Chapter 59: Chapter 59: Aftermath & Countdown Chaos

I WANTED TO MAKE A NEW YEAR SPECIAL🎀

The aftermath of the pillow fight was nothing short of catastrophic. Feathers floated like snowflakes in the air, cushions were in places they had no business being, and Amber was half-buried under a beanbag chair in the corner.

Scaramouche was sprawled across Lumine’s lap on the couch, arms folded behind his head and eyes closed, looking smug despite the disaster surrounding him. Lumine absentmindedly twirled a strand of his indigo hair between her fingers, a small smile playing on her lips.

“Okay, seriously… who’s cleaning this shit up?” Lumine asked, breaking the silence.

“Not me.” Scaramouche cracked one eye open.

“You were literally the one who started throwing pillows like you were in a goddamn anime battle sequence,” Amber grumbled, pulling herself free from the beanbag.

“Correction—” Scaramouche smirked, “I perfected the art of throwing pillows. Get it right.”

“Oh my god, shut up!” Venti piped up from across the room, where he was lying dramatically over a stack of couch cushions. “Scara, you’ve got big ‘sleep-deprived raccoon’ energy right now.”

“Say that again, I dare you, Wind Boy,” Scaramouche hissed, sitting up slightly.

“You’re both insufferable,” Albedo said from the kitchen island, calmly scrolling through his phone. “Also, it's 11:55 PM.”

Everyone froze.

“...It’s what?” Ayaka asked softly, her voice trembling with dread.

“11:55.” Albedo pushed up his glasses, giving them a pointed look. “We are five minutes away from 2025, and you absolute dumbasses were about to miss it.”

“YOU’RE LYING!” Amber practically yeeted herself across the room to check the wall clock. “OH MY GOD, HE’S NOT LYING!”

“Five minutes?!” Venti shrieked, clutching his chest like he’d been personally attacked by time itself. “I THOUGHT IT WAS STILL 9 PM!”

Kazuha, sitting cross-legged in the corner sipping green tea, sighed softly. “Time flies when chaos reigns, I suppose.”

“EVERYONE SHUT UP!” Ayaka clapped her hands. “Okay, focus. What do we need—WAIT. FOOD. DID WE EVEN PLAN FOOD?!”

Albedo raised a hand, completely unfazed. “I ordered a New Year’s feast two hours ago. It should arrive any minute now.”

The entire group froze, processing his words.

“You… what?” Scaramouche narrowed his eyes.

“You’re telling me—” Amber pointed dramatically—“that while we were committing pillow homicide, you were being an actual functioning adult?”

Albedo smirked faintly. “Yes. Yes, I was.”

“What did you even order?” Venti demanded.

“Dumplings, ramen, sodas, two pizzas, cheesecakes, mozzarella sticks, and chicken curry.”

“Bro…” Venti’s voice cracked. “I might cry.”

Amber tackled Albedo into a hug. “You’re a hero. You’re the real MVP.”

Kazuha raised his soda can. “To Albedo, the true backbone of this chaotic group.”

“Ugh, showoff,” Scaramouche muttered, crossing his arms.

Venti grinned, leaning closer to Scaramouche. “Aw, what’s wrong, gremlin? Mad that Albedo outsmarted you?”

“Shut up before I strangle you with your scarf.”

Before another roast session could begin, Ayaka gasped, clutching her phone. “GUYS, IT’S 11:58!”

Pure chaos erupted.

“EVERYONE SIT DOWN!” Amber screeched.

“WHERE’S MY DRINK?!” Venti wailed.

Scaramouche flopped back onto Lumine’s lap dramatically. “This is why I hate all of you.”

The doorbell rang at 11:59.

Lumine practically sprinted to the door, flinging it open to reveal a delivery guy struggling with five large bags and multiple pizza boxes.

“Bless you,” Lumine said, grabbing as much food as she could carry while the others swarmed her like seagulls.

Plates clattered, soda cans hissed open, and someone (probably Venti) let out a war cry.

“30 SECONDS!” Kazuha announced, holding his phone in the air.

The group froze, food in hand, eyes locked on the countdown.

“20 SECONDS!”

“15!”

Scaramouche side-eyed Lumine, who was trying not to laugh as she held a slice of pizza in one hand and a soda in the other.

“10 SECONDS!” Ayaka shouted.

Amber inhaled three mozzarella sticks at once.

“5!”

Venti draped himself over Scaramouche again. “Happy New Year, bestie!”

“Get your sticky hands off me, you grape soda cosplay reject!”

“3!”

“2!”

“1!”

“HAPPY NEW YEAR!”

The apartment erupted into cheers, soda fizz, and chaotic laughter. Amber was hugging Ayaka, Venti was dramatically sobbing into Scaramouche’s shoulder (again), and Kazuha calmly clinked his soda can against Albedo’s glass.

Lumine turned to Scaramouche, who was still sitting beside her with an untouched bowl of ramen in his lap. His indigo hair was slightly messy, strands falling over his sharp violet eyes as he smirked softly.

“Happy New Year, Scara,” she said softly.

Scaramouche tilted his head, studying her for a moment before smirking back. “Happy New Year, Lumine.”

And just like that, amidst the chaos of pizza boxes, scattered feathers, and soda spills, the clock struck midnight, and the world welcomed 2025.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE<3