“MOMMY! DADDY!” Masanori races into their room. “Santa came!”
“Oh, did he?” Hairu smiles sleepily. She checks her phone. It’s 5 am. Hell.
“He did!” Masanori bounces up and down. “I was scared he wouldn’t like ghouls, but apparently he still thinks I’m nice.”
“I’d be more afraid of the naughty part than the ghoul part,” Ui teases, tickling his son.
Masanori shrieks. “Come help me open my presents!”
“Sure.” Hairu had planned to bake melon buns before the child awakened, but she clearly overestimated his excitement. She never got to celebrate Christmas in the Garden, though, so she’s secretly happy he woke up so early.
“Here you go.” Ui plops a Santa hat on Hairu’s head and a stocking on Masanori’s.
“What about you?” Hairu shivers with glee.
Ui shoves a bright red nose on himself. “I’m Rudolph.”
Their family dances downstairs to the Christmas tree.
Mercy and Magic 