We Bare Bears Wish Upon A Christmas Star Chapter 5 Felix Of A Panda

Tom and Panda spent the whole hour trying to find Amanda and her friends after splitting up from the others. As if going to the same spot over and over again wasn’t stressful, but not being able to use Panda’s phone without the risk of triggering a huge misunderstanding.

“How about in that store?” Panda said, pointed while still in the grip of Tom.

“We went there two times already.” Tom painted. “And it’s getting close to noon.”

“How can Amanda be this hard to find?”

“I don’t know, I never met her in real life!” When Tom saw an open bench next to the balcony, he immediately sat on it before anyone else. He placed Panda by his side, taking out his phone to text his friends. “I need my friends to know that we didn’t make any progress.”

This caused Panda to sigh in depression, with today being the most shameful Christmas Eve he’d ever had. He respected the effort his best friend made but even if he stayed as a grown bear, nothing would’ve changed in the struggle to find his girlfriend.

“Maybe this wasn’t meant to work out.” He sat on the bench. “It’s impossible to make my wish something memorable.”

“Well, it’s never easy to have everything planned out.” Tom said, waiting for his friends to respond. “You can’t always expect happiness even during Christmas.”

Panda looked at his small paws, knowing that everywhere and everyone except his brothers were bigger than him, including Amanda. “What do you think she would feel once she sees me like this?”

Tom wondered what it feels to have a girlfriend like Panda has. Having crushes on almost five girls in his life, going on a date is always a step he never thought he would get to. “She would find you cute, but she’ll probably call animal services.”

Panda paused while keeping his frown. It wasn’t a nice thing to hear, but after passing through so many people who spot him due to his presence. “I think this whole cute thing that Grizz wished for, doesn’t seem to be working at all.”

“You only had the affection when you we’re a cub, after growing up, it’s gone.” Tom turned his phone to sleep mode. “I’m sure a few people do recognize you, they just don’t want to admit it.”

When the little cub looked through the glass on the balcony, he saw tons of people doing figure skating. If he knew how to skate on ice like Ice Bear, he would give Amanda the most romantic time possible, while listening to wonderful Christmas music.

“I had so many ideas I could've done with her in this mall.” Panda spoked while Tom saw what’s happening on the main floor. “I have a gift for her, but it didn’t feel like it was enough.”

While leaving the cave, Tom and his friends didn’t forget to bring gifts for Chloe’s family and especially Amanda. When he took out Panda’s gift to Amanda, it wasn’t as big compared to the others. “What’s in here?”

“It’s an anime light novel of romantic characters. She showed me her book collection and she only had a few books like that.”

“Why wouldn’t she? There are so many anime love novels that when they get adapted to television, they try to make them amazing.” When Tom puts the gift back into his bag, he tries to think of a solution for his friend. “Instead of meeting her as a cub, why don’t you text her the truth?”

“Because that could lead to my brothers getting in trouble too.” The cub said, still wondering what his brothers are doing at the moment. “And if I tell her about the wish, there’s no turning back.”

“Maybe you're right. If I meet her while holding you, she would assume you're my pet.”

Panda sighed, unable to think of an alternative option in his predicament. Not only will his girlfriend be disappointed, but not knowing if he’ll ever turn back to normal, he won’t see his future right in front of him. He lowered his head, giving up after an hour in the mall. He didn’t have any tears for sure, but his heart has lost all hope in life.

When Tom saw the way the panda went silent, he’s not willing to leave him like this. “Hey it’s okay.” He patted on its head. “We can go find our friends once I get some ice cream for ourselves.”

“Okay.” Panda spoke briefly while Tom got up to head straight to the ice cream stand. With the cub all alone without anyone sitting by him, it sums up everything how his life would be like. He was a cub when he met Grizz and Ice Bear while getting attention in his youth, but now, he doesn't feel like a cub anymore.

