Prompt 7:
Christmas Lights
Ami didn’t mind the cold. She never did. It always felt bracing to her, made her feel alive compared to the comfort of indoors. Others got their thrills in other ways, but she liked to feel the icy sting of winter on her cheeks. She liked the small warmth of tears in her eyes when the brisk wind washed over her. Most of all, she liked how many others weren’t out. The city was quieter than usual, especially in the late hours, and she could walk home focusing on the crunch of her boots in the snow.
The wind howled, and she stood against it for as long as she could. Finally, another gust revived itself as the breeze was dying, forcing her to turn her back to it. Once the burst of it faded, she turned back to face the city before her. Through her tears, it was nothing more than blurred halos of lights, most of them blue for the holiday. It felt like an icy wonderland, and she reveled in the sight, not daring to blink until she had to. She didn’t want the sight to fade.
“Are you all right?”
The voice made her shiver, almost an impossible task in the cold of the night. She did not want to turn around, simply nodded and proceed to walk. Forgetting the beautiful sight, she blinked several times anxiously to reveal the true path ahead of her.
“Wait,” the voice cried out. “Wait! Please!”
The plea was enough to stop her. She could never refuse his begging. Did he know this somehow? For fear of the answer, she didn’t face him. She wasn’t sure if she could, but didn’t have to wait long to find out. He rounded her plainly, standing off to the side rather than directly in front of her. At least he was kind enough not to block her path. Her eyes flickered to the familiar face, now colored from the cold as well but tucked into a sparkling silver scarf.
He exhaled with a dazzling smile. “Are you all right? You stopped so suddenly, I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“I am fine. Thank you.” Ami nodded to him before continuing on her way.
He took a few long strides and caught up with her easily; she silently cursed her small stature. “I’ve seen you before. In the library, right?”
She nodded, unwilling to speak.
“My name is Higashiyama Yuuto,” he pronounced each syllable with grandeur, something that did not seem to fade from the past. “And yours?”
Trapped by formality, she yielded. “Mizuno Ami.”
“Pleasure.” he beamed. They walked on for a few more minutes before he ventured more conversation. “I know this is quite forward, and I’m not sure it makes any sense, but I’ve recently been told – well, it doesn’t make any sense anyway. Nevermind.”
Ami’s interest grew. She stopped, and he did the same. Looking up at his face, her brow turned up with curiosity. “What is it?”
Yuuto smiled at her interest, and she realized the clever trap to entice her had worked. He shrugged his shoulders and looked away. “It really doesn’t make any sense. I’m not sure I believe it much, but I can’t shake it.”
He hadn’t told her. Doubt began to creep up that there wasn’t a trap set up for her at all. Ami saw before her just a simple young man who had a nagging past that would not let him go. She didn’t speak, however. Would him knowing anything more would do any of them any good?
“Well, I feel as if you’re a part of it,” he said with a charming laugh. “Forgive me, this must sound crazy to you.”
“It should.” Her choice of words had come out before she thought, a rare occurrence for her. Then again, she was never very good at keeping secrets.
He looked surprised by her words, too, but in a pleasant way. “But it doesn’t, does it?”
Ami felt helpless as she shook her head. Her blue eyes fell away from his face, no longer able to help fight the pity for him. If she had never awoken, her life would be easier and plainer but not more enjoyable. Every hardship she had endured was worth all of the happiness. Who was she to make this decision for him? Perhaps he would be content without the truth.
“But if I asked you to tell me, you wouldn’t, would you?”
“It is not my place.”
“Ah, I see,” he said, nodding slowly at the predicament. She thought he would press the issue, but instead found him smiling at the path ahead as another brisk wind blew. His eyes remained open until the breeze died, and then he tossed his curls out of his face with a jerk of his head. To her surprise, he cackled with unbridled glee. “I love when the cold blurs your vision. Makes the world seem a brighter place for a moment.”
He gazed down at her with a broad smile, but it was quickly pressed into a tight grin. He chuckled awkwardly, looking up and down the street before his vibrant green eyes fell on her again. “Well, I do apologize. I’m sorry I pressed you for answers, but thank you for your honesty. Perhaps when I have my answers, we will meet again, Miss Mizuno.”
She nodded briskly, finding her truly hoping that someone would tell him the story. Maybe Mamoru, she thought quietly as she watched him turn in the opposite direction of her own. As his figure shrunk against the cold, she couldn’t help but feel truly sorry for the young man. Who had interrupted his life with all of this? “I am sorry I couldn’t be of more help. I hope you find you what you’re looking for.”
Good-naturedly, and with a boyish laugh, he held up a gloved hand in thanks as he moved on. “As do I!”
Ami couldn’t look in that direction any longer as she turned and continued on her own way home. It was no surprise that the lights ahead her once more blurred into a holiday wonderland, and blurred further and further despite her furious blinking. Tucking her face deeper into the large white scarf, even though it did not warm her, Ami cried for the poor Yuuto the whole way home.
