(???)
It's December 25th, and the spirit of Christmas is everywhere. Even with the political situation as tense as it is, the holiday cheer provides a much-needed escape, a brief moment to forget the chaos looming outside.
"Ingredients... check! Oven... check! Everything's perfect! The gingerbread cookies are going to turn out awesome this time!" Enty spoke with fire in her eyes, before her shoulders suddenly slumped. "...Or maybe they won't. Something still feels like it's missing."
"Hey there, Enty," I called out, noticing her hovering anxiously over her workstation. "Why the long face? A high-stakes snowball fight might be just the thing to snap you out of it."
"Oh, ummm.... I'm just prepping for the party tonight, but..." She trailed off, staring at the tray.
I took a long, exaggerated sniff. "Wait... is that gingerbread? It smells incredible!"
"Actually, since you're here, would you mind being my taste tester?" she asked, offering the tray with a hopeful look.
"Really? Don't mind if I do!" I didn't hesitate. I grabbed a cookie and popped the whole thing into my mouth.
"Don't mind if I do!" I didn't hesitate. I grabbed a cookie and popped the whole thing into my mouth. The spice hit first,sharp ginger and warm cinnamon,followed by the melt-in-your-mouth butter. "Mmm! Shoo goood! Hit me with another one!"
I probably would have demolished the entire tray if I hadn't exercised some self-control. I managed to stop myself after the fourth one. Phew. "Thanks for the treat!"
"So? What did you think?" she asked, her eyes searching mine for a critique.
"I'm stuffed!" I answered, patting my stomach.
"Awesome! ...Wait, hang on! That's not a review!" she barked, her hands on her hips. "Tell me how it tasted!"
"Hmm... honestly? It was just 'good,' I guess?"
Enty sighed, the fire dimming. "I figured. It's missing that X-factor. That spark that makes it more than just baked dough."
"Maybe it's love?" I suggested with a shrug.
"Come again?"
"You know the cliché, right? 'Love is the secret ingredient'?"
Enty paused, her expression turning uncharacteristically pensive. "Love... Love, huh... What's the deal with love anyway? Is there a formula for that?"
"If there is, I've never seen the blueprints," I replied with total honesty.
"Still, you might be onto something! I'll start by asking around," she said, her energy returning. "But first, I need to get these invitations sent out to the others."
"Don't sweat the invites," I said, waving a hand dismissively. "Everyone's already on their way. Masters, Creators, even the researchers from the Union Parliament are dropping by."
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The gathering was intimate. With most of the staff away visiting family for the holidays, only the core team remained at the facility.
It was a quintessential Christmas. Trays of food and drinks lined makeshift tables borrowed from the canteen, headlined by an impressive mountain of cookies baked by Enty and the girls.
True to form, the Creator had his camera out, documenting every second and "persuading" the Kansen into festive costumes. Silverfox watched the chaos with a quiet, knowing chuckle, and even the introverted Magister allowed a rare, small smile to surface at the sight of the girls' antics.
For a few hours, the world outside ceased to exist. There was only the warmth of the room and the lingering spice of gingerbread.
"Enty, these cookies are actually great."
"The ones shaped like Hoppy... they're almost too cute to eat..."
"Gingerbread supercharged with pure sugar... this is bliss~"
"Ah, umm, the presents for the gift exchange are under the tree!"
"I'm looking forward to seeing who's lucky enough to get my gift~~"
"Good grief, it gets so noisy the moment someone mentions presents..."
"Hey, it's only Christmas once a year. Besides, it'll happen again next year, so you might as well get used to it!"
"Exactly!" I shouted over the din, raising a glass of cider. "That's the Christmas spirit! No worries tonight. Just us. To many more!"
"Hehe, well said! Cheers, everyone!"
"Cheers! Merry Christmas!!"
The room erupted in a chorus of voices. At that moment, surrounded by laughter, light, and the scent of pine, I never would have guessed that this was the last Christmas I would ever truly enjoy.
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(Kael Rukmono POV)
"A dream from my other memories, huh?"
I muttered the words to an empty room, waking up within the quiet confines of the [Library Mind]. Since acquiring the Trait, my subconscious had become a structured thing. Usually, when I dreamt of the past, I woke up on that metaphorical beach where I met my doppelganger and this old memories
This time, however, the beach was still there, but I was tucked away in a small, cozy library overlooking the tide.
I sat there for a moment, the ghost of gingerbread still haunting my tongue. The dream was vivid, a snapshot of a small Christmas party from a life that felt like it belonged to a different person entirely.
Every time I dream about those "old memories," it feels like I'm watching a high-definition documentary. I can see the faces, I can hear the laughter, and I can technically remember being the person in the frame. But emotionally? The connection is severed.
I see Enty's smile, and I recognize it as "important," but my heart doesn't beat faster. I hear the "Cheers!" and I know it was a happy moment, but I feel like a stranger looking through a keyhole.
It is a specialized form of torture: to be gifted with perfect recollection of a life you can no longer feel. It feels very alien, yet hauntingly familiar.
"Love, huh?" I whispered, looking at my hands.
I stood up, leaving the library of my mind and preparing to face the reality of once more.