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It was snowing.
The branches of the sakura trees were bare and a cloud of mist rested lightly in the air. A set of footprints wound through the freshly fallen snow, leading up to a young girl.
Shiho trudged through the snow, looking down at her feet as she walked through the park. She had a radiant smile on her face, as bright as the fresh white landscape. She stopped suddenly, turning round to see the way her footprints had made a long winding trail which was starting to disappear as the falling snow filled up the footprints behind her. Shiho sighed happily, turning her face up to the sky. She loved the snow, it was her favourite thing in the world; how every single snowflake was unique, the icy yet refreshing feel as they touched lightly down on her face.
The snow that day was floating ever-so-gently down, forming softly peaked mounds of glistening white on the footpath.
Turning back, Shiho glimpsed the wooden bridge that led over a stream. She gave a little cry of delight, and began towards it. She went; half slipping, half running as her heavy winter clothes and boots made her clumsy and unbalanced. However, she finally reached her destination, panting a little from the exertion. This stream was her favourite feature of the park. It wound through the whole of the park and in the spring, blossoms from the overhanging trees would detach themselves and fall into the water, to be carried down with the current. In the winter however, it would be snowflakes, not blossoms that would touch on the now frozen surface of the stream, which was glazed over with a thin sheet of ice.
She walked slowly to the middle of the dainty wooden bridge, running her gloved fingers over the worn designs carved into the wood.
The scene was so magical, she thought in wonderment. To her seven year old self, the glistening blanket of snow and frosted trees looked like something out of a fairytale. She stood there for a while, savouring the moment. She sighed blissfully, it was so pretty. To a spectator, the little girl would have looked quite cute, bundled up in scarf, hat and coat, and standing on a bridge that reached up to her neck.
Suddenly, she noticed three men; drunk already from their morning catch-up; come stumbling towards her. They were staggering about and reeked of alcohol.
Shiho carefully kept her head down, her eyes wide and cautious, trying to avoid any trouble.
Suddenly, one of them wobbled and crashed into one of his companions. Blearily, his friend lifted a hand, and punched him in the face. Shiho gave a small muffled shriek, flinching at the power of the blow. Angry now, the first man tottered towards him, and took a swing. Shiho was standing behind the second man and she let out a yelp, as the man missed and banged his jaw on the side of the bridge, just centimetres from where she cowered.
She stared at him, too frightened to move. He stunk all over of vomit and alcohol. Before she could run away, the other man moved towards her. Mistaking her for his companion and too drunk to consider that she was much lighter, he picked her up like a rag doll and flung her over the edge of the bridge. Her scream was stifled as the ice cracked beneath her and her body came into contact with freezing cold water.
She felt so cold. Too cold to move.
She feebly tried to kick her way to the surface but her thick winter coat and boots weighed her down like a ton of bricks.
She thrashed in the water, desperately trying to get some air. In the process she swallowed a mouthful of icy water, burning her throat and nose like a searing hot pain.
Bit by bit, her body went numb, and she felt herself losing consciousness.
She was going to die.
Gin strolled through the central city park, watching the snow come gently down. It caressed his face and formed blurry white mounds on the footpath.
The park; with its glittering veil of snow, which sparkled which and every way in the sun; looked magical, like an enchanted winter wonderland. Gin stopped for a moment to take in the full beauty of the place. His breath came out in a puff of misty air as he sighed, awed at the sight before him.
He was completely in heaven.
There was no one around this area of the park, which made it even better, as it meant this sight would be for his eyes and his alone.
All of a sudden, he heard a scream; a child's scream, snapping him out of his reverie. He looked around for the source of the sound and caught a glimpse of a man flinging a child off the small bridge that led over the stream. He stared at them, shocked into a stupor. The men staggered about and one of them vomited over the side of the bridge before passing out. The men were obviously drunk.
Gin quickly snapped and removed his thick winter jacket, breaking into a run towards the bridge. He dived over the bank, feeling the breath knocked out of his lungs as the thin sheet of ice cracked beneath his weight. He made contact with the chilling cold water.
He froze for a second, his muscles tensing, locking up. He quickly recovered and dived down, kicking swiftly towards the motionless figure. He grabbed the child by the waist, and towed her back to the stream bank.
Gin laid the child gently down on the ground, and knelt down beside her. She looked so fragile…
He took her hand and searched desperately for a pulse. The girl's skin was so awfully pale it looked almost transparent. Gin feared she might already be dead.
