I would like to decline overtime today.
- Would that be all right? - Yes, of course.
I felt bad about asking you all the time.
Oh, it's Christmas Eve today.
- Are you going on a date? - Yes, I have a date.
♬ My lover is Santa Claus (Koibito ga Santa Claus by Yumin)
♬ My lover is Santa Claus
Stop singing random songs.
- See you later. - Have a good time~.
♬ My lover is Santa Claus
♬ He's actually Santa Claus
♬ Passing
♬ the whirlwind
That can't be. There's no way. It's just the same scooter.
Don't stop, don't stop, don't stop!
Merry Christmas.
- Looks like you're surprised. - I'm bewildered.
Upon gathering information to ensure that the first Christmas date of my life is of top quality,
I ran across a real-life experience of a person who said
her boyfriend was absolutely delighted when she cosplayed as Santa,
- so I tried it out. - The level of perfection is too high!
What's wrong with striving for a high level of perfection
- if I'm to replicate it at all. - The direction you're taking is all wrong!
In the first place, why are you wearing a red nose?
Don't you know the song?
♬ Rudolph the red nosed rein...
It was the reindeer.
9 days to go until the date
This is Yabushita.
The reason I'm calling is because I was concerned about the condition of your injury.
It's no big deal.
You were going to ravish her, weren't you!
Bring it...
The bruise should be gone in 2 to 3 days.
I'm relieved to hear that.
One more thing while I'm at it.
I'm thinking that I wouldn't mind giving you one more chance to date me.
There are two reasons.
First reason. Leaving aside the right or wrong of your action,
in recognition of the fact that you tried to save me.
Second reason. I realized that I was too quick to come to the conclusion that you're a lazy person
without fully understanding the circumstances by which you came to be
a jobless youth which you refer to as educated idler. That's it.
Third reason. You realized that a painful guy like me
is about the only guy who will date a painful woman like you.
That's your real reason, isn't it?
I can think about it if you want to ask me to date you again.
I have no intention of asking you.
It's not that I have any feelings for you.
- That goes for me too. - Apparently, this discussion is a waste of time.
Good bye.
5 days to go until the date
Father.
I happened to be in the area on business.
You're going to catch a cold standing out here.
I can't wait inside since you won't let me have the spare key.
I've told you many times, this is official quarters. It's a government facility.
I can't let an outsider have the key.
But I'm not an outsider.
Can't the father even go inside his daughter's room?
- Are other people doing the same thing? - What other people are doing is irrelevant.
- My plan for Christmas? - Yeah.
Naturally, I'm coming home.
Let's decorate the tree and eat fried chicken like we do every year.
You don't have to come home, you know.
Don't you have any plans?
Since we're Buddhists,
it's not necessary to celebrate Christmas.
I'm the one who first suggested that when I was in third grade.
Mother agreed with that idea as well.
But "Even so, doing nothing is too depressing,"
"Let's at least decorate the tree and eat fried chicken,"
you insisted, so that's why we're doing this every year.
- Did you forget? - No, I didn't...
You've been busy with your marriage hunting activities lately so
-I thought maybe you got asked out on a date. - I have no such plans.
But if someone does ask you out, you can go, you know.
Father,
Christmas is originally a day to solemnly celebrate the birth of Christ.
The Japanese are about the only ones who think of it
as a day to go on a date. It's truly an embarrassing culture.
I know that, but... just in case...
- Good, looks like you can wear it. - Good. Although I don't intend to wear it.
I decided to have a big Christmas party for the class this year.
You're going to wear this and
- be in charge of handing out gifts to the kids. - Yup, but I refuse.
Don't be like that. You're going to be home anyway, right?
You don't have other plans anyway, right?
All you're going to do is watch "It's a Wonderful Life" anyway, right?
Stop adding "anyway" to every sentence.
I'm planning to liven it up by inviting
Kaori-chan and other former students. Like the old days.
Former students like... the idiot who makes nothing but ocarina,
or the idiot who dresses up like the Statue of Liberty and just stands there all day.
- Are they coming? - I think so. They're all respectable artists now.
They're scuzzy self-proclaimed artists.
This is the pits...
You're getting too old to be celebrating Christmas with your father.
That's what Father wants.
That's what Father wanted when you were a child.
There's no way he enjoys sitting at a table eating fried chicken
- with his 30-year old daughter. - I'm still 29.
Ah~. Is this child just going to grow old like this?
I'm sure he's filled with a sense of despair.
"Father, I'm going on a date
so I can't spend Christmas with you this year. Sorry."
When will I hear those words?
I'm sure that's what he's thinking in his heart.