“Starting all over in life isn’t what I wanted.” He thought. “It’s beyond miserable, living as an animal who barely lives in the United States. I guess I might as well rethink my life decisions.”

While he sees Tom close by, getting two ice creams, he figures he would ask him if he could move in with him. It wouldn’t be the best choice to leave his brothers, but he may consider having them move in, sleeping in Griff and Issac’s room separately. But when he finally lifted his head up, Amanda was standing in front of him, with her hands covering her mouth in concern and slight shock.

Panda’s eyes shot open while staying in place on the bench. It took a matter of time for him to finally meet Amanda on Christmas Eve, but not the other way around. Unfortunately for him, his girlfriend wasn’t aware he would be this late, instead her eyes laid on a cub who she thinks is lost without anyone keeping him company.

“Oh my goodness…” She picked up the cub from the bench. “You’re the loneliest panda I have ever seen, especially on Christmas Eve.”

“I’m…not really-“ Panda gets cut off when Amanda hugged him.

“Don’t say another word. You deserve some holiday joy.” Amanda takes the cub with her, taking him to where all of her friends are doing on Christmas Eve.

And just a little too late, Tom came back with two ice cream cones in his hands. “I’m back, sorry it took long, the line wasn’t…” When he laid eyes on the empty bench, he looked around to find where Panda went. “Panda? Panda!?” While he checked from the balcony, the cub was nowhere to be found. As if his holiday couldn’t get any worse, he now needs to rely on finding him. “What did I do to deserve this?” He sat on the bench while licking one of the ice creams.

---

In the anime section from the southwest of the mall, four of Amanda’s friends were looking through the merchandise. They agreed with her to stay here after thirty minutes searching for her boyfriend.

“Can’t you believe this!” Samantha popping up by her friends. “We’re gonna meet Amanda’s boyfriend on Christmas Eve!”

“If only he was on time like the rest of us.” Kenny backing away.

“I don’t blame him.” Sari holding onto a cat plushie. “Boyfriends can be clumsy when they’re doing favors.”

“We haven’t even seen a picture of her boyfriend.” Daniella added. “But you should understand that we just met her when we became sophomores in college.”

“It’s been a half hour, it shouldn't take that long to find her boyfriend.” Kenny added. “Then again, this holiday is becoming much busier than the previous years.”

“Hey cut Amanda some slack.” Samantha replied. “I’ve been friends with her since the day we met in college. If she’s this nice to be around, her boyfriend might be the best boyfriend ever!”

Her friends have taken a step back from their high adrenaline friend. “Have you ever had a boyfriend in your life?” Sari asked.

“Only one, but it didn’t work out.”

“I wonder why.”

Outside of the store, Amanda finally came back to where all of her friends were. Panda didn’t even resist while still being carried. “Don’t you think you're trying too hard?” He asked.

“Not every human, especially animal should have an empty Christmas.” Amanda replied. “And this is the first time I’ve ever met a panda cub out in the open.”

“I’m pretty sure it would be better if you…” Panda stopped himself from the way his girlfriend was staring at him. Her eyes sparkled but not in the same way before his wish happened. “Find some other way to…” Panda blushed while still being mesmerized.

“Amanda?” Kenny coming out of the Anime store.

With her friends seeing the way she’s holding onto the cub, they're surprised even if her boyfriend isn’t around. “Is that...a panda?” Daniella said, looking at Panda face to face.

“It’s kind of weird to see this animal wandering on his own in here.” Sari looking at the cub from the otherside.

Just when Samantha saw Panda, she squealed in delight. But Panda’s eyes shot a little open, remembering the time he was that close to be her husband in law. “Aww...he’s too cute!” He pinched on his cheek.

“Can you please give him some space?” Amanda spoke nicely. “He’s feeling a little depressed on Christmas Eve.”

Panda felt stunned, while still being in admiration from Amanda and her friends. “Umm...I guess I was since Christmas only comes once a year.” Panda giggled.

