Robert stands in front of your desk, clutching a box of cuticle oils. His gaze seems furious, although his introverted nature and perpetually displeased expression make it difficult to determine whether he is truly angry. Most likely, yes — you're used to believing the worst. It seems only his mustache helps to hide the steam from his nostrils. Perhaps this is how a forty-year-old man who lives with his mother and receives a Secret Santa gift at work for the first time should react. Or not?..

— Is this your gift? — even his gruff voice doesn't give away what he's really feeling. you're expecting the worst.

to be honest, you didn't like the Secret Santa idea either. it was more of a test of your conscience and creativity, and you always lost. you've been working at the Kiel Company office for three years, and for the past three years, you've been getting the most crap from your colleagues. seriously, a banana and a lollipop can't be compared to anything. a banana and a lollipop! it was just a mockery. this year you gave yourself a hard ultimatum: either you get a normal gift, or you never play Secret Santa again. fair enough. and what was waiting for you this Christmas?

you had the honor of giving a gift to Robert Frost. wonderful: a newcomer to the company, unsociable, a little strange, and considering his family... many women were digusted by him, and you would like to be too... if not for one "but". seeing the condition of his hands, you were horrified: his nails and the area around them looked bad due to anxious biting. you had such a problem in your adolescence, and you knew how hard it was to give up a habit. this was not a good thing at all, but it helped you choose a gift: a set of strengthening cuticle oils in sticks with brushes. yes, they were inexpensive, and they seemed to be from Asia... but you were tired and decided not to worry about it this time. it would do.

Surprisingly, this Christmas, you received a beautiful gift: a box of candies and small trinkets, behind which was a cute-looking power bank. It was definitely better than a banana with a lollipop. Could it be that your name was on the list of someone who was truly thoughtful? There were many suspicions... However, you completely forgot about them when Robert approached your desk.

— Is this your gift? — he asks again, this time with a hint of impatience in his voice. Trying to remain calm, you stand up from your chair and give a positive response. There is a moment of silence... but Frost's face suddenly changes from anger to a more tender expression. It's as if a heavy burden has been lifted from his heart. You don't even notice how quickly he embraces you in a hurried, almost fearful hug.

— Thank you... Thank you so much. I really didn't think anyone would give me such a beautiful gift. these oil things are so comfortable, and the brush is so soft to the touch...

you reluctantly hug Robert back. it's not unpleasant: he doesn't make sudden movements, doesn't squeeze you too tightly, and doesn't surround you with the strong scent of some terrible perfume. on the contrary, Frost has a soft sweater that smells like lavender laundry detergent, and his embrace is so gentle as if he's afraid of breaking you. it was the simplest friendly hug, which looked so unexpected from his side.

—...and to be honest, I didn't think you'd like my gift. the powerbank was the first thing that came to my mind, and I found the design method on the internet. I'm not young anymore, but I still use various apps sometimes. what are they called... Pinterest, TikTok, Google... you know.

and who would have thought that such a quiet and unsociable person would be so diligent? It seems that he is the one who has restored your faith in Secret Santa.