After finishing her Christmas karaoke stream and raiding her viewers over to Enna's stream, Millie slumped into her chair, listening to Enna’s singing in the background. Though the performance had been a joyful and lively experience, being alone in her house afterward brought a strange pang of loneliness. The altered lyrics she'd playfully reworked into “Sad Christmas” and “Single’s Holiday” felt a little too close to reality now. It wasn’t that she desperately needed someone to be with—Millie often joked about finding love and yearning for romance, but it was all in good humor. Yet, on a day when the streets, TV screens, and websites were all brimming with images of people coming together and celebrating, she found herself longing for a simple hug.
As Millie sat there lost in thought, Enna’s stream suddenly froze. Oddly enough, the glitch snapped something into place in her mind.
She sprang up from her chair, quickly gathering her essentials—phone, keys, wallet—and tossed them into her small crossbody bag. Without hesitation, she stepped out into the cool night air. As she walked down a familiar street she’d traversed countless times, her ears filled with Enna’s voice singing different Christmas songs through her headphones. Memories of their time together flooded Millie’s mind.
The girl who laughed and acted wild alongside her, the fierce heroine who defended her from cruel opportunists, and the loyal friend who stood by her side, lending strength and unwavering support whenever she needed it—Enna had been all of that and more. While so much had come and gone in Millie’s life, Enna’s presence felt essential, irreplaceable. Millie wondered why she’d never had this realization before, but now that it had struck her, it was like the song Enna was singing: “Can’t hold it back anymore.”
This Christmas, a day meant for creating cherished memories, Millie knew exactly what she wanted. She needed to see her closest friend, hear her angelic voice in person, and feel her warmth in real life. She couldn’t wait any longer.
Millie stood quietly in front of Enna's door, waiting for her friend's stream to wrap up. Once she confirmed that the stream had ended, she used her fingers—stiff from the cold—to type out a message that might look like a prank to most people: "Babu, I’m at your door." What didn’t surprise her, yet still filled her with warmth, was how quickly the door swung open. A moment later, she was gently but firmly pulled inside by a familiar pair of hands.
Millie silently watched as Enna tugged off her coat, hung it neatly on the rack, and guided her over to the couch. She pressed a still-slightly-warm pillow into Millie’s arms to help her thaw out, and soon after, placed a steaming cup of tea in her hands. These were all the things Enna had done for her many times before, yet the tender care behind each gesture still sent a tremor through Millie’s chest.
“Babu, next time, just tell me first, okay? What if you caught a cold waiting out there in the freezing cold?” Enna muttered, scolding her friend who always seemed to neglect her own well-being. Her words were sharp, but her actions remained as gentle and attentive as ever. Enna’s hands continued their task of warming Millie up, showing no signs of annoyance despite her complaints.
When Millie didn’t respond, Enna paused. The normally sharp-tongued girl hesitated, reluctant to say anything too harsh on such a festive night. Instead, she reached out and lightly poked Millie’s forehead.
“Babu, are you even listening?”
“Babu…” Millie’s voice was soft, almost hesitant. “Can I have a hug?”
“What? Did the cold freeze your brain—”
At first, Enna reflexively blurted out a doubtful response, but the words died in her throat as she caught sight of the unusually serious look in her friend’s eyes. Millie’s behavior tonight—her unannounced visit, her rare calmness devoid of the usual teasing banter—was so out of character that Enna couldn’t help but quietly search Millie’s gaze for answers. She thought back to Millie’s stream earlier, recalling subtle hints she might have missed. She also remembered the Millie she knew: a girl who feared loneliness yet possessed boundless courage. A friend who, time and time again, had reached out with her thoughtfulness to pull Enna out of her darkest moments. Millie, who brought laughter and light into a life Enna had never dared to expect much from. Millie, whose hand Enna had clasped in friendship and never once considered letting go, and whose touch she was more than willing to accept as a promise, a bond.
“Of course. I’d be happy to give you a hug,” Enna finally said, her voice soft but sincere.
“Are you sure?” Millie asked, her voice uncertain.
“Stop asking it, Babu.”
Before Millie could respond, Enna, with her sea-green and blue eyes glimmering, leaned down and wrapped her arms around her. Millie felt herself pulled into a warm embrace, her own arms instinctively circling around Enna’s body in return. In that moment, amidst the chaos of the world, she let her eyes fall shut. The sensation of being held close, of having someone to anchor her, filled her with a profound sense of security. Millie tightened her hold, breathing in the subtle fragrance of her friend, and shivered in delight as Enna’s warm breath brushed against the side of her neck. The words Enna had spoken brought a wave of happiness and wrapped her heart.
What Millie didn’t know was that, in that very moment, Enna had also closed her eyes. Pulling Millie into her arms felt like shutting out the creeping negativity that so often plagued her mind. For a fleeting yet eternal second, Enna could swear she had captured a little piece of sunlight—warm, radiant, and life-giving—and held it close to her heart.
This wasn’t the first Christmas they’d spent together, but it was the one that gave them an off-collab that would last a lifetime.
Merry Christmas, my Babu, my beloved.