So another of the stories I wrote for the Boueibu Advent calendar.
I just want to say, I have never ever played with snow in my entire life, I mean I live in Costa Rica in this time of the year we have sunny and windy days... and we never get anything like snow... so... don't have a damn idea of why I wrote this, but it happened... so sorry... I wanted to write about snow... and I want to play with snow someday...
Playing
It was a cold afternoon, a really damn cold afternoon and that's why En was internally cursing the fact that his parents have sent him to buy the groceries for the holidays, it was just unfair. Well, if he was honest it was actually fair since he has not helped at all, but not with this damn weather. He sighed once more, at least he was done and he could go back to his place, or that's how he thought until he saw a familiar blond sitting on a bench in the park.
Yumoto, the youngest from the Defense Club was sitting alone, looking at the snow in a nostalgic way. It was weird to see the young boy like that, he was always full of energy and running and laughing and cuddling Wombat. The scene didn't make any sense to En. Although the older wanted to go back to his comfortable futon, he thought that it was his must to check on Yumoto and see if he was ok.
"Hey, what's up?" En said once he got closer to the blond.
He lifted his face and smiled at En, not the typical cheerful smile, En noticed that, it was more a compromised smile.
"Hi!" and to prove he was right about Yumoto being different from usual there was the lack of words and excitement when greeting.
En didn't like the situation, he could feel that whatever that might come it might mean work and effort. He didn't like that, but he didn't like to see Yumoto like this either.
"So… what're you doing here?" En questions and takes a seat next to Yumoto.
"Thinking… I guess" Yumoto replies, and by that En declared the situation as something serious, "En-chan-sempai, have you ever had a snowball fight?"
En looked at Yumoto, so is this all drama situation because of a snowball fight?
"Yes, when I was a kid, I played with some kids at my old neighborhood," En replied, trying to figure out if Yumoto' sadness is just because of this.
"I see… I haven't had one… Gora-an-chan is always busy working at the Kurotama Baths."
There was the cue En needed, the reason for Yumoto's lack of energy.
"So, what about a snowman? Have you built one?
"No, I haven't, how do you build one?" Yumoto asked, his enthusiasm seemed to be coming back, maybe En was giving him so kind of hope.
"You just pile up a lot of snow"
Yumoto stood up and started searching for something; En just looked at him with his characteristic plain expression. Then, Yumoto smiled, at least the little one was smiling again, that made En feeling better.
"En-chan-sempai, do you think this is a good spot for a snowman?" the younger asked, En was not sure about how to answer, so he just nodded and looked how Yumoto started to pile up the snow.
"How do you make it look rounded?" Yumoto asked when he kept piling it up, but without having a nice result.
It had passed a long time since En built a snowman, and if he remembered well he was not alone, so he didn't have to do all the job. Somewhat similar of the actual situation, so if he was fair he could actually go and help Yumoto.
So En stood up as and while Yumoto was piling up more snow, he was trying to give some kind of round shape to the snowman. It took them around fifteen minutes to give the perfect form with the right amount of snow. However, it was just the snow and nothing else. Yumoto seemed a little disappointed it was not what he was expecting of a snowman made by two members of the Defense Club, or that's how he thought. When En notices Yumoto's expression, he remembered the errands he had done, maybe there was something they could use to give more life to the snowman.
"Take this," En said while he passed a cucumber, "that can work as the nose."
Yumoto's face lighted up, there was something else to do and maybe there was even more "materials" in the bags En was carrying. So, Yumoto took the cucumber and started looking for the right position, he didn't want the snowman to look misshapen. Once he was done, he looked at En, who was still rummaging through the bags, so after a while he found the red ribbons package his mom requested, maybe his mom wouldn't get mad for just one lost ribbon, so En gave it to Yumoto as well. The younger placed the ribbon between the head and the body of the snowman and then he searched for a couple of stones that could match for the eyes and some for the mouth.
When he found them, he put them in place and then he saw En bringing some branches for the arms. Being honest, and thinking that it was a complete improvised project that the two of them worked out, it looked pretty nice. After all the work was done En took his cellphone and took a picture of Yumoto standing right next to the snowman.
"Let's take a pic of all of us together!" Yumoto said and grabbed En's phone. Needless to say, the older was not really happy, but he had to admit he had this soft spot for Yumoto, so he accepted to have the picture with the younger.
