Summary
Ootani Hijiri is a transfer student who remains isolated from her classmates. They discuss their upcoming plans for a Christmas party and want to invite her, but she's a bit scary-looking and doesn't really say anything. Hijiri grumpily leaves the room after they realize she heard them. She observes other students chatting together in the hallway and wonders how they can make friend so easily. Just then, her Teacher approaches with the other loner in her class, Miwako. She asks Hijiri to walk home with Miwako, much to her disappointment. Her mood worsens as she overhears her classmates remark on how unfortunate she was to be stuck with such a gloomy person.
Hijiri remains frustrated while they make their way through town, until she sees the stuffed Pinny doll in the window. She fawns over it and laments how expensive it is, she'd never be able to afford one. She considers speaking with Miwako but changes her mind, until Miwako happens to notice her dismay. She brings up owning a Pinny doll and Hijiri asks if she can see it. Miwako agrees and leads Hijiri to a creepy, abandoned building; a "base" of sorts where she hangs out. Hijiri is a bit anxious but she steps inside, and to her delight she sees the doll nearby. Miwako offers to let her hold it and becomes anxious after Hijiri compliments her mother for being so kind to buy it for her. Miwako asks Hijiri to promise that she won't tell anyone her secret- the doll was a present from Santa.
Hijiri seems to doubt her, which doesn't surprise Miwako. But it's the truth. She was making her way home and couldn't help but stop to observe all the happy families getting together to celebrate the Holiday. Santa approached her, and while he was a little creepy, he asked her for shelter from the cold and she led him to her base. He handed her paper and asked her to write down what she wanted for Christmas, and offered to bring it to her under the condition that she not tell anyone. Miwako wrote down the Pinny doll and left. Initially she didn't believe him, but to her surprise it showed up on Christmas Eve with the paper.
Hijiri remains unsure because of how detailed the story is. But she doesn't think Miwako would lie to her, and it does sound wonderful. The other girls would want to get to know her if she had her own Pinny doll. She asks Miwako if she still has the card Santa gave her and asks to borrow it. Miwako seems uncertain until Hijiri expresses that as her friend, she believes her. Miwako is touched by her kindness and hands it over before they part ways.
- - -
At home, Hijiri tries to think of what she really wants. It doesn't take her long to settle on the Pinny doll, because she really wanted one and knows everyone else would be interested in it too. It's then her mom walks into the room wanting to speak with her. She has to work late on Christmas Eve and warns Hijiri to lock the house properly, and not to answer the door for strangers. She's worried because their neighbor told her about a young girl who was raped and killed last Christmas. The criminal wasn't caught yet. Hijiri becomes a little anxious, but she decides not to worry about it, since it's probably just a story.
The next day at school, Hijiri listens to the girls from before discussing what they would like for Christmas. One brings up purchasing some Pinny-based goods as they aren't too expensive, and Hijiri blurts out that she has a Pinny. She doesn't, but she will soon, and she's hoping the girls will take the bait and take interest in her. The girls don't respond, becoming anxious when Miwako appears to join her. Hijiri is upset by this and out in the hallway, she chews Miwako out for making the others leave. Miwako apologizes as she didn't mean to, she wanted to join the conversation.
Throughout the day, Hijiri notices that Miwako is becoming clingy. She keeps following her around and this is isolating the others from her. Miwako wasn't the type of friend she wanted.
At one point when Miwako leaves the girls from class approach Hijiri with concern. They suggest that she stop hanging out with Miwako. This confuses her and after school ends, she returns with Miwako to her base to chat about the present paper and what she wrote. They talk together easily but Hijiri is on edge because those girls heard about the Christmas murder. Apparently the victim used to tease Miwako, and they think her Pinny doll used to belong to that girl. Hijiri didn't want to believe them, but they told her to check the tag on it for proof. The deceased girls name was on it.
When Miwako leaves to use the restroom, Hijiri picks up Pinny for a closer look, and to her alarm she finds the name "Yuri" written on it. Miwako returns to curiously ask Hijiri what she was doing, and Hijiri becomes frightened. She quickly excuses herself and runs away. She can't believe that Miwako would murder someone or steal from them, but she doesn't know what to believe with proof like that.
After a rough night of little sleep, Hijiri is very worn out when she goes to school. Miwako approaches to bring up Pinny but Hijiri denies seeing anything. She tells Miwako not to speak to her anymore, causing the other girl to become concerned. She asks for an explanation which attracts the others when Hijiri yells at her, saying that she never intended on them becoming friends. She just lied to get something she wanted. Miwako is devastated and begins to cry as she reminds Hijiri of what she said the other day. Hijiri brushes it off and claims that she didn't really believe her, she then cruelly tells Miwako that she would never be friends with the likes of her.
Miwako leaves and Hijiri is called by the other girls, who aren't surprised by what just happened. They change the subject to ask Hijiri if she would like to attend their Christmas party and she is surprised to learn how kind they are. They leave the room as poor Miwako stands by herself. Hijiri decides that with this, there's no reason for her to walk home with Miwako anymore, or meet at her base. She's moved on.
- - - -
On the night of the Christmas party Hijiri hurriedly gets ready when she notices she is running late. But not paying attention, she trips on her wastebasket to find the slip of paper in it. She rips it up, deciding that now she has friends, so she doesn't mind not getting Pinny. Just then the doorbell rings, and she opens it to find a wrapped present. She picks it up in time to see someone who resembles Santa walking away. She returns inside and tears it open to find a Pinny doll.
Miwako wasn't lying...
Hijiri feels remorseful and dials her number in hopes of apologizing, but to her disappointment her mother answers instead. She explains that Miwako left earlier, and Hijiri attempts to determine where she went. She doesn't notice the shadow creeping into the room, having forgotten to lock the door behind her. She turns to find Santa, and he asks if she liked the present. She happily confirms that she does, but now she feels terrible for how she treated Miwako. She didn't do anything wrong, and probably didn't even know about the murder.
Santa goes on to say that Miwako broke her promise, frightening Hijiri as he goes on to say that he may as well give Hijiri the preset he was going to give Miwako since she can't receive it now. He takes out a large knife, along with the paper Miwako wrote on to reveal what she wanted for Christmas: a friend.
- - - -
Miwako returns home from the store and she becomes confused realizing her Pinny is missing. She asks her mom about it, along with something else but her mom can't think of an explanation for any of it. However, she does bring up that someone called her wanting to speak to her. Miwako mentions that she intended on giving her Pinny doll to Hijiri, but without it she can't really do anything about it now. She goes on to wonder if Santa will grant her wish this year; unaware of the bloodied present dropped off on her porch.
Tropes:
- Bad Santa: A man in a Santa costume who gifts toys... from the children he killed to the children who are going to be next.
- Christmas Episode: This one builds up to Christmas Eve.
- Death of a Child: One girl prior to the story, and then the Protagonist.
- Gory Discretion Shot: Hijiri sees Santa pull out a knife, and then the scene immediately cuts to Miwako returning home.
- I Just Want to Have Friends: Both Hijiri and Miwako. Hijiri struggles to make new friends and her demeanor caused the other girls to avoid her, while Miwako is a quiet girl who keeps to herself but looks harmless. Wanting friends caused both of them to do something they shouldn't have, leading to the Downer Ending.
- Yank the Dog's Chain: Hijiri learns that Miwako is innocent and she wants to make up with her for what she said... it's too bad that she forgot to lock the door behind her...
- Would Hurt a Child: They seem to be the victim of choice for the man dressed as Santa.
