It felt just like Christmas, with the breeze blowing cool winds against warm cheeks as the sun tried desperately to melt the small white mountains and snowflakes but ended up pathetically being shrouded and clouded as the people below them went about to start another winter day. Children hurried out of their warm homes, stumbling through the whiteness and giggling happily, while their mothers prepared hot chocolate and consoled grumbling fathers who complained about the snow they had to clean up afterwards.

It was winter, yet here I was, lying on a hospital bed and doing nothing but watch the eternal winter through the window.

No one knows why this town is so cold. The last time I felt the summer heat was way back when I was a kid. Some say that our ancestors were sinful and that the Gods were punishing us because of it, while some believe that it's global warming. In fact, because of our odd weather, some of the townspeople started creating ice sculptures that have been attracting many tourists to come and sightsee.

Outside, the white scenery could be seen vaguely, shrouded by a thin veil of moist forming on the window's glass surface. A man could be standing outside, seeming to be thinking deeply as well. He was wearing a hospital gown just like mine, so I assumed he was probably a patient. He's been there for a while now, and I can't help but wonder why he's not getting cold or if patients were allowed to leave their rooms in the first place.

He was facing away from me, so I couldn't see his face, chocolate locks hindering my view. "Weird guy..." I thought out loud.

Even though I was a few floors above him and there was no way he could have heard me from the ground floor through the window, he looked up, and stared straight at me. I was shocked, of course, so I quickly drew myself away from the curtains, catching a glimpse of an empty blue color for a split second.

A chill ran up my spine as a deep smooth voice, almost like a whisper, spoke right beside my ear, his cool breath tickling my skin. "Why were you watching me?" I quickly looked at the source, even more shocked to see the face of the person I was staring at a second ago now an inch away from my face.

"H-How did you-" I stammered as he leaned away and stood in front of me. His features looked much more prominent up close. Night blue eyes and dark brown locks complemented his pale complexion as cracked lips were stretched into a gentle smile. Some of his ruffled hair grazed over raised eyebrows as he held out his hand.

"My name's Cry. What's yours?"

I don't get this guy at all. A minute ago, he seemed to be freezing himself outside, then he somehow teleports in my room at the blink of an eye. Now, he's introducing himself casually. "Sh-Shouldn't you be in your room?"

"Nah, I don't feel like it. It gets lonely there sometimes, so I decided to look for some friends." He scratches his head, and I noticed a pair of dimples on each side of his smiling lips. I'll admit, he looks... adorable, in contrast to his low and smooth voice. "What's your name, friend?"

I found myself smiling back. So he just wanted a friend. Okay, I guess it wouldn't hurt to give him a chance; he seems like a good guy anyway. "It's Pewdiepie. Or just Pewdie."

"Don't you ever leave your room, Pewds?" he asked, and I inwardly rolled my eyes. Does he give nicknames to everyone he knows? Maybe he got in the hospital because he's sick in the head or something-

...No. No, like I said, I'd give him a chance. I shouldn't judge him.

"When I have to use the restroom, yes." I replied, answering his previous question. "Other than that, no. Besides, that's not really allowed, right?"

He dodged my question by throwing me another. "Why were you sent here at the hospital?" he questions me further, sitting on the floor and looking up at me. There's a chair right beside you, dumbass.

"I got into an accident. My friends and I were camping at the forest and when nighttime came someone brought the alcohol and we got a little too drunk. One of them pushed me jokingly. I stumbled down towards the frozen lake and hit my head on the hard ice, but luckily they called the ambulance soon enough." I explained. Then I noticed he was the one asking all the questions while I don't really know much about him. "How about you? You're a patient here too, right?"

"I..." He paused, hesitating. "I don't remember."

"Oh, okay." I nodded. I assumed he was probably an amnesia patient, or that he just didn't want to talk about it. Either way, I wasn't going to push the topic any further. "So... Wanna play 20 questions or something?"

I saw his eyes widen with excitement. "Sure, I'd love to!"

