Author's note: Greetings everybody! Winter is coming and we are all looking forward to the wonderful Christmas as well as the new year. For me, I'm preparing for 4 main events. My extremely important semester test, my best friend's birthday, Christmas and New Year. Because of the test, I probably won't have much time to write Never See, Never Know". So ... I write this short one to compensate it. Now, let's read this short and heart-warming piece. ENJOY THE STORY!
Under the White Rain
The wind gushed soundly before the window. A frigid blizzard unexpectedly swept though the residences of Kagutsuchi as winter had finally come with the tardy and peaceful end of autumn. Snows wrapped a thick, white layer on the ground. Everybody was staying in their houses, avoiding the coldness and enjoy their own moments at warm homes. Noel wasn't an exception. After a hard day at work with Major Jin Kisaragi, she couldn't do anything else but curling herself in the blanket and sat quietly in front of the heater. Looking at the fire, she let out a sigh of exhaustion, wondering what her friends were doing.
"Makoto has her shift today. Poor her, to work under this terrible condition. I hope that she had enough clothes to wear. Tsubaki, I haven't seen her for awhile. Maybe she was sent on a mission again. Haa… only I stay here and have nothing special to do." She pouted to herself like a child and brought the blanket closer. Today was Christmas, the day everyone in the world had waited for. Children hoped for gifts, adults exchanged the good wishes and together decorated the house, prepared for the upcoming New Year. The climate couldn't stop them from showing their loves for the day.
Only the Vermillion girl sadly stayed inside her home, having no one to share the Christmas nor decorating the house along with her. Sat still for hours, she asked herself if major Kisaragi actually celebrate the day as he was one of the moodiest guys she had ever seen. He always looked stressful and sleep let alone easy to exploded into ridiculous anger. Today, he seemed to avoid her all the time as he handed her all the paper works and left without saying a word. When he came back, again with the ignorance toward her. He didn't talk with her and just went fourth and back around the base for some issues only the God knew.
"What's the matter with major today? He doesn't like himself today? It not that I want him to shout at me but what is happening to him?" Rolled from side to side, she slowly closed her eyes and reminiscent the rare moments of his smile.
It was a normal, freezing day at the Academy, the first Christmas she had with her friends at the dorm with Tsubaki, Makoto and Carl. Their room was adorned with some light bulbs and colorful wallpaper. Makoto was helping Carl pitched the bulbs over the window while Tsubaki handled the cooking work and Noel tried to compose some pieces of poem for Christmas. As everyone finished their tasks, they grouped together and exchanged presents.
"Now, Matoko will give Noel, Noel give me, I give Carl and Carl give Makoto, okay? Now, let's exchange!" Tsubaki proclaimed and they respectively received their things.
"Oh, it's some dolls with our faces! They all look so adorable! Carl… How do you make all of this?" Matoko squealed loudly and hugged the boy tight.
"Well, my father is a marionette maker and my sister learned some techniques from him. I asked her to help me made those. I'm glad that you like it but … can you please release me? I-I can't breathe." The others giggled.
"Well, this is for you, Noel!"
"Haa… a fluffy panda! Where did you buy it! Where did you buy it! Ohhh… It looks so cute… Haaah!" The blonde-haired girl ran all over the room, dancing with the bear happily.
"Thanks you sooo much Makoto, I love it!" Tsubaki got her present from Noel.
"Oh, a book. Huuh… this is … I can't believe it! It is… It is the book about The Six Heroes. Wow… to hold it directly in my hand. Noel, you are my best friend! Woah… amazing!" She ran her fingered along the cover gently like a real treasure and slowly opened its first pages with the images of the heroes stood courageously in the battle and advanced toward the Black Beast.
"I will keep it with my whole life! Oh, Carl, here is you gift." The boy unpacked the box and looked inside.
"This is … a hat. It is a magical hat, right?"
"Yes, it is. I hope you would enjoy the magic of life and perform your outstanding performances."
"Err… thank you very much." Noel suddenly stood up and headed toward the door.
"I'm sorry but I have something important to do." She put on the shoes and ran away.
Swinging the tail, Makoto shrugged: "Why does she have to be that much in a hurry?"