His face relaxed visibly as he found the pulse. It was weak and fleeting, but definitely there.
Gin tenderly picked up the child and carried her to the park bench. He laid her down and removed her wet coat. Once done he quickly wrapped her up in his jacket.
Satisfied, he took one last glance, and walked away.
It was snowing again.
The ground was a carpet of cool white purity, disturbed only by a single set of footprints leading up to a young girl.
Shiho was alone in this region of the park. This wasn't surprising as it was barely daybreak, the first rays of the sun only just peeking out, cautiously venturing into the skyscape of the new day. A thick, hooded anorak lay discarded on a nearby bench.
Shiho stared up at the snowflakes, swirling and dancing through the crisp morning air. They fascinated her, how each and every one was so fragile, so easily broken, yet so detailed and unique.
Snow was one of the rarities. A gift from nature, it was so beautiful and enticing, yet so fleeting. Pure and unblemished, it settled over everything, concealing the grime and corruption of the earth.
She pondered for a while how she had ended up on the banks of the river. She remembered falling into the cold, dark water and then slipping into unconsciousness. She had been about to die. She had accepted it. Who had saved her?
When she awoke, her first thought was that she must have been in heaven. Then she opened her eyes and realized she was still alive. She had been warm and snug, wrapped in a soft jacket on a park bench. She had decided it must have been an angel.
She did not notice the figure that watched her, as she stood in the snow.
Gin strolled through the park, once again admiring the subtle beauty of the place. It was dawn and the first baby rays of the sun were spilling down to the earth, catching on the snowflakes and resulting in a mini symphony of light.
There were not many people in the park at this time, so Gin was surprised when he noticed a small figure, standing alone in the snow. He looked closer and smiled softly to himself.
It was the child from the river.
He stopped to watch her, seeing a golden ray of a smile dance across her face as she stared upwards, snowflakes gathering and melting on her young, innocent face.
Strangely, she didn't seem to notice how cold it was, or how the snow was coming down gradually faster, settling on her clothes and bare hands. All there was in the world, at that moment, was the girl and the snowflakes, as they danced and spun in a whirl through the sky.
Pure and without a care in the world.
It had been so many years since that time. Now, Shiho was Sherry, a traitor to the Black Organization, and it was Gin's mission to kill her.
It was winter again in Tokyo, and the streets were crowded with people, all in a rush to get home from work. The snowflakes swirled down through the sky again, as they had once done.
Gin walked through the streets, on the lookout for Sherry. He didn't know how she had escaped; no one escaped the Black Organization. But that didn't matter. All that mattered was that she was dead.
He came towards the central park. Familiar memories swelled up to the surface, feebly trying to break through. However, many years of hardship and experiences had deadened Gin and he brushed the thoughts away. He strode down the path, ignorant to the beautiful enchantment of the park that he had once so greatly admired.
As he made his way deeper through the park, past frosted sakura trees and soft mounds of snow, a small wooden bridge came into view. Standing on it in the centre, with her back turned to him, was Sherry.
Sherry stood in the snow staring solemnly up at the snowflakes gliding gently down from the sky. The snowflakes softly caressed her face, embracing her, telling her not to be afraid.
Her childhood love of this pure whiteness had long disappeared.
Ever since she joined the Black Organization, her youth and innocence had faded, further and further until finally, an empty shell of a girl remained, scraped dry of any trace of emotion or love.
Now she stood, alone in the world. Unable to trust anyone and always on the lookout for Gin, who had vowed to kill her. She vaguely recalled a time long long ago, when she was free of all the troubles she now carried in her heart.
When she would stand for hours in the winter and simply watch the snowflakes spiraling down, free and happy.
She hadn't seen him yet. Gin slid his gun silently out of its holster. She had no chance.
Then, she turned, and saw him. Her face turned pale as their eyes locked. And, with that small, frightened look came the memory of the girl.
Many years ago, when Gin had known nothing of the Black Organization, when he had been little more than a boy, there had been a girl he had saved from drowning.
And that was when it dawned on him.
At that moment he knew that as cold and ruthless his heart had become, he would never be able kill that small, innocent girl from his past, as she stared up in fascination and happiness at the snowflakes, which swirled down from the sky.
Author's Note: If you like it please review. If you didn't like it, be sure to say so in the review section, and please tell me any of your thoughts on how I can improve. Anonymous reviews are accepted too.