Chapter 12
Golden moments
"It's idiotic." Nezumi said and flipped a page of the book he was reading.
"Yes, I know. I have heard that many times already from you since you found out about it." Shion answered and sat beside his boyfriend. He snuck into the blanket that Nezumi wrapped around himself half an hour ago and sank into the comfortable warmth. Nezumi trembled when the white haired boy's cold body leaned closer to him.
It was in the middle of December. The whole city was covered in snow and the low temperatures made everything outside freeze with a speed of light. It was the first winter that Nezumi spent in such nice, warm and dry place. Shion remembered the chilly air in their underground room in that season. He didn't complain, but he always felt cold and on edge of falling ill. Compare to the warm winters in the city, Shion was happy that he survived that season in the West Block.
Nezumi on the other hand was used to it; he didn't have any other choice anyway. On his journey, he didn't have the many chances to be in warm places during wintertime either. That's why he acted a little spoiled now, like moving the sofa closer to the hot radiator, absorbing all of its heat, covering himself with a fluffy blanket even though he didn't need more warmth, letting Shion bring them cups of hot coffee in these wintry evenings.
"Because it's really idiotic. I bet you were the one who got such sappy idea." The older boy went on.
"I don't think it's idiotic. It may be sappy, but not idiotic." Shion said and Nezumi put away his book.
"You know, Your Majesty, that Christmas were a religious holiday back then, before everything fucked up. No one believes in that in our times. Apart from that, it was one of the many events that were used by the big companies to make money on stupid decorations, toys and hell knows what else."
"I know all of that." Shion said calmly, feeling that his cold bones from running around city on that day was finally warming up.
"You know this and you still push the idea of recreating this holiday? You're really something, Shion."
"I know that, but I know that it also used to be a family holiday. Everyone were able to spend a few hours together, and they could be with their families and friend for one night. It became a holiday that everyone treasured, even those who didn't believe in that religion. It was a chance to spend time with their loved ones. A moment when people helped each other without requiring anything in return." Shion said and he knew that Nezumi was listening to every single word.
"You know how hard and tiring winter is. People are working hard to survive it. Every day is cold and the warm days are still far away, that's why I want NO.6 to have Christmas. One free day, aside from the New Year's day, so everyone are able to stay with their families and regain their energy to live through the rest of the winter."
Nezumi didn't say anything about Shion's arguments.
"It's just like you." He ruffled the other boy's white hairs.
"Still, you can just create a new holiday; you don't have to use the pre-apocalyptic one. It's completely idiotic. Some old guys in red pajamas giving gifts to good kids; what a bullshit. I don't know who could have thought of that." Nezumi said and returned to his book. Even so, Shion knew that his speech got straight into the older boy's heart and he didn't think of that holiday as a bad thing any longer. Shion chuckled.
"Yes, you right, that was strange, but in the holidays there's always a lot of food, I thought you would love it." Shion said and Nezumi throw at him a murderous look.
"Does His Majesty think that I'm glutton? Do you think that my only desire is to eat?"
Shion caressed Nezumi's thigh with his hand while smiling brightly.
"No, but I know that you like to try new things since in the West Block everything was so hard to get and food was almost never fresh. Your figure is perfect."
Pleased with flattery, Nezumi hummed with approval and returned to his book again. Shion leaned head over the other boy's shoulder and closed his tired eyes. Aside from his standard obligations at the work, he had volunteered to take care of all additional works on Christmas event. Even without budget, he planned a few things that would make that day more memorable.
Few elementary schools agreed to help him with the colorful decorations with the new arts lessons that the Committee had included into the educational program this year. They had luck because the city's central park grew a big pine tree that could be used as a Christmas tree. Toya, the member of Restructual Committee offered to take care of the lightings for the tree.
The 'tree decorations' idea was introduced to every school principal in the city and after work Shion was taken around by the new art teachers every day for two weeks, but the job was almost done. He hoped that people would like the outcome of his work and it would lighten their hearts.
He felt a little bit selfish, but he as well looked forward to spending time with his family and friends. A whole day with his beloved ones... It was a nice idea. That was what he wanted to create. A place where relationships with other people are the most important thing. The previous NO.6 wasn't like this; it was cold and empty without emotions and individuality.
It was Nezumi who taught him how important emotions were. Now Shion wanted to change this place just like how he himself had changed. He believed that maybe even silly things like Christmas would help with creating the city a new face. A place that wouldn't repeat its story again.