Then, En sat again on the bench, he knew he should have been at home a while ago, but he was also sure his mother wouldn't stress over the things she needed. He was taking a break after all the work done with that snowman, at least he was happy he could have helped Yumoto on that. En was about to stand up and say good by to Yumoto when he heard the younger calling him.
"En-chan-sempai!" the blue eyed turned around and before he could ask why the blonde was calling him he was hit by a snowball right into his face.
The cold snow touching his cheek and feeling how it melted away sliding down his neck gave En the biggest sequence of shiver he had ever had. While En was suffering from the cold hit, Yumoto was laughing so hard he could barely breath, but he had a good reason, En's expression was simply hilarious.
"So, you wanna play with me?" En said trying to wipe away the snow that was still on his face.
Yumoto didn't know how to describe it, but in a simple way, En didn't look as lazy as he was.
"En-chan-sempai?" Yumoto asked and didn't have time to dodge the two snowballs that En threw at him, "It's not fair to throw 2 at the same time!" the younger screamed complaining.
"Well, it was not fair to attack your senior when he was distracted, right? Now don't complain and be a man!" En replied and keeps throwing as many snowballs as possible.
Yumoto ran and hide behind the bench and started making snowballs as fast as he can.
"No fair, I've never been in a snowball fight!" the younger screamed when En hit him on the head and knocked his hat over the floor.
"You can't say never, you're on one now" En contradicted the younger and he even smirked, "Now defend yourself!"
En could not deny the fact that he was having fun and listening to Yumoto's laughter made him feel even happier. Their yells and laughs could be heard all around the park and some kids had gotten closer to take a look at them. However, even if they were having their best winter time, nothing last forever.
Exhausted by all the playing and screaming both fell into the snow, giggling and heavily breathing. Yumoto then looked at the spot where they had fallen and started moving his legs and arms.
"En-chan-sempai, this is how you do the snow angels, right?" Yumoto asked to his senior who lifted himself a little and nodded, "Do one with me, come on En-chan-sempai!"
"Fine," lazily En started to move his arms and legs until the shape of a snow angel could be seen.
Although it was really cold, both were tired of the previous activities and so they remained on the snow for a while, or well until they heard someone's giggling and the what sounded like the click of a camera. En was the first one to stand up and look at Atsushi.
"So, are you already done?" Atsushi asked to them and they were just shocked, especially En, of the fact that Atsushi had seen them in the middle of their little games.
"How long have you been there?" En questioned Atsushi after overcoming the shock.
"Long enough to take some photos and make a video, you two look pretty cute while playing!" Atsushi told them while showing his phone, "It's nice to know you're not always a lazy person, En-chan!"
"What?" En said surprised and his face already blushed.
"Yeah! Did you see him Atsushi sempai? He played a lot with me today!" Yumoto expressed and Atsushi nodded.
"I know you two had a lot of fun today, but I'm here because your brother is worry for you and because your mother needs the errands right now" Atsushi clarified by looking at Yumoto and then at En.
Yumoto just nodded, he had been out of home for almost all day and it was not something common for him.
"Thanks a lot En-chan-sempai! I hope we can play again!" Yumoto hugged both of his sempais and then left the park running to get home.
After that, En started to pick up the bags, sure he placed some stuff on the snowman, but he was begging his mother didn't notice the absence of those things and make him to go back downtown. He thought about taking the stuff back, but he was really tired of all the previous movements, so he desisted on that idea.
"You really looked like an older brother" Atsushi commented when they started their way back home.
"Shut up... I just got caught up in the moment, that's it" En said trying to hide his blushed, "but... it was nice."
En shyly admitted and then looked at Atsushi.
"Nice to hear, I hope you still have some energy left... your mother said you'd better get her everything she asked for or you will have to go back" Atsushi said.
En just stared blankly for a moment and then turned around.
"I's better go downtown now, I've seen my mother angry with my father, I don't want to suffer her anger"
"Let me go with you, after all you must be tired so I'll help you with the bags"
"Thanks Atsushi"
Yes, it was a cold afternoon, but being with your friends can make everything warmer, or at least that's what En thought at the end of the day.
Thanks for reading!