We must have been talking for hours, because next thing I knew, as I was halfway through laughing at what he was saying, I heard footsteps from outside, making him glance round and stand up.

"I have to go." he announced, heading for the door, but not without grinning at me over his shoulder and bidding goodbye. "Let's meet again sometime."

"Sure." I beamed, settling back into the duvet and grinning to myself at the thought of making a new friend.

The next day went by and although I was nervous that he wouldn't be able to come, he did arrive later in the afternoon, bringing me flowers and chocolates which we ate while chatting lightly. We played another game of 20 Questions and I steered clear of questions relating to his past because I noticed he would tense up when we mentioned it.

After about a month of talking to him every afternoon and getting to know him, I was finally discharged from the hospital.

"Mr. Felix... Ka-jellberg?" The nurse at the front desk read aloud, tearing her gaze from the monitor to look up at me.

"It's Kjellberg. With a 'ch'." I corrected. People never seemed to get my name right... well, I can't really blame them.

"Mr. Kjellberg, Dr. Richards has confirmed your final check-up. You're allowed to go home now." She explained, handing me some documents.

"Thank you. Um... Do you know where I could find Ryan Terry?"

"Ryan Terry? Wait a moment, Sir. I'll try to check the database."

I nodded, tapping my foot while I waited. The nurse browsed through the computer with a smile still plastered on her face. My brows furrowed in confusion as the same smile faded and her expression turned pale.

She gave me a nervous glance then stared at the monitor. "There's one Ryan, um... Ryan Terry here but he was declared dead at the site where they found him ten years ago. For some reason, the body was not retrieved by the hospital according to the records."

"No, that's probably not him. Are there any others?"

Almost instantly she shook her head no.

"Weird." I thought to myself as I bid her goodbye, not really understanding what it was that made her nervous. "Maybe Cry's name was switched with another person... Oh well." Rubbing my shoulders to keep me warm, I stepped out of the dull rooms of the hospital, shivering at the sigh of winter's cold breath against my skin.

"Where do you think you're going?"

As soon as I recognized the velvety voice, I felt cold arms wrap around my waist and I flinched, trying to turn around but strong appendages held me firmly to the ground. "You won't even say goodbye?"

"I was going to tell you, Cry..." I defended, extracting myself from cold, prying arms. Geez, he can be such a touchy person sometimes... And his skin being strangely ice-cold only worsened my shuddering. Damn, this man doesn't seem to have any body warmth at all; he's cold as a corpse. "I was going to tell you, but- wait, that reminds me... I asked the nurse for your room number, but she couldn't find your name."

"Oh, um... Yeah..." he merely murmured, his tone suddenly becoming nervous as he rubbed the back of his neck and looked away.

Raising a brow, I faced the brunette completely, sensing something wrong. "What's wrong, Cry?"

"Nothing... Nothing's wrong, Pewds." he muttered, a pathetic attempt to hide and push me away. Again.

"Cry, there's something you're not telling me."

He remained silent and unmoving, looking down at the snowy ground as if considering considering something. I opened my mouth to speak but he took my hand in his and led me away from the hospital, still without a word. I let him lead me, but then I realized he didn't mention anything about him being discharged from the hospital yet so he might still not be allowed to leave yet.

"Hey, are you allowed to-"

"I'm not a patient there anymore!" He snapped, silencing and cutting me off and I shrunk away in shame. He noticed this and must have realized how illogical his outburst was, as he rubbed the back of my hand with his thumb in comfort while flashing me a weak, apologetic smile. Then as we continued to walk, he began to explain. "I was admitted to the hospital around ten years ago, but I was already dead way before that."

What? So he really was the Ryan Terry in the records... But that doesn't make sense! "What do you mean?"

"I mean I'm already dead. I'm a ghost."

My brows furrowed as I stared at him "What the hell are you talking about? Then how... How come I can see you?"

"You're the only one who can, and I'm not sure why myself." he replied and stopped walking. I almost bumped him but I quickly regained my footing. I looked over his shoulder, confused as to where we were now, but all I saw were tall trees absent of their leaves, thickened only by the white speckles of snow. He turned to face me, a sedate expression overpowering his usually cheery smile. "This is where I died."

