Chapter 122 - 122. Until Then, Farewell

One second, there was no one in the living room, and the next, a man clad in red sat on the sofa, leisurely sipping on a glass of milk. He appeared out of thin air yet acted as though he had always been there, flashing Misha a bright smile.

"Looks like you have a few more people by your side this time around," Santa said, nodding at Masha and Stephan, whose eyes seemed about to pop up. "How about taking a seat?"

"Sure," Misha answered as he climbed down the stairs two at a time. He walked to the living room, then jumped on the sofa, sitting just beside the man. "Here. Your watch."

"Thank you," Santa chuckled, taking back the golden wristwatch the boy handed him. He stared at it for a moment before nonchalantly wrapping it around his wrist, lifting his eyes to glance over the new faces one at a time. "I guess this young miss is your sister? Though I admit I have no idea who this youngster may be."

"A friend," Gabriel responded as he took place on the sofa, not even an inch away from Misha. "He insisted on meeting you, but it seems like his brain short-circuited. Please, forgive him."

"Excuse me?! Aren't you the weird one, accepting his sudden appearance as if it's something that happens on a daily basis?!" Stephan scoffed. "Although I did believe you about time traveling and all, it's still shocking to meet THE Santa Claus in the flesh. 'Cause, you know, it's something a certain beverage brand created!"

"They advertised him into what we know now but did not create the legend," Gabriel replied matter-of-factly.

"Oh, come on! You get the point!"

"Yes, yes, I get it," Gabriel shifted his gaze, deciding not to bother with his friend anymore. Instead, he wondered aloud, staring intently at Santa Claus's chubby face. "But frankly, I'm curious about what you truly are. You certainly aren't human, and you're probably not the "man" from the legend."

To this, Santa Claus said nothing, only smiling faintly. A light seemed to flicker in his gray eyes, but it quickly vanished.

"Why are you asking this?" Misha asked in a puzzled tone, glancing back and forth between Gabriel and Santa. Something seemed off.

"Because I don't believe in Santa Claus. And I wouldn't say that man is kindness itself, considering the "poisonous gift" he left you."

"..."

Misha looked down at his feet, fidgeting in his seat. It seemed like Gabriel was still angry about the choice Santa Claus offered him: that is to say, to save his mother or a bunch of unknown kids. It didn't settle well with Gabriel, who thought that it was a cruel thing to do.

If you asked him, people who played with Misha's heart should all go to hell, no matter who they were.

An awkward silence stretched for a while until Masha coughed, drawing everyone's attention. She was half-sitting on the armrest of the sofa, wearing a white nightgown that made her long strawberry blond hair stand out.

"Whether he is the Santa Claus from the legend or not doesn't matter. At any rate, it doesn't matter to me."

Masha rubbed her neck before letting out a long sigh, adding with a faint smile:

"Let me just say thank you. Thank you for giving my brother and my friend a second chance. Right now, I should be crippled or about to take my life anytime soon. My mom should be buried six feet underground, and let's not talk about my father."

Shaking her head, Masha couldn't help but pause, her little brother's message replaying in her mind. When she had first heard it, she felt like he was talking about strangers, not their family.

"I've got no memories of such things, and sometimes, it's hard to believe. But, anyway, I just wanted to say that I'm glad to be safe and sound this time around, so, you know, thank you. If it weren't for you, it wouldn't have been possible."

Again, Santa Claus did not answer and only smiled, putting his glass of milk on the low table near the sofa.

"Well, I've got a lot of things to do, so I'll be on my way. I hope that this year, you will have a happy Christmas with your family and friends, Misha."

Santa then stood up, ruffling the kid's hair into a bird's nest, and as his body seemed to turn transparent, he added in a soft but teasing tone:

"See you again in 14 years. Until then, farewell."

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