh, a Christmas gift arrived in your name. I left it on your desk."
Henry nodded simply, removed his muffler and long coat to hang them up, and then walked over to sit at his desk. He set Simon's small bundle down next to the larger package already waiting there.
Checking the larger one first, he saw it was from Logan. Inside was a note wishing him a Happy New Year and teasing him about missing out on a massive Christmas party because he chose not to come home.
Henry skimmed the letter and looked at the gift—a high-quality, incredibly expensive sweater. Its value was clearly substantial. Without a change in expression, Henry tucked the sweater back into its packaging and stowed it away in his wardrobe. His face remained as stoic as ever, as if his emotions were frozen in place.
After stowing away the gift, Henry sat back down at his desk. He stared at the small bundle from Simon for a moment before picking it up. Unwrapping it carefully, he found the wooden swan just as Simon had described. While it lacked the polished perfection of a professional carver, the effort and sincerity behind every stroke of the knife were unmistakable.
Henry studied the swan intently. Then, he noticed something tiny engraved on the bottom of the figure—a single word in the Mythaion tongue:
"Eliphile"
It meant "Stay Happy." As he read the silent blessing, a flicker of something soft and warm passed through Henry's usually frozen gaze. For someone who rarely let anyone in, this humble wish from Simon seemed to touch a place that expensive luxuries never could.