I stared at the dense biome, feeling a sense of familiarity. I feel like I've seen this place before... Then it clicked.

This was where we camped months ago; this was where I got my head hit!

"I think my body is still there... Let's go." He took my hand once more and the touch sent shivers down my spine once more. The leaves crackled and rustled as we treaded the eerie yet beautiful and peaceful forest, our shoes crushing whatever trash laid beneath our feet. I averted my gaze and shifted it to the back of Cry's head.

He said he was a ghost; he was already dead... I guess that explains why he never seems to feel cold even though he's always freezing to the touch. Now that I think about it, that explains how we met, too. But still... To think that I've been friends with a ghost all this time is a bit overwhelming for me, as well as the existence of such supernatural beings. I mean, I don't exactly believe the paranormal, but I don't disclaim it either.

And if he's really a ghost, does that mean he will live forever invisible in this world? Because if he's going to an afterlife, wherever it is, he should have gone there when he died a decade ago... I mean, I'm not saying I don't like him being here (in fact I do appreciate his company) but I'm just wondering what's stopping him from passing on and-

"We're here."

He tugged at my hand gently, urging me to stand beside him and so I did. My eyes widened as I saw his body laid in the frozen lake, the ice making his figure appear slightly translucent. His eyes were closed and he was poised as if he was in a struggle, as if the ice had forcefully closed around him. Snow had scattered thinly across the ice on his body and I brushed them away, noticing the difference from the Cry I had become friends with. This one looked much older and somewhat more distressed in contrast to the other's bright personality.

Moreover, this happens to be the lake that I hit my head on back at the camping trip... Maybe that's the reason why I could see him.

"Do you want to know how I died?"

"Hewie! Hewie, where are you?" A brown haired man called out, his low and silken voice booming through the autumn-waning forest. His eye catches on a snowflake as it falls down the tip of his nose. "Hewie, come on! Winter is almost here; you'll get cold!"

A whimper served as the response to his call. He recognized that whimper; he had been with his dog even as a kid. Rushing to find the source of the sound, he ran to a direction he chose by instinct, and he grew more panicked as slowly, the yelps of his beloved pet became clearer and louder, along with what sounded like splashing water.

"Hewie!"

He had found his dog, helplessly and desperately trying to get out of the lake. Without hesitation, he dove down the lake, scooping his frantic friend into his arms as he struggled to get back to a shore, but Hewie's violent shaking made it harder for him to do so.

Eventually, with rigor he was able to drag the German shepherd to the side, terror making its way through his veins as he felt the chilly water start to harden and freeze around him. Hewie finally made it on the ground, shaking the water away and almost instantly dropping to the ground with fatigue and possible sickness.

But Cry wasn't safe yet. In a senseless panic, he gripped the rocks at the side of the lake and pushed himself up strongly, strong enough that he finally reached the surface, but not fast enough to react when his toes tripped on a rock underwater and he tumbled backwards, his head hitting the rocky lake ground as he choked and gasped and gagged at the invading waters around him. His head stung from the pain of getting it hit on hard rocks and in his panic, he was momentarily stunned.

The ice closing in around him pulled him from his stupor but he couldn't move, the claustrophobia making him hyperventilate but it only made everything worse as he realized he couldn't breathe. He was going to die... He was going to die and he couldn't accept it. As a last resort, he tried to plead for help, the feeling of his face shifting against the ice as he spoke excruciatingly painful.

But no one came.

"No one found me, no one helped me... When they did find me, it was too late: I was already watching them from behind the trees as they tried to take my frozen corpse away. I cursed this town and since then, the snow never went away."

"But now that I think about it, maybe that's not the reason I'm still here. Maybe I've already forgiven them, and I just don't want to leave you anymore." he added, then looked up at me and gasped. Only then did I realize the tears that fell abundantly as I blinked at him. I wiped them away with the sleeve of my jacket, sniffing away the pity and deciding that...