With those thoughts in mind, year after year,
and this year too, he'll be eating fried chicken with...
3 days to go until the date
Do you have any plans for the 24th?
I shouldn't have initiated the e-mail!
2 more days until the date
That being the case, I can't spend Christmas with you.
I'm sorry, Father.
Dating on Christmas is absurd, if you ask me, but
that's what the other party wants, so it can't be helped. Bye.
Dating on Christmas is absurd, if you ask me.
But I swear, women are hopeless.
- That being said, I can't help you out. - Okay.
By the way, being that it's a Christmas date, I should get a...
- I don't have any money. - Just 10,000 yen will do.
For accessory or something. Ah~ as a formality.
I'm broke from the 100,000 I gave you the other day.
Besides, I have a lot of money going out at year-end.
So, please don't take it personally.
I don't know what the big deal is about illumination.
It's vulgar.
True, it seems to me to be a waste of electricity.
It's beautiful.
I made reservations for a suite room with a night view and room service for a Christmas dinner.
I'm so excited! Your Christmas present is me.
I can't wait to unwrap my present.
I feel a sudden urge to kill.
What do they think the day of Christ's birth is.
I thought that species became extinct with the collapse of the bubble economy, but
they're tenacious.
You look pale.
I'm all right.
Are you sure you didn't catch a cold?
The old woman sitting in front of me on the train was coughing, but...I'm all right.
- You have a high fever. - For the past 10 years or so,
I've been inside most of the winter, so
I must have a weak immune system. But I'm all right.
- I'll take you home. - N-no, I can't.
I can't go home.
It's impossible to enjoy a Christmas date when you're in that condition.
- Come, now. Hang on to me. - Not now.
- All hell is breaking loose at home right now. - All hell?
A bunch of brats and artist wannabes are getting together
and having a damn Christmas party.
My mother likes that sort of thing.
- Let's go. - Ah~ No.
- Let's go. - Wait. No...
I'm sorry, Sotaro-kun,
for making you do Santa in place of Takumi.
Don't you have to spend time with your wife?
It's okay.
You can't keep me away. I'm your former student too.
- For just 3 days. - 4 days!
Santa came and brought the educated idler.
Look, look, look...
I rang the doorbell, but you didn't seem to hear it, so I came in.
I'm Yabushita Yoriko.
Taniguchi-san seems to have caught a cold so I brought him home.
I'm glad you came.
Speak of the devils! It's the hikikomori and his girlfriend~!
Altogether now. Rikejo!
Rikejo! Rikejo!
That's why I told you.
I'm going upstairs now and blacking out.
You'd better escape as soon as possible too.
By the way, this is the correct answer.
- Meri Kuri. - Merry Christmas.
- Now then, I shall take my leave. - What? You're going home?
I just brought Taniguchi-san home.
Don't be silly.
Don't be a party pooper.
Over here. Yabushita-san's seat.
Here's Santa Claus.
Washio-kun...
I'm sorry.
It got too depressing drinking alone...
I understand how you feel. Come in, come in.
6 more days until the date
Are you serious?
Yes.
I finally realized my feelings.
I like your daughter.
No way...
No, I mean...I'm extremely happy. But what do you like about her?
There's no logic to liking someone, Father!
You're right.
- You're sane, right? - Yes.
May I ask your daughter to go out with me?
Of course. There's no need to ask for my permission.
Do ask her out.
I'm thinking about asking her out on Christmas, but
the thing is, I'm not sure if she's still going out with that Taniguchi-san or not...
I'll try to find out. Don't be discouraged.
There's no doubt that you're better.
You're sane, right?
I mean...You've been busy with your marriage hunting activities lately so
5 days to go until the date
I thought maybe you got asked out for a date.
- I have no such plans. - I see.
But if someone does ask you out, you can go, you know.
Father, Christmas is originally a day to solemnly celebrate...
4 days to go until the date
All right!
She's completely free. Go for it.
What would she like for her Christmas present?
Accessories like other girls?
No, no. She likes practical things.
Like electrical appliances.
Let's see...
No, that's too expensive.
What is it? Please tell me.
She's always had problems with stiff shoulders.
She frequently goes to electronics retail store
and tries out one massage chair after another, but...
I can't find one that I can say "This is it."
The one I can say "This is it."
But it's expensive and there's no room to put it.
Please leave it to me!
I know of a cheap and handy remarkable product!
2 days to go until the date
Yoriko-san, this is Washio.
Do you have any plans for the day after tomorrow?
- If you don't, I was wondering if you'd like to... - I do.
I have plans for a date. I'm sorry. Good bye.
I'm sorry about that.
Apparently, right after I talked to you, he asked her out.
