Christmas was Maki Nishikino's favorite holiday.

When people said that their favorite holiday wasn't Christmas, she tended to doubt them. How could you not love Christmas? Each year a tubby man donning red velvet would shimmy through your chimney for the sole sake of giving you presents. (But when she explained it to her classmates, they all looked at her funny. Was something wrong with her?)

And thus, even though the calendar read November 20th, she danced in the idol club room in a red dress all her own, putting decorations on an evergreen tree.

Maki had said that nothing was particularly wrong with the second years coming to help out, but she'd rather just be alone. She could follow her own rules when alone, hum and sing off key, and not have to worry about those weird looks she always got during this time of year.

She hated to admit it, but she really was a tsundere at heart, and changing her personality now would disappoint her adoring fans, and it'd be really hard anyway. She just had to act like a kid when nobody was around.

"Hello, Maki-chan!" a certain ginger shouted, dashing into the room and nearly knocking over a snowglobe.

"Why are you here so early?" the redhead inquires. She honestly had expected Umi to show up first.

"Because we need to get in the holiday spirit!" she cheered, pulling out a chain of popcorn that she had created. Now that was something to be expected of Honoka.

"Don't mess with the tree too much, alright? I don't want you over-decorating it or knocking it over," Maki mutters, admiring her work on the tree. Honoka obliged, as she wrapped the popcorn chain around the tree and did nothing else. She then spent a good five minutes trying to untangle some Christmas lights, until a certain blue-haired friend of hers stepped through the door.

"Hello," she initially greeted with a warm smile. As her eyes moved toward Honoka, she looked a little displeased. "Give me those," she commanded, "you look like you'll break them."

Somehow not offended, she does so, and proceeds to cut out paper snowflakes. Maki has to say that she's actually rather good at making them. Despite her initial thought, Maki noted that Umi, Honoka, and herself actually functioned rather well as a team, and the club room was looking rather festive.

"Wait, where's Kotori-chan?" Honoka mused, temporarily looking up from her work.

Said female was residing outside the door, and giggling quietly to herself. Everyone was going to marvel at the costume she constructed! Next year was 2015, year of the sheep. She had made an ornately styled kimono-esc outfit with adorable sheep motifs! Who couldn't love that!

"Happy New Year!" the brunette shouted excitedly as she barged through the door. She instantly noted the Christmas decorations. "Wow! A little late, but it's still so pretty!"

Maki gave her a conspicuous glance. "What're you supposed to be?"

"Baa, Baa!" she cooed, grabbing onto Maki's shoulders. Maki was unamused.

"Kotori, what's today's date?" she inquired.

"December 20th, 2014!" she replied.

December?

2014?

"Kotori, it's 2015, and it's November 20th," Umi corrected with amusement.

Kotori looked baffled. She was wrong? Not only was she a month off, she was an entire year off?

"Why did you think it was 2014?" asked a particularly confused Maki.

"W-Well, my mom just tells me all the important stuff, and I guessed the year, and I thought-"

"Relax, Kotori-chan!" Honoka replied. "It's totally fine! That costume looks really nice on you, and we're still in the year of the sheep! So cheer up!" she added, embracing her.

Honoka was right. This would still be a good memory, sometime far from now.