Chapter 4: Friends

It's already one hour since I take care this garden together with Chitose. I almost forget about my hunger if I don't realize what time is it.

"Huh? It's already 7 o'clock…" Chitose silent for awhile, I think she is thinking.

Suddenly, Chitose said something that makes me so surprise "…Oh, I forget about our breakfast! You must be hungry."

I'm surprise, not because Chitose's loud voice but I'm surprise about what I have heard a few minute ago.

"Wha…!?" Now, I'm speechless.…

"It, it's okay… I'll cook now." Chitose quikly reply it, try to calm me down.

Now this is for my fatal mistake," What about these pot?"

"Ah, I almost forgot! Can you do me a favor? Please, take this pot to the entrance, will you?"

"…err…"

"I'm going to make our breakfast now." I don't want to, but Chitose use her 'deadly weapon' to me, her smile. Perhaps, she knows my weakness.

"…Alright…"

Sigh, I shouldn't have to ask her this. I'm hungry now. Well, at least I can eat my breakfast peacefully after this.

I bring this blue-clay pot to the entrance. Not too heavy, but I still strong enough to lift this thing.

"Sigh, I'm hungry!"

Damn, I really don't think I should sigh like this. Chitose always help me, why I can't reply it. I'm not like Toya. Yeah, I'm not like him. He always being a jerk. Not like me, always help Chitose with this and that.

I turn around from the backyard with a clay pot on my hands. Looks like, I will collapse. The pot is heavier than before or maybe that I can't hold it anymore?

"Fiuh, there!"

I put the pot in the place where Chitose told me. I feel really tired, like a 60 old man. I sit down next to the pot for awhile until Chitose call me for the breakfast. Actually, I sit in here for restoring my stamina. I close my eyes; I can feel the cold that surround this place. The cold almost like a sharp blade that pierce my skin. Fortunately, I still can bear the cold. Thanks to Chitose. If she didn't give me this set of cloth, I think, I might be die.

This place is already sleeping in this eternal snow for long time ago. No one can wake her up. I feel like…being isolated from another world. This place is like exile to me. Covered by snow field, only this small house that can stand still. And only three of us that can bear to live here.

It feels like I already sit in here for very long time and again, the snow start to fall. It touch my almost insensible-little nose, I can feel it, I can feel the cold, and I hear… little… a little crying voice…

The voice sounds familiar to me. "Where it's come from?" I look around, trying to find someone who causes the voice, but no one is here, expect me or… "Perhaps…"

I'm starting to frighten myself… I'm afraid, I'm scared, but the voice becomes louder. Now, I can hear it cleary. "Maybe there is a ghost in here or it is yukki-onna or…" I grumble to myself. My breath becomes heavy… I… I… stand up, and my head being hit by something hard just above me.

"Huh!?"

I see an opened window above me. It looks like; it opened while I was closing my eyes. Perhaps, it's come from there. But, if I'm not wrong, this is that annoying boy's room, Toya. Yeah, his name is Toya. Can he crying? I think NO... He is such a horrible person. But… I'll check it, just in case.

I try to look inside this room. But I'm too short, I can't reach it. I stand on my tiptoes until my feet feel hurt.

"Almost there… Urgh!"

Man, that's very tired. I wish I'm taller than this. I think another way to reach it, I won't give up. Ah, yes… I think I should JUMP! So I jump and jump very high. But I can't look it very clearly; I only can see Toya is sitting on his bed, looking at something that I can't see it. Maybe, it's very special for him. Finally, I know that I have a limit too. I'm tired. I couldn't jump anymore. I just want to keep silent, waiting for Chitose call me for breakfast.

… … …

Not just one minute I try to calm myself, I begin to run to the backyard and search for a wooden block.

I put it in front of the window, and so, I stand on it.

What I have just seen is very unbelievable. Is that true that Toya is…. crying? Toya is the one who make that voice? This is unbelievable. A jerk like him can cry? It's impossible. He always being so strong looking boy.