Does she like that NEET more than me?
She only gave him priority because he asked her out first.
That's the kind of person she is.
In her heart, I'm sure she likes you more.
- Do you really think so? - Of course I do~.
Knock it off. Hey, get out.
This is sacred grounds.
It's been a while since I've been in your room, but
this feels more like a junior high schooler's room than when you were in junior high.
- Hey, give me this book of paintings by Yokoo Tadanori. - No.
I'll take Takuro and Izumiya and...
I said no! Hey, don't play with my action figures!
Don't have Golgo 13 and Guncannon fighting each other.
Ya-Yabushita-san, what are you doing?
It was all too chaotic, so I'm organizing it.
By genre in accordance with library classification.
By the way, I categorized "Ninja Hattori-kun" under History,
and "Rose of Versailles" under Vegetation. Is that okay with you?
This is a nightmare. A Christmas nightmare.
Let me help you.
Oh, Yabushita-san. Thank you. I'm making pot-au-feu.
Then if you could add salt and pepper, please.
How many grams each of salt and pepper should I add?
- Eyeball it. - Eyeball it?
Yes. Eyeball it.
I'll give it a try.
I even got this for Yoriko-san.
Oh my.
- A Christmas present. - Yes.
- Tada~. - That's a tada~.
This is a remarkable product for athletes that our company
developed with a consumer electronics manufacturer.
- Oh my. - You take this and
pull it out... Hold this.
How does it feel?
I'm sure even Yoriko will say "This is it."
This is it!
It's a cat. A cat.
Fox? Cat?
The Saviour Jesus was born.
That was Liberty-chan.
- Are you enjoying yourself? - I'm experiencing a slight culture shock.
Whose turn is it next?
Yabushita Yoriko!
Altogether now. Yabushita Yoriko!
Yabushita Yoriko! Yabushita Yoriko! Yabushita Yoriko!
I'm sorry.
I don't have any talent to show you.
- It can be anything. - I really don't have a single thing. I'm sorry.
- Like you can recite many digits of pi. - Oh, that's it!
Not hardly.
In my opinion, it's meaningless to simply memorize.
I only remember about 23,000 digits at the most.
But if that's okay with you...
5 4 0 3
3 2 1 5
7 1 8 5 3 0
6 1 4 2
8 1 3 7
5 8 5 0 4 3...
- Why the heck did you suggest pi? - Because...
Besides, no one can tell if she's right or wrong.
7 7 1 sev...
7 7 1 7?
No.
7 7 1 6 6 9 2...
Who the heck cares either way.
- Thank you for coming! - Good night.
Merry Christmas!
Sorry to keep you until so late. It got rowdy, didn't it?
No, it was a very valuable experience.
Since I've never experienced this thing called
- Christmas party. - Not even once?
Were your parents very strict?
No. To the contrary, my parents wanted to have Christmas parties.
In fact, I actually invited some classmates a few times at my father's suggestion.
But as luck would have it, not a single person was available every time.
- That's because they didn't like... - Don't say it.
It must've been lonely then.
No. I, myself, didn't have any interest in it whatsoever.
You're one of those people who don't believe in Santa Claus anyway, right?
In regards to that issue, I once had an argument with my parents.
Argument?
Here it is. This brings back memories.
So you wore this and pretended to be Santa for Yoriko-san when she was a child.
I wanted to, but she wouldn't let me.
She wouldn't let me be Santa Claus.
Right, Mother?
21 years ago
What is the purpose of deceiving your child
by impersonating an nonexistent entity?
It's not that I'm deceiving you.
I just want Yori-chan to dream too...
To make someone believe in something that doesn't exist.
Is that what dream is to you, Father?
Yoriko, what's your basis for saying that Santa doesn't exist?
It's been proven.
Just because it was your father who gave you the present,
it doesn't mean that Santa doesn't exist somewhere in this world. Isn't that right?
One person delivering presents to all the children in the world in one night
is impossible.
Let's say there are 2 billion children in the world.
If 24 hours were spent on delivery,
that would calculate to 0.00004 seconds per child.
- True, it's impossible. - Right?
But there's nothing that says there's only one Santa.
Neither is there anything that says he has to deliver presents to all the children in the world.
In short, if multiple Santas
are delivering presents only to the chosen few, it's possible.
Consequently, you can't say positively that Santa doesn't exist.
Am I wrong?
I think Santa exists too.
Yeah, I'm sure he exists somewhere.
I'm guessing that Santa will come visit Yori-chan some day too.
Our house doesn't have a chimney.
- He can come in from the window. - My room's on the second floor.
- One hop on his sleigh... - Not a problem with a ladder.