There was nothing wrong with cozy things, just like in this moment, when he was with the most important person in his life, lying under a comfortable blanket and letting his mind and soul sink into sweet dreams.
"Hey, Shion are you sleeping?" Nezumi whispered and chuckled softly when he didn't get an answer.
"It's just like you to fall asleep with a stupid grin on your face." He said quietly and wrapped his arm over the white haired boy's shoulder and continue to enjoy his book and the warmth of the biggest airhead in the world.
Nezumi fell on the blue covers of the bed feeling worn out like he had never felt for a long time. The last week in the bakery was crazy, especially during the last two days when all people in this annoying city went nuts and started to buy their pastry in wholesale numbers for Christmas Eve.
The Inhabitants of NO.6 began to read about that useless old holiday right after the government declared that on that day most people would be free from work. Almost every hospital and other security departments worked, but everyone could take a day off of their choice later on. Anyway, people liked the idea of Christmas and they tried to bring back some of the old traditions. Children made snowmen in the snowy parks and at home grownups prepared the holiday's dinners. Even Karan made some special designs for Christmas cakes, cupcakes and cookies.
That was the beginning of the end.
People were pushing through bakery's doors like crazy and Nezumi had to work five times harder than normal. If he wasn't baking tons of pastry, he would have to sell them, or run around in town to get the ingredients because they ran out of sugar or flour. While pulling the big bags through the city covered in the snow, he cursed that neither Karan nor Shion had a car to make these things easier.
Thus after his work he fell on the bed with a promise to sleep over this whole idiotic holiday. He took a fast shower and climbed onto the bed not waiting for Shion to return. He fell asleep one minute after he had closed his eyes.
His plans were ruined, as always, by one, overly excited, white haired boy.
It was past 10AM when he woke up. He didn't remember when the last time he slept for this long was. The first thing he noticed was someone was looking at him and running their hand gently through his long hair. Nezumi didn't even need to guess who it was.
"Good morning." Shion smiled cheerfully at him. Nezumi looked into the crimson eyes that was radiating sunshine. Normal people didn't smile like this, but this was Shion.
"What are you smiling about?" He asked anyway, feeling silly when his voice didn't sound so annoyed as he planned.
Shion looked over the still-sleepy face of his boyfriend.
"I'm happy that we are lying in bed just like this. We don't have many opportunities to spend the morning like this, even less when I can wake up beside you." Shion said with his usual straight face and a big grin.
Nezumi moved his head under the Shion's chin, as the other boy guessed, to hide his flushed face. The white haired boy thought that it was such a pity because he loved it when Nezumi was embarrassed. This was their own moment. They didn't have to hurry anywhere, they didn't have anything to do until evening and they could stay like this without any problems.
From Nezumi's action, he was able to see that the dark haired boy was going to spend the whole holiday in the bed. Shion couldn't let that happen. Even if it was silly, he planned a few things for this holiday. They wasn't anything extravagant. He wanted to help with preparing a dinner. And later when it got a little dark, he wanted to take a walk with his mother and Nezumi to the Christmas tree. After that, Inukashi and little Shionn would drop by for dinner. He also invited Rikiga, but the man had already had plans with his colleagues.
Shion ran his hands through the dark hairs and looked at the clock hanging on the wall. He had at least two hours before he started negotiating with Nezumi to get the other boy out of bed. Still, before that, they had plenty of time, so he made his boyfriend look at him. Shion brushed his lips over corner of Nezumi's. The silver eyes shined with the playful sparks and they met again with lazy kisses.
Shion could feel in every cell of his body that today was going to be wonderful.
Nezumi should have known. It was the one big conspiracy against his poor soul. Shion and his manipulating morning activities were the first warning sign and the harmless question about heading to the first floor for breakfast after that was the second sign that Nezumi had ignored.
After they ate, they started to help Karan in the kitchen and before he knew he had already stood next to the happy family, his shoes had been put on and he had already wandered into the street full of snow.
He felt silly since he could guess their destination. It was that sappy tree for the spoiled inhabitants of city. Even so, to his and Shion's surprise he didn't complain much. He loved the evening walks if they didn't include dragging 40 pounds of flour around. Even with the knowledge that he was in NO.6 and it was cold outside compare to the warm bed, a little change of his surrounding was something he was glad to see.
On the other hand, a few years ago he told Shion that he wanted to see how the white haired boy was going to change this notorious city. Nezumi was going to keep his promise, even if it was something as idiotic as seeing Christmas tree.
