Lucifer: The Bloody Christmas Arc

4th January, 1900—Winter vacation is over. Manabu got ready on time, prepared his breakfast as usual, got ready for school, locked the house, and left. Since the 25th tragic incident, he had spoken less with Mion. She would rarely leave the house. She won't pick up calls or hang out. Sometimes Manabu brings her food snacks; sometimes Taiju and Mai bring her food. She locked herself in her room. "I hope Mion comes to school today," Manabu thought as he recalled the events from the past. He still hadn't recovered from the sorrow. "After the autopsy, we went to the mortuary to see the bodies. When we arrived, I saw Naomi's and Futuba's lifeless bodies. My eyes were filled with tears, but I didn't cry. Mion stood there, crying silently, but she said nothing. Taiju stayed strong, but I knew even he had his true feelings hidden. Mai didn't want to enter the mortuary at first, but she struggled to gather the strength to say a final goodbye to her friend… At the funeral, almost all the students and teachers from school were present. This was how we had to say goodbye to Naomi and Mr. Futuba, forever. In the past few days, I've learnt lots of things. I've confined myself to the house reading books all day. I remember reading a book a long time ago; there was a line—'The day we die, everyone will cry. By the second day, they'll understand, and by the end of the third day, they'll move on.' I tried to move on too…" Manabu arrived at school and couldn't help but hope that Mion had recovered a little. As he entered the classroom, he heard students talking about Naomi. When he looked at Naomi's desk, he saw students had left notes there: "Always be missed by us.""Rest in peace.""No matter where you are, this place won't be the same without you.""Good people die, but their good deeds remain."Manabu gave a soft smile upon reading these notes and sat down in his seat. Mion still hadn't arrived. Mai entered the class to greet him. She's from the Commerce section. She was smiling softly. 'It's been a long time,' she said. Mai asked Manabu if he was alright, and just then, Mion walked in. She had a long face, not smiling. But still, Manabu was happy to see her again after a long time. The school bell rings, and Mai runs to her class, 'I have to go. See ya!' Class began as the principal entered the room with some officers by his side.

Principal Hojo spoke, his voice commanding attention. "Good morning to all of you. I know this has been a difficult time for many of you. Most of you already know, but for those who don't, one of our classmates, Naomi, and her father, Mr. Futuba, your physics teacher, has passed away… But no matter what, we must strive to keep ourselves composed and stay strong. We were all born into this world, and one day, we will all leave it. That is the truth… Death is the only certainty. Therefore, we cannot let it break us. And… you may have heard of the 'Santa' case, which might be connected to these murders, but the police are investigating it thoroughly, and justice will prevail."Mr. Kenzo was standing outside of the classroom. He walked in and stood up on the platform and wrote down the phone number on the board. "Here is the department's contact number, and this is my personal number. If you have any issues or are facing any troubles, don't hesitate to call. We'll handle everything immediately." He paused and leaves a long breath, smiling, "I wish you all a happy new year and many more good wishes for the day ahead."

