"Ze-e-r-o-o!" A light body jumped onto this hunched man's back. He stumbled slightly in shock of the attempted tackle in broad daylight. The flutter of brown hair on his chilled ears and the faint smell of roses brought back more memories than it probably should have. Before his mind could process the words tracing to his lips, this very lamentable man spoke.

"Yuki! Quit goofing around!" Upon the utterance of this old phrase, his silver eyes flashed with cold and painful realization.

There would never again be a time when that sentence was normal, was light, was happy. Even the very speaking of it would most likely be forced and not as natural should he be faced with the girl he had spoken of.

"Yuki?" The arms around him retracted as the name was spoken. The light figure shuffled to his front, knocking Zero's short fantasy out of the picture. This girl's appearance, no matter how similar, could never quite match the short brown locks and uniform that he so longed to see again. Nothing could ever match the happiness he had with that simple picture. With that simple girl.

He studied the woman, lips pursing.

The long-haired girl's slight movements of curiosity knocked the brown locks into the air. The wind took it's turn to run light fingers throughout the creamy chocolate. Even her brown eyes screamed of confusion. Everything about the name he had uttered was odd.

Everything about this girl, even the smell and feel of her pale skin was familiar. The striking resemblance was one that caused quite a stir to Zero's heart at first gaze. She could never truly be her, though. No one could replace Yuki.

"Yuki? Who's that?" She asked, sweet voice belonging to another.

Zero shook the thoughts from his mind, gazing at his close friend.

"She was.. No one. Forget I said anything." With those words, he picked up the tough stride he had lost with her lunge.

The girl gaped, annoyance overcoming her. She caught up, long winter coat swaying over brown heeled boots. She grabbed Zero's hand, glaring up to him.

"That's not fair, Zero! You can't say another girl's name when you talk to your girlfriend!" Her determined expression only annoyed him further.

"What are you talking about? You've never been my girlfriend, Barasuishou. Stop speaking nonsense." His rough tone only succeeded in causing the girl to puff out her cheeks. She whined, glare still on.

"Someone should take the job, Zero. Maybe if the position is filled, other girls will be jealous!"

The comment somehow caused a tinge of sadness to prod his heart. Thoughts swelled that should never be thought again.
No, Yuki, I wouldn't mind it at all. Please don't say it's just a plan to tear us apart in the end. Just keep holding my hand with the smile that you've always had. Please don't leave me. Please stay the same.
Even so, he ripped his hand away from hers.

"Stop fooling around. You should get home before it gets dark. It's not safe here." His warning and continued walking did not shake Barasuishou. She walked besides him, brown eyes pointed up like a small puppy.

"Are you working a "job" again? When are you going to tell me what type of work it is? Maybe I could help." It was an innocent comment through and through, but only anger burned through Zero.

"No, Barasuishou! Go home!"

The only good thing about her personality was that she knew when to back down. He may have even felt just a bit of lifted anger from the hurt expression appearing to her face. It was soon replaced with regret at the words that filled her lips.

"I'm sorry, Zero.. I didn't mean to be a burden. It's just, you're always helping me, you even saved my life, but I haven't been able to do anything to repay you. I just.." She trailed off, locking eyes with him.

"I'm sorry. I'll go back home. Just be safe, okay?" The usual parting of ways after he had taken a shouting too far. How was it that this girl always found him, seeked him out after he spoke such a way to her?

Zero clenched his teeth, truly groaning as he turned back. He shrugged off his harsh attitude.

"Ah, don't say that. I'm the one.. Who should be sorry. Why is it that you keep bothering me even as I tell you to go away?" She was truly persistent. Every single day he roamed the town, she was there to meet him. The same small girl in a white winter coat that reflected that of the snow drifting down from the sky. His little snowflake, in a way, not that he would admit such a thing.
Barasuishou picked herself up, laughing with red cheeks.

"Well, it's because you saved my life, Zero. That crazy man would have cooked me and ate me! Not just because of that, though." Her brown eyes sparkled with every grin-filled word that this girl spoke under the ascending moon.

"It's because it's you, Zero. When I saw your eyes, all I saw was sadness. It may sound weird, but I think the reason we met was for me to get rid of it." She giggled.

"However long it may take."

Yuki.

Zero's muscles acted before any other words could be accounted for. His arms wrapped around this girl, roses wrapping around him in a light scent. This was his breaking point, the very fixed point in time to which he could no longer contain the beast inside him, the raw emotion and regret.
"I've missed you so much.." The small whisper of welcome was either not heard by Barasuishou or ignored completely. She nodded, leaning her head into him.

"I love you, Zero." The words danced into his ears, his mind to another girl. If he could pretend it was her, if he could believe in a fantasy that would convince him to keep going, he would accomplish it.

Even if she wasn't quite the same person, this was his Yuki.

And even if it wasn't Yuki, he would convince himself that it was.