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She paused, the snow falling lightly around her, and the street lights illuminated the entirety of the beautiful city. The metal railing she grasped was cold to the touch, a sting on her soft skin. As her song came to an end, a soft sigh escaped her lips, her hands clasping together as she thought of the days leading up to this solemn Christmas, which took an unexpected turn in the end. All the time she had spent worrying over whether or not they could ever return to normal, or if Fujimoto would look at her in the eyes without scowling or responding in that harsh tone, any past worries could be easily pushed aside when she caught a glimpse of the umbrella that had been moved over her, covering her from the pure white snow.
“Are you trying to get sick?” he asked, the cloud formed by his warm breath dissipating as quickly as it showed itself. She looked up at him, offering her smile as she always did.
“The Christmas lights make everything so pretty, don’t they, Fujimoto-kun?” she asked, ignoring his earlier statement. He responded with a click of his tongue, still turning his gaze towards the streets, which were less busy thanks to the time but which were still occupied by friends, families, and lovers. Christmas was so bittersweet for him.
“Sure, it is,” he mumbled, watching a family walking through the park down below. The young boy smiled as he held his mother's hand tightly, bundled warmly in his jacket and scarf, which his mother surely wrapped snuggly around his neck before they set out. Normally, the holiday would fill him with malice that even he couldn’t explain himself, but now he just felt content. Maybe it was the presence that stood beside him, this ditzy girl who had somehow found a place in his gaze.
“Let’s head back, the later you stay out here, the later you’re bound to oversleep,” he commented, her gaze turning to him as he prepared to start walking, a gasp coming from her direction.
“I won’t sleep in! How mean…” Kobato pouted, still walking closely next to him as he led her down the well-lit streets with shops that were beginning to close up for the night. The two looked ahead at the people who were also retiring for the night, couples hand in hand up ahead. Fujimoto looked down at the ground, sneaking a glance at Kobato. She looked content, a smile on her face and a gaze that didn’t falter. Still, she had been so worried earlier. The fact that Doumoto would set all this up for her to find peace of mind…it had to mean something. And maybe that fact put him off. The umbrella that lingered in his hand suddenly felt a bit out of place compared to the warmth he wished for.
“Yeah, right. We’ll see,” he smiled ever so slightly, and Kobato glanced up at him. The reflection of the street lights and the snow that piled up around them in his greenish-brown eyes looked so pretty that she found herself staring. Her lingering gaze almost caused her to miss the smile on his face, the one meant for her.
“I’ve gotten much better about sleeping in as of late,” she smiled, lightly kicking up snow with her boots as she brought her hands up with a triumphant motion, staring up at him. “After all, I know you’ll be there to scold me if I don’t,”
“Maybe I should do so more often,” he murmured, her expression one of defeat. Even she knew that she could mess up a lot, and yet she yearned for the ability to be reliable. Maybe it would serve her well in fulfilling her wish, but she sincerely wanted to be useful, even if only to him. Her gaze shifted towards his hand, which held onto the umbrella, keeping it above the both of them. His knuckles were red, and she couldn’t help but turn back to her own hands, which had been snuggly tucked into her pockets mere moments ago.
“Let me!” she blurted out, her impulsive tendencies shining through even during (what was supposed to be…) a nice moment between the two of them. She grabbed the umbrella, her hand slightly grazing his own as she looked up expectantly, waiting for him to pull back. He stared down at her, wondering what her purpose was, but then he remembered that this was Kobato, and finding the answer to her impulsiveness wasn’t always easy. He only gripped the handle tighter, his brows furrowing.
“It’s fine. I’m carrying it,” he spoke bluntly, watching as she steeled her resolve, holding on tightly as well.
“Then we both can!” she smiled, her hand sliding down over his own. “It’s cold by yourself, isn’t it?”
His silence was not a telling sign of his internal emotions, all of which were conflicted. Of course, he wouldn’t put it past her to do something so naive, clearly unaware of how intimate the act was. Or maybe he was also being immature, and holding hands during the colder months wasn’t that big of a deal. Either way, he surely wouldn’t be the one to tell this foolish girl the truth. That she would have to figure out on her own. He averted his gaze, glancing over at the various shops that didn’t particularly pique his interest, but they served their purpose in keeping him occupied on something else. The sound of her humming suddenly began to lull him, the furrow of his brows letting up, his gaze falling back on the white snow beneath his feet. Moments like these almost made him forget the work he had tomorrow and the long day of classes after that. Even the mountain of debt that clouded over that precious preschool. At least until he felt the clang of the metal rod of the umbrella against the side of his head, over and over, it lightly thumped against him. He turned to her, an annoyed look on his face.
“Hey, stop that,” he grumbled, bringing a hand up to the edge of the umbrella and pushing it upright. She turned to him with an innocent expression, confusion all over her face. He sighed, bringing his hand back down and sliding it in his pocket. This wouldn’t have happened if he hadn’t allowed himself to get careless while listening to her humming. “If you’re going to insist on holding the umbrella, hold it right,”
“Ah, I’m sorry!” she apologized quickly, turning her attention back away. He glanced in her direction, looking in the shop window that had her so fascinated in the first place. He noticed a pair of dolls that were sitting in a dollhouse on display in the shop's biggest window. They looked to be hand-sewn, maybe even antiques, but they were a pair. Seriously, how childish. Gazing at a toy like that. Still, there was nothing inherently wrong with a bit of child-like innocence, except that her expression was one of solemn, not excitement.
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She gazed longingly out the window of her room, the cold shiver of the night's air finding its way in. The blue stuffed dog which sat beside her atop her luggage stared, his expression unsettling a bit as he watched her. It was obvious that Kobato’s feelings were more than just kindness when it came to Fujimoto, but it wasn’t to her. How could she not understand her own emotions, such a lively girl? He huffed, hopping down from the briefcase and walking to stand beside Kobato, who was sitting on the floor.
“Aren’t you cold?” he asked gruffly, her head turning towards him after a moment. She was clearly lost in thought.
“Oh, no, thank you for worrying!” she smiled, his patience suddenly running thin. He huffed, opening his mouth to speak up.
“I didn’t ask for your sake…I asked because I’m freezing! Close the window already!” he yelled, the girl squealing in response. She held her hands up as if bracing for the impact of his fire, but it never came. She slowly lowered her arms, glancing down at the stuffed dog. He was sitting beside her now. “Quit spacing out like that; you’ll get sick,”
“Yes, Ioryogi-san,” she replied, shutting the window solemnly before returning to gazing out of it in a daze. Meanwhile, the glass bottle that sat on the windowsill seemed to reflect the moonlight, only drawing more attention to the empty space towards the top. However, Ioryogi knew that the phases of the moon slowed for no one, and her wish seemed farther away than ever.