Then from now on,
I'm only accepting presents from the real Santa.
From the following year, on Christmas Eve,
I attach a lock on the door so that my father can't come in
and go to sleep with only the windows unlocked.
- Why? - In order to prove
the existence of Santa by experiment.
I've been doing that for 20 years now, but
Santa has yet to appear.
You know...
Wanting to somehow make her believe in Santa,
I even thought about sneaking up to the second floor.
But what do I do if a neighbor reports me to the police.
It won't be a laughing matter, right? Washio-kun!
She wouldn't let me be Santa!
Doesn't she know it's her father's dream...
Since she's living alone now, I guess she won't have her windows unlocked anymore...
Since old habits die hard, I will probably do so again this year, but
- it doesn't look promising. - You should quit already.
Besides, it's not safe. I hear about Santa thieves all the time.
I don't see why not.
Who knows, Santa Claus might really come.
Rumi-san, you believe in Santa, don't you?
- Of course I do. - What kind of a child was Takumi-san?
He was probably like me and didn't have any interest in Christmas.
Not really. He loved Christmas.
Every year, you used to have lively parties like today, right?
He believed in Santa until he was quite big.
"Look what Santa gave me~," he'd say every year.
Really?
Although I think he was just pretending to be fooled.
- Pretending? - Yes, to make us happy.
That sounds like what Takumi-kun would do.
I guess Santa's mostly an event for parents anyway.
He used to give us, his parents,
25 years ago
Christmas presents too.
Coming from a child, they were just frivolous things.
But I still have them stashed away.
What a sweet child.
He was popular with the girls too.
- Was he really? - Next to me.
- He was popular wherever he went. - Next to me.
He was smart and athletic, and had literary talent too.
He was much better at drawing than me too.
Since when did he become such a perverse person?
- I wonder how long it's been. - From around junior high,
he started emitting this don't-treat-me-like-a-commoner aura.
Like he was saying, "Because I'm a genius."
He got hooked on Dazai Osamu.
The most troublesome pattern.
He was determined to be a writer or an artist.
14 years ago
Even when he was in college, he hardly attended classes.
He shut himself in his room and was writing something.
One day, he came out of his room looking ghastly and said,
I was just an ordinary guy.
I realized I don't have the talent to be a creator.
He accepted the fact that he was no genius, huh?
I can't write like Soseki and Ogai,
nor can I paint like Picasso.
I can't compose music like Mozart,
nor can I make movies like Kurosawa.
He's aiming too high.
Yes, I told him that too, but he said
if he can't aim for the top, there's no point in doing it.
I'm giving in and finding a job.
But job hunting didn't go well at all.
It seems he didn't make it past the interviews.
I can kinda understand why.
One day, he came home from an interview looking deathly pale...
Hi.
I'm not looking for a job anymore.
What are you going to do if you're not working?
I'm going to be an educated idler.
What kind of a job is that?
He didn't want the neighbors asking him questions, so
he stopped going outside, and
here we are...I guess.
I can kinda empathize, but maybe not.
What happened at the interview?
I don't know.
Something really awful must've happened.
I'm sure no one wants to be a NEET if they can help it.
For better or worse, he never experienced setbacks and had a lot of pride.
So he probably couldn't accept the fact that he wasn't even an ordinary guy.
I must've raised him wrong...
But oh well, what does it matter?
I decided not to ask him any more questions.
And changed my way of thinking.
- That this is his individuality. - Individuality...
It's not like he's causing trouble for other people.
He's only causing trouble for me.
And...I'm the one who raised him to be like that.
It's only natural for the manufacturer to take the responsibility.
He'll have to figure something out after I die anyway.
There can be all kinds of people in the world,
and there can various ways to live.
There can be various ways to live...
Yes.
Life's more interesting that way.
I'm sorry for staying so late today.
I had a very meaningful time.
This...is a Christmas present.
Please give it to Takumi-san for me.
Why don't you give it to him directly?
No, I shall take my leave now.
But I think he has a present for you too.
Please accept it.
How are you feeling?
I'm feeling much better.
Oh, that's right...
Here...it's just a cheap thing.
I appreciate your thought.
I have something for you too, although it's not much.
Thank you.
It's very heavy.
- Were you carrying this around all night? - Yes.
What is it? What is it? Open it and see.
- Can I? - Yes, please do.
This is kinda exciting, huh?
"Catalog of Social Rehabilitation Programs for Young People Not in Education, Employment, or Training"
"Let's start out by working"
"You're not alone. Let's get connected with society"
These are reference materials of support projects for the social rehabilitation of jobless youths that I collected.