“Hey, we can do anything to make this holiday wonderful for one and all.” Kenny smiled. “We’re gonna watch the parade later, in the meantime, we should check out the mall first.”

The cub felt a little upset that he won’t be able to pick the activities due to the state he’s in, but on the other hand, nothing bad is happening at the moment. “Okay so, we should go to the Christmas section to see more decorations.” Amanda smiled.

As she and her friends head straight to where they agreed to be, Panda tries to keep it cool before his goal comes to waste. “I don’t know how my wish has made all of this possible, but I’m not complaining...but Tom’s definitely not gonna be happy for the day he’s having.”

When they waited from the end of the line, what’s hanging around them had the most decorations then any of the halls in the mall. Panda never went though this section of the mall in the past, if it was night time along with all the lights turned off, it would be a lot more magical with so many lights flashing around him.

“Let me tell you, it’s really incredible if you ever wanted to go outside during the night, seeing all the houses decorated with the colors of lights turned out, I always wanted to see so much of that since I’ve moved here.” Amanda looked at the cub while rubbing his head.

“I’ve seen quite a lot of decorated lights in San Francisco.” Panda said. “Have you seen a few neighborhoods here?”

“Yes I did.”

“Amanda really loved Christmas lights when she was six.” Daniella added. “I was willing to help her decorate her tree ever since this month started.”

“Believe me, for anyone who doesn’t have a strong pride of Christmas, they’re nothing but downers.” Samantha added.

As the line continued to speed up, the group noticed something unusually hanging from the ceiling, but they soon knew what it was. When Panda sees what’s above, it’s revealed to be a mistletoe, all the while a huge Christmas heart is displayed on the ground.

Unfortunately for him, he’s not in the position of expecting a kiss from Amanda, knowing he’s a cub while his wish is pulling him away from the moments he’s expecting. But then, Samantha kissed his cheek, causing him to react while blushing.

“What’s wrong?” Samantha giggled. “Just because you're a cub doesn’t mean you should be kiss free.”

“It is true.” Sari smiled while she kissed Panda’s other cheek.

“And if you weren't so adorable, you would be better off in the zoo. But you know you deserve much better.” Daniella added on, also kissing Panda’s cheek. The bear was panting like crazy after the kisses he got in the span of ten seconds. But soon as possible, Amanda placed a fresh water bottle in the cub’s mouth to calm him down.

“Just relax.” Amanda allowed him to drink the water. “If this was your first ever kiss, there’s nothing wrong with blushing. I’ve seen so many boy characters from anime feel this way.”

As Panda slowly calmed down even with the three kiss marks on his cheeks, he stopped drinking the water, letting it settle in his stomach. “You think that’s something to cheer a cub like me?” He asked. “Because I should earn it instead of getting it.”

All this caused Amanda to lid her eyes, thinking the bear was just making stuff up in his mind. “Don't be concerned, we’re gonna dress you up so you can earn our hearts for you.” She then kissed his cheek which caused Panda’s eyes to shoot open. Her friends adored him during this memorable moment, showing how much she really loves pandas, no matter how different they are.

Panda’s heart was pounding like never before and with the addition of the kisses he received, he will likely never have this moment ever again. His face turned red as a result as Amanda broke the kiss. But instead of breathing again, he grew a warming smile while closing his eyes, laying his head on Amanda’s chest in pure happiness.

Amanda didn’t need to say another word as she loved the way the cub nuzzled onto her. She’ll make sure she’ll give the cub the best Christmas Eve, but also the best wish he granted to himself.

“Girls.” Kenny called.

“What?” Samantha turned around. “Don’t spoil this moment!”

“Actually, we’re holding up the line and we’re actually next to come in.” He pointed at the spaced up line while the final visitors headed inside the section.

“Oh, we're dragging out the moment too long!” Samantha cried as she and the others hurried up.

“Wait for us!” Amanda waking up to reality, while still holding onto the happy cub.