Shion's ID bracelet rang, and the crimson eyed boy stopped walking to answer the call.
"Hey, Shion." The image of Inukashi with dark lines under her eyes was showed on the digital screen.
"Inukashi, did something happen?"
"I'm afraid yes. Shionn caught a flu, I have hoped that he will get better so we can come to dinner, but there's no changes."
They heard small sneeze and the quiet "mommy" outside of the camera view.
"I'm coming, dear." Inukashi said looking left side.
Shion face showed pure worry.
"Do you need any help?" Karan asked while standing beside her son so Inukashi could also see her. Inukashi smiled and waved her hand.
"No, there is no need for you to waste your day off. We saw a doctor yesterday already. Shionn has taken some medicine so he will get better soon. I hope the Christmas tree looks nice since he can't wait to get better and see it."
"We are about to check it out." Shion said nervously. It was clear that he was a little worried if everything turned out right. He left the rest of this work to his co-workers from the committee who volunteered to decorate the tree, so that was why he had yet seen the outcome.
"From what Lili said in the morning, it looks amazing and now with the lights on, it must have looked even more beautiful." Karan added, making all Shion's nervousness disappear in the second.
"Did you heard that Shionn? We will go there once you feel better." Inukashi smiled to her child and they heard a tired "hurray". Karan and Shion chuckled softly. Inukashi looked back at the monitor.
"I am not going to waste more of your time, have fun at the park and dinner. Too bad that we are going to miss Mrs. Karan's cooking. I was really looking forward to it. See you later, we will visit you as soon as possible. "
"Take care Inukashi, I hope Shionn will get better soon. Let us know if you need anything." The white haired boy said.
"Don't worry about that, airhead. Bye."
The monitor on Shion's wristband disappeared and three of them continued walking.
"Lili came today?" Shion asked his mother.
"Yes, she couldn't get the pastry that Renka ordered yesterday, since she was busy with helping her mother at their shop and taking care of her little sister. She came this morning, but I didn't want to disturb you two." Karan explained.
"I see." Shion answered and his face turned all red. Nezumi rolled his eyes.
'Great Shion, you could just as well scream that we had sex this morning,' the old haired boy thought. Not that Karan didn't have the idea that their relationship was on such level, but the boys would rather display their intimacy in front of Shion's mother as little as possible. Karan was always happy when she saw them being close, but to find them while having sex? Nezumi couldn't even imagine it. Or he could, at last he knew that Shion would freak out and his own work at the bakery would be awkward for at least few weeks.
"So what do you think?"
Shion asked him and Nezumi was realized that they had already made it to the center of the park without his notice. Many inhabitants of the NO.6 came and the whole place was packed with people. Before them was a big pine tree that was now lightened up by the colorful lights. Here and there on the branches hanged the colorful decorations made out of paper, from the chains to the twinkling stars and the other origamis like small paper animals. Some were made better than others, which was clearly made by the little kids. However, the golden light and something in such amateur products made even people like Nezumi think that such view was pretty. There wasn't any artificial feeling which NO.6 had used to be.
Nezumi saw a child dragging his parents and raising his hand to point at one of the paper stars hanging on the tree.
"Mom, Dad, I made this one!"
"It looks complicated to make, good work!" said his father with a cheerful voice and patting his son's head.
Nezumi reverted his attention to the tree and smiled a little. It wasn't perfect like the one in the picture books from the past when machines made decorations for the Christmas trees, but it was full of passion. He looked at Shion whose nose was as red as his scar because of the cold. He still waited for Nezum's opinion.
After seeing the dark haired boy's little smile other boy stopped feeling nervous, and now he waited for his boyfriend's judgment in silence.
"It's nice. It doesn't feel forced and people looks happy."
He said and Shion beamed happily. Karan wrapped her hand around Shion's arm.
"It's beautiful. So many people worked to create this moment and you can feel that. You and the rest of the committee have done an amazing job." The woman said and went back to admire the decorated tree again. Shion flushed a little, making his face even redder, but he too looked at the golden-bathed decoration with twinkling eyes.
The white haired boy looked excited and charmed just like the first night when they first met. That memory made Nezumi's smile go wider.
"Mr. Shion!"
They heard a woman's voice from the crowd. Three of them turned around to find the source of the sound. To them approached a blond haired woman in the late twenties and just after her was a man around the same age.