Mr. Hojo then informed the students that for the next few physics classes, a substitute teacher, 'Ms. Kazuha,' would be taking over and that arrangements for a permanent teacher would be made soon. And he left with wishes. Days passed, one after another, and finally, on January 17th, the principal introduced them to their new physics teacher. As the students settled down, the principal gestured toward the doorway and said, "Come in." A towering figure entered the classroom—a man standing at approximately six feet tall with a broad, muscular frame. His deep, authoritative voice resonated through the room as he introduced himself. "How's it going, kids? I'm Daima, your new physics teacher." Mion immediately recognised him; she had seen him before at the mall. Her eyes widened slightly as Daima's gaze landed on her. "Oh, you're the young lady. You remember me, don't you? We met at the mall last time," Daima said with a knowing smile. Mion nodded in acknowledgement. "Yes, sir, I remember." Curiosity sparked among the students, and one of them asked, "Sir, where are you from?." Daima chuckled, folding his arms. "Well, I actually live in Joppo, but originally, I'm from Lafiaza. My wife, however, is a Feropian citizen." The students found him fascinating; his demeanour exuded the perfect blend of authority and warmth. As chatter filled the classroom, the principal raised his hand, signalling silence."There's one more thing," the principal announced. "From today onwards, Mr. Daima's son will be joining your class." He turned to the doorway and introduced the new student. "Everyone, meet Leon." The room fell into a hush as the classroom door creaked open, and Leon stepped inside.All eyes turned to him. The first thing they noticed was his dark, inky-black eyes—so deep they seemed almost otherworldly. His jet-black hair framed his pale, almost luminous face. Standing at 5'11, his presence was undeniable, an aura that made him seem like he didn't quite belong in this world. There was a strange charm about him, something enigmatic, something… unsettling. Leon's lips curled into a faint smile. "It's good to see you guys. I'm Leon." As days passed, Leon quickly became one of the most talked-about students in school. He excelled in academics and athletics alike. It wasn't long before people discovered that he was fluent in six languages. and he could not only speak them fluently but also understand them with remarkable precision. In short, Leon was soon labelled a genius. Everyone's attention was grabbed by his charm and looks… But what grabbed Manabu's and Mion's attention wasn't his academic skills or his feats. He was also kind—like Naomi. That's what grabbed their attention even more deeply. Taiju was quite impressed by him too. Leon was a skilled martial artist, and he became his training buddy on the school campus.One day, Leon found out about the tragedy that had befallen Naomi and her father, Futuba. It affected him deeply. He understood that Mion couldn't shake the weight of it. Wanting to help, Leon tried to befriend Mion, hoping to offer her some salvation. He straight up tried to speak to her, but Mion didn't acknowledge him at all, shutting herself off completely. Well, Leon didn't give up so easily. He tried several times but failed every time. However, instead of giving up, an idea struck him. While learning about the school and other students. He learnt about a rumour of Manabu and Mion dating—"I guess I have to approach Manabu." Leon went up to Manabu after the lunch period and asked directly, "Are you Mion's boyfriend?" Manabu, caught off guard, furrowed his brows and replied with a puzzled expression, "Ehh!? Boyfriend? Whose boyfriend? Who told you that?" Leon sense the awkwardness and realized that Manabu was unaware of the gossips about him. "Nah, I was kidding. Anyway, do you know when Mion's birthday is?""February 29th. Why?" Manabu asked, still unsure of Leon's intentions. Leon's eyes lit up. "Let's arrange something for her birthday. Maybe it'll cheer her up." Manabu thought for a moment. "That's a good idea. But what do you plan to do? Where would we even celebrate it?"Leon shrugged. "Do you know any place she likes? Or anything she's fond of?"Manabu scratched his head, looking slightly embarrassed. "No, I don't know." Being friends for so many years, not even knowing her favourite place is quite embarrassing.

They were both stumped.

Realising they wouldn't get any useful information from their classmates either, Leon concluded, "The only way to find out… is to discover it ourselves." They spend a lot of time thinking and coming up with a plan. Thus, the four of them—Taiju, Mai, Manabu, and Leon—came up with a plan. They decided that Manabu would take Mion on a date and try to learn more about her interests. Despite his reluctance, the group pressured him into agreeing, and they scheduled the date for January 28th. On the day of the date, Manabu stood waiting for Mion, feeling uncomfortably self-conscious. A small microphone was discreetly clipped to his collar so that Mai, Taiju, and Leon could listen in from a distance. When Mion finally arrived, Manabu's heart skipped a beat. It's his first time going on a date. She looked… beautiful. A faint blush crept onto his face, though he quickly tried to shake it off.Mion gave him a small smile. "Let's go." They walked together through the streets, wandering around the town until Manabu asked, "So… Where do you want to go? Like, your favourite place?". Mion paused for a moment before saying anything, "Come with me. There is a place…"She led him to a cosy little cake shop named 'Sweet Bakery.' As they stepped inside, Mion and Manabu sat down at a corner table. Meanwhile, from a safe distance outside, Mai, Taiju, and Leon observed them closely. Mion stared at the table, tracing patterns of the table design with her fingers before speaking. "When my parents died, I didn't really feel anything… I was too young. I don't even remember their faces. I had an older brother who used to assault me, and when I insisted, he would force me or beat me." Manabu remained silent, listening. "I used to pray for his death—Die! Die! Die! Die!... And one day, he did. A car accident crushed his head. I was…satisfied. But I became an orphan, left all alone in this harsh world, but then Naomi and Mr. and Mrs. Futuba came into my life. They treated me like their own… Naomi as my sister, and Mr. Futuba as my father and Mrs. Futuba as my mother. They took care of me. They became my family. After a few years, Mrs. Futuba died due to heart disease, and Dad took care of the family on his own."Mion's gaze drifted to the counter where cakes were displayed. "Every year, Naomi and Dad celebrated my birthday here—I still remember my 13th birthday, 14th, 15th, 16th…17th. But this time…they won't be here, Nit anymore." Manabu frowned. "You're not alone. I'm here. Taiju is here. Mai is here. Mion looked at him with a sad smile. "I know… but the people I truly needed, those who gave me a new life… they're gone." Manabu knew exactly what Mion was feeling inside, but there was nothing he could do to take away her pain completely. After spending some time together, they all went their separate ways around 6 PM, heading home. But now, they knew what they had to do for Mion. For her salvation.Leon took charge, creating an online group that included not just their classmates but also a few teachers. Together, they meticulously planned a surprise birthday party for Mion. Everyone contributed ideas, and excitement filled the group chat as the day drew closer.