Cold and warm
Mizore just put the shoes she usually uses at school in her shoes' locker when she hears the commotion of her schoolmates complaining about the weather outside, obliging her to turn her head around to look through the large windows to realize that it's raining.
She watches the rain fall heavily before she takes her umbrella out of her bag to step outside the building and into the merciless weather.
Once she's out, she gazes up at the gloomy and grey sky, admiring its sad beauty before closing her eyes briefly to let the cold and humid air blow her hair and whip at her face, enjoying its feeling against her skin. Then, Mizore opens them again and opens her umbrella to shelter herself under it from the rain, not wanting to get drenched.
Between the sound of the raindrops colliding against the fabric of her umbrella and against the concrete, she can hear a sweet laugh echoing in the distance.
Mizore turns her gaze to the source of such a lovely sound to see Nozomi waiting at the school gates, laughing carefree as she briefly but amicably chatters with a couple of their classmates before they say their goodbyes to her to go back to their own houses.
The blue haired girl can't help but stare at Nozomi for a couple of minutes, taking in her beauty before their eyes meet in the distance and the raven-haired girl smiles and waves at her and Mizore feels her heart fluttering at such an innocent gesture, waving back at her timidly before she starts to walk towards where the other girl is waiting for her.
As she walks, Mizore can't help but notice how Nozomi's slightly tanned skin seems to gleam under the dim rays that dare to make their way through the cloudy sky, and the way they hit and contrast against the black of her bouncing ponytail.
Somehow, it makes her feel as if Nozomi was the sun itself in the middle of a grey day and that makes an unknown warmth spread across her chest.
- Ready to go back home? – Nozomi asks her fondly as soon as they're close and Mizore can only nod, smiling softly at her.
As they start to walk back home together, Mizore can't help but listen to Nozomi's animated talking attentively, turning her head to the side to see her the entire time, getting lost in her.
She gets lost in the way her beaming smile makes her mesmerizing eyes sparkle vividly, trapping her into their ocean blue color. Sometimes, she feels as if with just one single glance, she was sinking into them, gasping desperately for air; others, like at that very moment, she feels herself floating peacefully in them and a feeling of calmness taking over her.
Mizore can't help but smile timidly at the sight of Nozomi's contagious smile, feeling how the warm and calm sensation spreads all over her cold dead inside.
Yet as she keeps staring at the raven-haired girl, taking in her incredible beauty and small cute quirks, she can't help but take into account how different they are.
Mizore averts her eyes to look down at the puddles formed on the concrete that reflect her gloomy demeanor, strong winds wrapping her thoughts to the point that she can't breathe as usual for any longer.
- Mizore?
Nozomi's sweet and cheerful voice brings her out of her dark thoughts, calming the storm swirling inside her head with ease.
Mizore gazes back at her to see those calming eyes looking right into hers, through her.
- Are you okay? – Nozomi asks her concernedly and Mizore has to muster her best smile to try to erase her concern and the frown on the other girl's features.
- I am, don't worry – she says quietly, seeing Nozomi nodding yet not very convinced before they resume their peaceful walk back home under the heavy rain.
This makes Mizore think about the irony of how Nozomi, who was born in a cold and raining autumn day, feels as if she was the warm sun in a sunny summer day while she, who was born in a sunny summer day is the complete antithesis of it, being cold and gloomy.
Mizore grimaces at the thought of their birthdays being mistaken.
Nozomi, upon noticing Mizore's sad gaze, bumps their shoulders to try and bring the blue haired girl out of her musings, making her look at her startled and surprised.
- You finally look at me – Nozomi says softly, winking and smiling at Mizore, gaining a light blush from her.
- S-Sorry – Mizore apologizes quietly, embarrassed.
- Are you okay? And don't tell me you are because I can clearly see you aren't – Nozomi kind of scolds Mizore, who blushes even more at have been discovered.
- I-I was just thinking.
- About? – Nozomi asks her without missing a beat, wanting Mizore to tell her what's wrong before she decides to shut herself down and not tell her anything.
- I… I feel like you're like the sun, shining brightly and illuminating everything around you, being able to turn the most dull and gloomy day into a sunny one and make people feel warm and happy – Mizore starts saying, seeing Nozomi arching an eyebrow amusedly at her, wanting to say something about what she just said before she quickly keeps talking – but I, on the other hand, I'm lonely and gloomy and can only make people feel cold and sad. We... we are completely different...
Mizore ends up trailing off embarrassedly, lowering her voice and looking sadly at the puddles on the concrete, not having enough courage to look up at Nozomi.
She hears Nozomi sighing before the other girl takes a step closer, taking her hand in hers and Mizore realizes how cold it is in comparison with hers, something that truly surprises her.
- That's not true Mizo. You're really warm and you always make me feel happy and are able to bright up my day no matter what. Being with you is my favorite part of the day and when we have to part ways to go back to our own homes, I feel sad because I want to be with you more time – Nozomi says with a big beaming smile on her face yet pouting slightly at the last part, making Mizore blush hard.
- Do you… really mean that? – Mizore asks her softly and insecurely.
- Of course I do! – Nozomi says happily, pulling Mizore into a tight bear hug which makes her blush harder and giggle quietly into Nozomi's chest before she timidly returns the hug, enjoying it.
The both of them keep hugging each other for a little longer, not realizing about their forgotten umbrellas on the soaked concrete nor how the rain slowly stopped and the sun started to take over the sky, scattering the clouds to illuminate everything brightly with its rays.
- Do you feel better now? – Nozomi asks her softly as soon as they break their embrace.
- Yes, thank you – Mizore says timidly which only makes Nozomi smile wider.
- Silly – she says between giggles, poking Mizore's nose briefly before she takes her by the hand, intertwining their fingers, much to Mizore's further embarrassment. Then, she starts to drag her back home, picking their umbrellas up from the floor on their way there.
- Come on, I can't wait for us to eat my birthday cake and then open your birthday gift to me.
Nozomi says cheerfully, eliciting another quiet giggle and smile from Mizore who quickly follows the other girl's lead, hoping she'll like the dark blue scarf she knitted just for her as a gift and which she hides in a safe place inside her school bag.