Currently, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare is focusing on this issue as well,
so I found a lot of information.
For example, both the parent and child participate in this program.
Your mother was saying perhaps she erred in the way she raised you, and
she was absolutely right.
In a lot of cases, the problem lies with the family.
Therefore, if your mother can mend her ways with...
You still don't know anything.
Leave my mother out of this!
Your mother said she was to blame...
Can't you understand the subtleties of people's feelings?!
Did I say anything wrong?
You didn't!
You're right all the time!
But the heart isn't there!
You don't have a heart!
She left it.
Mom, you can have this.
Washio-kun.
Washio-kun!
You be her Santa!
Take this massager and go to Yoriko's place!
Show her that Santa exists!
I'm sure she has her windows unlocked!
She lives on the second floor now, but I know you can get in!
Washio-kun!
You're going to be her Santa~!
Washio~!
What's a math book doing here. It makes no sense.
Takumi-kun, can I come in?
Miyazawa Kenji's "Night on the Galactic Railroad" and "Galaxy Express 999"
Railway
turned up in the same genre...
I understand how you feel, but...
Why are "Vagabond" and "Genius Bakabon"
Nonsense
placed alternately. What kind of genre is this?
Take a look at this.
On every page, there are handwritten notes.
All this.
You may not like it, but
she went through a lot of trouble to look up all this for you.
Who else would do that?
I don't know of anyone who spends so much time on a Christmas present.
I decided
I don't want this after all.
Hurry up and put this on.
It's Yumin.
Her lover is
Santa Claus!
Watch out.
Get on!
I'll wait.
Go get her.
Okay~. Let's go!
I tell you, you are so insensitive.
- Leave me alone. - He's a whole lot sweeter than you.
Just think, he pretended to believe in Santa to make his parents happy.
Compared to that, all you did was
argue whether Santa exists or not
and wouldn't let your father play Santa.
Poor guy.
Furthermore, I understand that Taniguchi Takumi gave Christmas presents
to his parents of his own accord.
Have you
even once given your father a Christmas present?
Yoriko, there is a Santa...
I guess she's not home yet...
What the heck am I doing...
I think you can make it up there.
That's forced entry.
In the case of your lover, you're just sneaking in to see her.
- She's not really my lover... - Then make her your lover.
What if the window's locked?
Then that's it. It wasn't meant to be.
But if it's unlocked,
think of it as God's way of saying
make her yours tonight.
Hey.
Go make the miracle on Christmas happen!
But if it's unlocked,
think of it as God's way of saying
make her yours tonight.
Yabushita-san.
You're...more muscular than I thought.
I'm
your
Santa Claus.
Hello. This is Yabushita.
Pardon me? The police?
Two psychopaths dressed as Santa.
Entered a woman's residence from the second floor window.
- Got into a fight in the room. Both in custody. - Roger.
Excuse me. I'm Yabushita, the one who got the phone call.
Ah, the resident of that room?
One is my father. The other is...
Father.
Father, this is Taniguchi Takumi-san.
I'm Taniguchi.
Taniguchi-san, this is my father.
I'm her father.
Nice to meet you.
I suppose I should explain how and why this happened, but...
We don't know either.
For the time being, I will try to lock the windows from now on.
I think that's a good idea.
I'm sorry.
Tidying up is my forte.
Earlier, when I was explaining my relationship to you to the police officer,
for convenience sake, I had to tell him that you were my current boyfriend.
I'm sorry.
- That's okay. - If I didn't say that,
I felt that situation would worsen and get even more complicated.
That's okay.
You're the 14th person.
The number of people who said I don't have a heart.
Counting from kindergarten to the present, you're the 14th person.
Since a number of unrelated people made that assessment,
it must be true.
- I don't have a... - That's not true.
Everyone has a heart.
I'm sorry for talking off the top of my head.
I think you father probably left it.
Mine's just a little something...
- Did you buy it with your mother's money again? - No...
I couldn't get her to give me any, so
having no other choice,
I sold a few old books that I thought would fetch a high price.
Although it broke my heart.
But they didn't bring in as much as I had hoped.
It's a cheap necklace.
4 hours earlier
Takumi-kun...
Found it.
To Mom From Santa
Massage Coupon
"Anytime, anywhere. No expiration date. Good for unlimited use."
How am I doing?
Well...
I haven't done this too much...
Come to think of it, who was that sleeping at the house?
Nothing. I was just talking to myself.
You're welcome to come anytime. Yoriko
You're back!
I can't believe what I just went through.
A little...lower.
Here?
Little bit more.
This is it!
Pardon me?
I was just talking to myself.
87 days until Yoriko's birthday