Actually, this is a funny thing to laugh on. But, well, I know… It's kindda sad. It's touching my heart to hear the crying voice. I wanna cheer him up, but he thinks me as his enemy. He doesn't even realize I stand on his back, watching something that he won't let other people know. Without thinking very much I say "I thought you are a cold-hearted person. So you can cry too, eh?"

Toya seems a bit surprise hearing my voice and quickly turn around. I don't know what will happen next, I'm ready if he wants to hit me.

Unexpectedly, he whips his tears and starts to set his arrogant face and smile again. I know, I will hate this part.

"Oh, the thief from this morning. What are you going to do now? Steal things in my room?"

"Hey, watch yer' mouth! I'm no thief. Don't EVER call me thief again. That time, I was just searching Chitose on that room." I got a bit of my anger, but I don't want lose my control of myself. I take a deep breath and blow it slowly. I think for a while "…… Well, at first, I was just taking care of these flowers, but suddenly, I heard some crying voice. It sounds very pitiful. I wanted to know who was crying. I thought it might be you, so I took this wood box and step on it. And here I am, talking to you."

Maybe, I talked too much. I just want him to know the truth. And, yeah, I think he gets it. We both remain in silent for a moment. We look each other with our emptiness. Finally, I start our conversation again.

"You were crying, weren't you?"

"D-Don't be silly! I wasn't crying." He looks like a bit surprise again, but still insist with his serious face. Everybody of course will believe him. But not for me, I saw it with my own two eyes. Heard his crying.

"Oh yeah? So what's about your eyes? It's kindda red", I smile for my victory. But Toya doesn't reply as usual.

I continue my word, "You cried while staring that photo…" No, I'm truly the winner. But, it's wrong until…

"Hey, mind your own business!……my eyes…… It's, it's because…… dust…"

After finishing his hesitating words, he turn around his face, doesn't want to see my face anymore. I don't know what to say anymore. I just can say, "… you know? Chitose worried about you she feels sorry for what happened to you, but… It's over now. You can start your own new life. You've got a person who cares about you, always takes good care of you. She's nice to you, why don't you be nice to her too? Why won't you show your gratitude? It's already 4 years since your village was burnt."

I don't know why I feel angry to him. Until I don't know I was talking to him with my rising voice. Toya start to look at me slowly.

"She told you everything?"

"Yes, but not her feelings. I know she must be upset."

"……"

"… Atsuma."

"Eh?"

"The name's Atsuma. Chitose gave me this name."

Toya seems doesn't care about this. He just…turns around his face again against me. But suddenly…

"…Toya."

I felt happy when I heard that. I smiled and reply… "It's nice to know you!"

He notices my smile and turn around to see me. Then, he replies my smile with his sweetest smile that I've never seen. Honestly, I'm surprise.

"Hey! Don't you feel cold, Atsuma?"

"Well, a bit. Why?"

"I'm freezing on here and it's because of you!"

"ME!? Why me?"

"You stand in front of my window for minutes. I can't close it!"

"Oh, sorry."

"Hahahahaha"

This is the first time I saw his truly smile. Doesn't seem like Toya once I knew. So happy, without any burden.

"Are you finish with your flowers?"

"Yeah."

"Come in then! You better not get sick or you'll make Chitose some trouble."

Without thinking too much, I climb through the window. I heard Toya speak with his anger, "What are you DOING?"

After my feet touch the floor, I close the window. "There, you won't feel cold anymore."

"I know! But not like that! Look at your feet! Full of snow!"

"Ah, sorry…"

I said with my innocent look. Meanwhile, Toya seems cross.

"Just look at this mess! The floor's dirty and… and…"

I can't stand hearing his babbling, so I take some snow from my shoe and throw it to Toya's face.

"What the?"

"Hehe…" Is just my reply.

"Oh well, take this too."

Damn, the snow hit my face. Uh, there's no more snow left. But I've another good idea. I take one of the pillows on the bed and start to hit him with this. Toya won't give up so easily, he take the last pillow and a attack me too. It's quickly become a sudden pillow-war. We don't feel angry, hatred or even annoyed. We are happy to know each other, happy to play together.

This, is our first game we played together as friends, not enemies.