The blonde went for awhile toward the male dormitory to meet a certain someone. Unexpectedly, she stopped in front of a big wooden door. Before the Student Council room, it was strange to see it still light up even at this late at night. She took a peek inside and saw Jin was read a book under the soft light of the lamp. With the decorated, small gift in her palm, she took a breath…
"Knock knock knock"
"Who's that?" Jin closed the book and met the girl entered without much noise.
"Noel Vermillion? What are you doing at this late at night? You … suppose to be in bed right now?"
"Well, I have something important to do. So … wait, isn't that my notebook?" Inspecting the cover, Jin saw her name written at the corner.
"Oh, I just found it on my desk. So I take a look at it."
Noel flushed like a ripe tomato and tried to grab the book. "HUH! You read it… B-B-But… Have you read till the end?" Jin lifted his hand upward, completely out of her reach while Noel jumped desperately. "Gimme that, please!"
"Calm down, I have just skimmed through a few pages. Just some poems and a few random sketches after all."
"The poems! Ahhhh…. you are so bad, meanie meanie meanie!" She punched his chest over and over again.
"Well, those are quite good."
"Huh… What did you say?"
"I said those poems are nice. I can't believe you can have such childish ideas like that… but still, I like it."
"Really? But please, give it back."
The blond guy handed the note and let out a smile. "Gosh! You never change except for your physical trait."
"Wait, did you just … smile?"
"Something wrong with that? It is impossible for me to smile?"
"But… you seem to never smile at all. This is the first time…" Jin folded his hand and sat down on his chair.
"Look, I've been busied all day so I don't want anything stressful, that's all"
Having enough, Noel shyly showed up the present in front of him. "What's this?" Jin widened his eyes.
"Merry Christmas, Jin." He picked the box and shredded the cover, revealing a box with a blue scarf inside. He took the thing out and examined it.
"A … scarf?"
The girl nodded, playing with her fingers. "Well, this winter is quite cold. So I … made it for you. You seem to not caring much about your health. I'm sorry for being a nuisance again." Jin wrapped it around his neck and felt the warmth.
"Thank you, Noel. I appreciate you care." His lips curled into a very true, happy smile.
"What do you want for your Christmas?"
"I want to see the cherry blossoms… with you!"The girl threw herself into him and embrace him tight, laughing in joy. Jin was taken in surprise but soon let it be and hugged her back. "Merry Christmas, Noel."
"I thought those days would last forever. Ever since the Ikaruga War, he doesn't like himself anymore. He is always cold, angry, … alone" Noel thought bitterly and let out a tear of sadness. She recalled the old caring, happy Jin, the nights with her friends… Why did everything change so much?
She didn't know…
"Knock knock knock" She looked up the window and saw something was written on it.
"Go to the local park now."
"Huh? Who would want to go to the park under this bad weather?" Said so but she still put on her warm coat and high heel before opened the door. The blizzard was no more and the silence took place again. Scanning her eyes around, she saw nothing but white snow covered the roads, the trees and house but somehow, the path in front of hers was cleared carefully and formed a path. Closed the door behind, she followed the track and directed to the centre of the park, where the was no one. There were only some leafless tree and a plain swing which she usually sat on. The white surface beside her sank down into words.
"Now sit on the swing." Do as she was told, the girl sat down and saw what happened next.
"and … watch." A weird sound came out, the trees shook violently and slowly, petals of snow sharpened on the branches bit by bit into millions of flowers. The words again appeared.
"Enjoy the scene!" The all of the icy flower, shattered into a rain of blossoms in the girl's amazement. She stood in the middle of the magnificent beauty and reached out her palm to get one petal. The snow flew upward a little bit before extended itself into a snowy rose. Bringing it closer to herself, "Thank you, Jin…"
While at the rooftop of her house, Jin observed the whole thing and smirked. He had bought a magical bottle at the day just to have those flower shapes and suppressed the snow storm with his spells. It indeed worth his effort to see her smiled like an angel and danced around the place. Stood up, he slowly went away and whispered softly like a tender kiss in the wind.
"Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday … my Noel Vermillion".
Author's Note: Well, this one is quite short since it is just a small inspiration of mine. I hope you would like it. This one shall substitute for chapter 8 of "Never See, Never Know". I won't have much time to finish it due to upcoming semester tests. Please review and thanks for reading!
Cardlover95