"Good evening, Shion, Mrs. Karan." Man said as they finally stood before them.
"Good evening Mr. Toya, Mrs. Alice." Shion greeted the newcomers.
"Good evening." Karan looked at those two with all her kindness. Nezumi stood a step away from all of them wondering who these people were.
"Amazing work. I didn't even imagine that it could look so pretty." Shion said and the blond haired woman smiled widely.
"Thank you. I'm just glad that I could help. Your idea was amazing and Toya had done an amazing job." Woman looked at the man beside her with glittering eyes.
"Still, hanging all those lights and paper decorations must have taken a while." Karan said.
Nezumi looked at them from afar and felt many mixed emotions. Mostly, he felt like his new little family had forgotten about him. He knew that he and Shion agreed to not show their relationship to the other people, and that kept him away from getting angry in this situation. Still, he didn't like it at all. He wondered when he had changed so much. He never cared about getting attention from other people, but now seeing Shion and Karan being with other people made him feel lonely. It was not like him at all.
As if Shion could read his mind, the white haired boy turned around and looked at the dark haired boy. Shion grabbed Nezumi's sleeve and dragged him closer.
"Allow me to introduce you. These are my co-workers from the committee and also my friends. They always help me a lot and I can't go this far without them."
"Really, No we didn't help much, Mr. Shion. It's you who have had many good ideas and make it happen. We along with other committee members are just assisting you."
"Toya, don't interrupt Shion." Alice said while nudging the man with her elbow. Shion smiled amusingly and continued his introduction.
"So this is Alice Miang, she's a specialist in sociology and psychology fields. This man is Toya Takahashi, he manages engines and all of structural departments."
Shion waved his hand at his boyfriend.
"This is Nezumi. We have known each other since we were twelve and he's now working at my mom's bakery." Shion said words that didn't lie, but at the same time didn't expose their real relationship.
"Oh, so this is the Heartbreaker from Karan's bakery." The blonde haired women exclaimed and Shion raised his eyebrows in confusion.
"My younger sister talked a lot about him. Many high school girls buy pastry at that bakery not only because of the amazing goods, but also because of a charming baker."
"Really? I haven't heard about this." Shion said in surprised, looking at both Karan and Nezumi. Shion's mother chuckled.
"Well maybe we have a lot more youngsters coming to the bakery since Nezumi started working."
Nezumi wanted to ask Shion if he was jealous just to tease him since his face had already mixed with surprise, worry and that I-want-to-know-everything expression. Too bad that they weren't alone in that moment.
The wristband on Shion's co-worker's hand rang and man checked out the electric clock on the digital monitor.
"Oh, I'm sorry, but we have to go. I've invited Alice for dinner to thank her for helping me with this project."
"I have told you that you didn't have to, I volunteered on my own will to decorate to Christmas Tree." Woman said, but it was clear that she was happy because of the invitation.
"Nice to meet you Nezumi, I'm glad that we ran into each other in better circumstances this time Ma'am." She said last part to Karan who nodded with a sad smile.
"Indeed it is. Thank you for taking care of my son." Karan said.
"Shion is a great and intelligent man, it is our luck that we can work with him." Toya added.
Shion flushed even on his ears. He wanted to protest, but the blond haired woman already waved to him goodbye and dragged her co-worker out of the crowd.
It seemed that the warm, intelligent and naive Shion had found some people similar to him to change this city. But perhaps that was what NO.6 needed. Nezumi looked at the colorful tree once more before they too started to head back to home. Nezumi hoped that this government of No.6 was the right one, that it wouldn't fail again. He wished for that because if NO.6 lost its humanity again, if people in this city needed to fear, die because of hunger, if they had to cry and crawl for survive... He didn't want the future to be like this again. That was what he no longer wished for anyone. Or maybe he himself was so afraid to experience all those bad things again.
He didn't want to return to those times after he had lived this new life in Shion's family. He didn't want to be scared of losing everything he cared about. Just like waking up from the beautiful dreams and you ended up feeling broken, cold and empty when you realized that nightmare was the true reality.
No, he would never forget the screams of dying people, of the lives he himself took away.
And yet, now he had to use his old way how to live, his rule of not being attached to his past. He would going to live and survive each and every day, no matter if it was a nightmare or a dream. He looked at Shion's profile while the other boy talked happily with Karan about the dinner. Nezumi wished that this dream would not turn into nightmare.
He had enough of it in his life.
It was enough, right?
