"Are you ready?"
"Give me a second. Let me turn off the gas."
It's only one hour to the new year. I'm in the kitchen baking muffins, right after Elma and I made some mochi.
I feel Elma sway me from behind. Her action causes me to do a 360. She does a little dance as she spins me around. Our hands are now interlocked. In a swift motion, she pulls me closer to her chest and my head is resting in her wide bust. I hear her heart beating rapidly.
She gives a little chuckle. "Come on Nai. You're slaving away in the kitchen and it's New Year's Eve." Elma's getting impatient.
I chuckle. "It's all for you honey."
"You're the sweetest thing Nai" she says with a twinkle in her eye.
She grabs my arm and takes me to the stairway that leads to the rooftop. I instantly remember the first time she had shown me her true dragon form. It happened just like this. She pulled me to the rooftop and revealed her beautiful serpent body to me.
She opens the door to the large open roof space. My eyes fixate on a small table with a single candle as the centerpiece. It is adorned with a gorgeous banquet fit for a royal couple.
"Elma, this is beautiful."
The casual blue sweater she was wearing moments ago transforms into a dark elegant evening gown. Her earrings are the long drooping kind that sparkles in the dark night.
I'm speechless at the way she looks- so delicate, classy and there is a glint of innocence about her, something supernatural, angelic even. My angel.
She is holding a scale of hers and points her right index finger at me. My clothes magically transform into a silk grey dress. Dragons have the fortunate ability to make their own clothing by using their scales. Elma can make clothing for herself by using just one scale.
She cups my cheeks. "Nai, you look very pretty tonight."
"Elma, so do you. You look so beautiful. I feel like I don't deserve this or you. You're so good to me...like an angel."
She blushes at my compliment but I was only being honest. "Am I not your angel, Nai?"
"Ooh look at the time. You must be hungry Nai." She takes my hand and leads me to the table. She pulls the chair for me. "Please have a seat."
"Thank you El."
She takes a seat and pours red wine into our glasses.
"This is...Elma did you do all of this yourself?"
"Ye-yes. Is something wrong Nai? You don't like it? And I was telling myself that I went over-the-top"
"Shhh" I place my hand on her lips. "It's perfect Elma. I didn't know you were going to go all-out but it's perfect and I love it. Let's eat now shall we?"
Elma's tummy rumbles Some things never change. "Ye-yes" she says quietly.
The fingers of the night's cold wind caresses my smooth skin. The wind blows Elma's short hair to the left. Words can't describe the beauty she's currently emanating.
Up here on the rooftop, it feels like we're the only ones in the world. Just the two of us.
"It sure is dark tonight. Not even a single star or snowflake."
"I kind of like it though. It's strange" Elma adds.
"I know exactly what you mean."
"Dinner was delicious Elma."
"I'm glad you liked it." Elma becomes overjoyed whenever I compliment her but I always tell her the truth.
We position our seats together and we sit next to each other to welcome another year.
"Elma, I want you to know that this year was the best year of my short life. So many things happened. I met you and we started a wonderful family. We made so many memories. Last year and the years before I spent New Year's by myself. I never felt myself looking forward to a new year. I never get why people say "Happy New Year" when it's just a new time to be recorded. A restart." I pause for a breath. "But I look forward to spending another wonderful year with you, or I should say, I look forward to spending many wonderful years with you."
Elma is nearly in tears. She's chuckling and on the verge of tears at the same time. "Nai, you said exactly what I wanted to say. You put in words what I find difficult to express. You're really amazing you know that."
I feel her hand interlock with mine. "Before I met you, I was lost. I travelled many lands and cities and met many people and creatures. But here is where I truly belong, with you.I will always love you Nai. No matter what comes between us, I want you to know I'll never stop loving you."
She tightens her grip on my hand and locks lips with mine. Her tender lips always have a homely warmth to them. I can now feel tiny snowflakes on my head.
We break the kiss and it's snowing. Elma makes a scarf for me. "I don't want you to catch a cold."
"Aw but if I do, wouldn't you take care of me if I'm sick?" I say, nuzzling playfully in her chest, her soft skin, like a pillow to me.
"Fufufu you fragile humans get sick after some snow. To answer your question, yes I would love to take care of you but on the other hand, I would hate seeing you sick and helpless."
We see fireworks in the distance. We touch our glasses together. "Cheers to a new year."
Elma stands up. "Where are you going?" I ask her.
"Nowhere. I just want to show you what real fireworks are." She inhales a deep breath and faces upward and before I know it, flames are coming through her mouth to create the most beautiful fireworks I had ever seen. That's my dragon wife.
I'm mesmerized by the kaleidoscope of colours on display. I'm sure people two cities away could see the dragon's fireworks.
When she was finished, she came back to where I was sitting. "So what did you think?"
"It was amazing. I'm sure people two cities away from us could have seen it."
"Thanks. Hey Nai?"
"Hm?"
"What do you think our son is doing right now?"
"Aren't you the one with the magical powers Elma?, you tell me!"
"Fufu I don't want him to think I'm spying on him. I have an idea, let's call him tomorrow."
"That sounds great. I'd love to talk to him."
Both of us enjoy the firework displays of the 'mere human's for a few more hours until I enter a peaceful state of slumber in Elma's lap.
...
"Nai, wake up." Did I sleep on the roof the whole night?
I open my eyes and it's not entirely dark but not bright as yet either. "Nai, you're going to miss the first sunrise of the year if you sleep."
"Ok I'm up, I'm up."I notice we're still in our evening gowns unlike a traditional Japanese family who would be flaunting their yukatas. But then again, there was nothing "traditional" about us. We were unorthodox in the most textbook definition way. But I didn't care and she didn't either.
Elma's face glows in the warm sunrise. The morning holds a certain serenity. Even the birds haven't started their songs as yet.
Elma is first to break the silence. "It's nice, isn't it? I'm glad I get to live another day and see the sun rise next to you. I mean last year, I watched the first sunrise at Miss Kobayashi's household but it was no big deal to me. However I kind of get what Tohru must have meant now, when she said she wanted us all to see the year's first sunrise together. That was exactly one year ago."
Once again, our lips meet in the sun's glory.