The streetlights cast long shadows as Haruto walked, their harsh glow reflecting him. Kei's hesitant words, , replayed in his mind like a broken record. He felt a pang of a gnawing sensation that tightened his stomach.
Unconsciously, his feet carried him to a familiar place – the playground where his childhood memories bloomed. Laughter echoed in his ears, not from the few children playing now, but from the days from his own childhood. He stopped by the worn-out wooden structure, tracing the faded markings on a cracked slate attached to its side.
HARU, Haru, HARU, Akina, Haru, Akina, Haru...
"Heh, Akina sure gave me a run for my money back then, " he said to no one, the slipping easily from his lips as a fond memory of his competitive sister.
Akina wasn't there, not in person. Their rivalry, all existed only in the faded carvings and the tattered remnants of a past he now desperately clung to his past
The memory flickered like a dying flame, the air thick with a mixture of disappointment and unspoken anger. Haruto wasn't sure what hurt more, the sharp words his father had uttered, or Akina's tear-filled eyes as she watched him pack his meager belongings.
The thing that hurt most is that the reality that the family he called rejected him
"You've always been a sickly child, like a flower" his father had said, his voice laced with a bitterness that didn't even Haruto. "You're not fit to carry the Akagi name. Akina, strong and healthy, she'll be the heir."
He was hated by the family...And his father is the least person to hate him...
The harsh voice echoed in Haruto's mind, a constant reminder of his childhood illnesses, the constant fatigue that shadowed him, and his inability to participate in strenuous activities – they had all been seen as weaknesses, burdens rather than mere health challenges.
"Sorry for being weak I guess" Haruto muttered.
Akina, unlike him, excelled in everything, her laughter a constant melody in their childhood home. He had mixed feelings toward her. As he left the only home he'd ever known, a pang of envy flickered amidst the sorrow.
The following years were a blur of struggle. He found a small, dingy apartment on the outskirts of the city, his meager savings rapidly dwindling. He worked part time jobs whenever his health allowed, the fatigue always a looming threat. Loneliness gnawed at him, the silent room made him insane
One particularly harsh winter, as the city was in a thick layer of snow, Haruto stumbled back to his apartment, wracked with a coughing fit. He collapsed onto the threadbare sofa, his body wracked with chills despite warmth emanating from the space heater. He drifted in and out of consciousness, a feverish haze clouding his mind.
He awoke to the soft glow of an oil lamp, the harsh shadows of his room replaced by a warm, flickering light. A figure sat beside him, her pale hand cool against his burning forehead. Her voice, gentle and soothing, was like a melody.
"You're burning up," she said, her voice like the tinkling of ice crystals. Her eyes, the color of a winter sky, held a soft concern.
He learned her name was Yuki, and despite the snowstorm raging outside, she seemed unfazed by the cold, her skin radiating a subtle warmth. She took care of him, her touch leaving a faint coolness that eased his feverish discomfort. She brewed him warm teas laced with strange herbs that soothed his cough and brought peace to his restless body.
Over the next few days, Yuki continued to care for him, her presence a quiet comfort in his small apartment. As he recovered, he learned more about her. She spoke about the snowy mountains, the serenity of frozen landscapes, and the delicate balance of the winter world.
Over the next few days, Yuki continued to care for Haruto, her presence a quiet comfort in his small apartment. As he recovered, he learned more about her. She spoke of the beauty of the snowy mountains, frozen landscapes, and balance of the winter world. Her voice, though lacking the warmth of human emotion, held a quiet strength.
One evening, as Haruto sat by the window, watching the snow gently fall, Yuki approached him. Her eyes, the color of a winter sky, held a hint of something Haruto couldn't quite place.
"Haruto," she said, her voice soft as falling snow, "you are strong, but even the strongest oak needs foundation to handle life. This apartment, while humble, can be your foundation. Consider it a gift, a small token of my gratitude for your kind heart and gentle spirit."
"Really" Haruto was astonished. He stammered, unsure of why she is doing this. Yuki smiled, a rare sight that lit up her face like a glimpse of the sun breaking through the clouds.
"You deserve it, Haruto," she said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You have a good heart, and the world needs more of that. Besides, I cannot stay here forever."
"Why Don't leave...I want you " A young Haruto pleaded
She explained that her connection to the winter world required her to move on, to journey to other places where her presence was needed. She assured him that she would always carry their connection within her.
Before she departed, Yuki offered Haruto one last piece of advice. She spoke of small, seasonal jobs that could help him earn a living without putting too much strain on his health.
She didn't much time but she only taught him to earn money...And even thought she taught him at most his household chroe work is disasterous and he couldn't prepare beyond bento meals. Yuki teased how someone can be that bad at housework.
Finally, the time came for her to leave. As she stood at the doorway, a single tear rolled down her cheek, a rare display of emotion for a creature of winter. She reached out and gently hugged Haruto's head to her chest, the coolness of her touch strangely comforting.
"Remember, Haruto," she whispered, her voice barely audible,
"even the coldest winter cannot extinguish the warmth of summer."
"Sofy and spongy " Haruto said as he snugged his face closer to her chest.
Yuki, taken aback by the sudden gesture, remained still for a moment. Then, a gentle smile touched her lips.
"Haruto," Yuki would begin, her voice tinged with a hint of wonder, "it seems you're maturing faster than I anticipated."
With those words, Yuki turned and walked out into the falling snow, her figure fading into the swirling white. Haruto stood at the window, watching her go, a bittersweet feeling settling in his heart.
"Can I see you again. "He knew he might never see her again, yet her presence and her acts of kindness had left an indelible mark on his life
"Maybe if you become successful...I will appear before you someday " She responded and left without looking back...
Haruto stood back watching her leave never lifiting his eyes and curiously looked at her while she is leaving untill she is completly out of his sight
Haruto sat on a park bench, the familiar swing set swaying gently in autumn breeze.
He closed his eyes, picturing her gentle touch, the soothing coolness that radiated from her, and her words of encouragement that had echoed in his heart even after she had left: "Even the coldest winter cannot extinguish the warmth of a Summer."
It was the north wind and sun...With how you can force people into 'doing' what you want but they won't yield better results than people 'doing' it by their own free will.
At first haruto thought it was the case... She could also imply that after coldest winter, we can finally experience winter...
Haruto thought deeply about the final words of hers for a long time
His reflection in the puddle beneath the swing set caught his eye. He saw a young man, his face etched.
His reflection in the puddle beneath the swing set caught his eye. He saw a young man, his face etche-
Suddenly, a bloodcurdling scream pierced the peaceful atmosphere of the park. Haruto's eyes snapped open, his heart hammering a frantic rhythm against his ribs. He looked in the direction of the scream, a cold dread slithering down his spine.
A shadowy figure, its movements a blur of unnatural speed and grace, was attacking a young couple on a nearby path. The woman lay on the ground, still. The man, caught in the creature's brutal assault, cried out again, his voice raw with terror.
A shadowy figure, its movements eerily swift and fluid, was attacking a young couple on a nearby path. The woman lay on the ground, motionless, while the man desperately tried to fend off the creature's attacks.
The bloodcurdling scream pierced the air, and something inside Haruto shifted. It wasn't a surge of fear, nor a primal instinct to help. It was an excitement, a dark thrill that consumed him completly. He snapped his eyes towards the source, landing on the struggling couple.
His lips curled into a cruel smile. This wasn't a horrifying scene; it was an invitation, an opportunity. His mind buzzed with a single, chilling phrase as he stared at the creature
"non-human detected KILL."