I would be the one to set Cry free from his misery.

"Cry, listen." I began, staring straight into his confused eyes. "I'll help you. I'll set you free so you can pass on."

"I..." he hesitated, staring at his feet. "You don't want me here, do you?"

Huh? "What do you mean?"

"I'm the one causing all this snow and you just want me to go away. That's how it is, isn't it?" he spat. "I'm never welcome. And here I thought you were different, you could see me, you would accept me but in the end, you're pushing me away like everyone else!"

"No, Cry... It's not like that at all, I-"

"Don't even try to defend yourself; it's true, isn't it? You're tired of the snow, you want it to go away, you want me to disappear." Gradually, he sank down and sat on the cold snow, ruffling his hair in frustration. "I... I don't want to leave you, Felix. I want to stay here with you." he pleaded. "Don't send me away, please..."

"I'm sorry, Cry... But I can't let you do this. You deserve your rest; I can't take that away from you."

I held his hand as the robed ritualist muttered unintelligible words that visibly made Cry uncomfortable. I could feel his sweaty palm against my own and I could tell he was nervous. He looked at me anxiously as if seeking reassurance, which I gave through a slanted smile and by rubbing my thumb over the back of his palm. He returned the gesture, although weakly.

"Will it really work?"

"Trust me, it will." I encouraged. He replied with a slight nod, his grip on my hand tightening a little more. The robed man then stepped towards me to start giving me instructions, which I in turn told Cry. "He says that the ceremony will only work once you've truly decided to let go of everything."

"Okay." he replied, closing his eyes softly as he concentrated. I squeezed his fingers in a comforting manner. He started to tremble more as the ritualist started chanting some sort of mantra. With the way Cry was being so helpless, I wanted to make the ceremony stop but the better of me overpowered my emotions and I decided that it was best to be patient.

"It's going to end soon... Don't- Don't worry about it..." I comforted, but upon noticing how my fingers clutched his fingers tighter than for his comfort, I wondered if the words were truly meant for him or if it was my subconscious trying to make me calm down.

I felt the trembling come to a halt and the hand I held onto so tightly started to melt within my fingertips. A sudden momentary regret washed over me as my fingers searched for the hand it had grown to fit in so perfectly. I dared to look beside me, to be met with the sight of his face smiling at me as he mouthed a 'thank you' until he vanished into fleeting snow.

Tears that were held back finally squeezed their way out of my eyes as I fell to my knees, feeling the frigid snow sting my skin, but that wasn't what hurt me the most; it was the fact that this cold snow would forever remind me of him. As my tears fell down the cold white canvas, I realized just how much he really meant to me and I regretted being unable to say goodbye. But despite every sob and wail I let out, I was happy for him. At least now he can pass on peacefully, instead of living an eternal life watching others come and go.

This was for the best.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

It was Spring.

It was Spring, yet Felix was stuck in a hospital for getting hit by a car. He had only miscalculated the incoming car and ended up hurting himself, but at least now he was alive and healthy - save for a few broken bones but hey, he could recover...

Just as how he recovered from the loss of a friend some years ago.

The spring season boasted its beauty as birds chirped happily and trees started to grow its leaves once again. It was as if spring was mocking Felix and showing him what he was missing because of his stupid 'miscalculation'. Snow from the winter season had either melted or dug away by families who surely did not miss winter after its long, extended reign. They only hoped that next winter wouldn't take so many years like last time. They prayed that this spring season really meant 'a new beginning'.

As Felix mulled over his thoughts, he noticed a tiny, misplaced snowflake drop itself on the tip of his nose. It's far from winter, he thought confusedly as he looked over to the window.

He noticed a figure standing outside the hospital. Chocolate locks hindered any good look at the man's face, but that was a problem solved when the man turned around and looked directly at Felix. The Swede gasped.

"It couldn't be..."

A/N: This story is a late birthday present to this awesome person named CIAKat. ;3 (Sorry it's kind of sad Dx)