When The Snow Falls

PART I

1932

'Yurari! Where are you? It's time for your training!' A beautiful woman, called out. She was wearing a three layered kimono with her long, black hair twisted up in an intricate style. The woman's kimono was red with gold brocade patterns. Her makeup had been done mystically, to enchant customers.
'Mou...that kid, she's always running around.' She complained, even though her face softened as she thought about how these were the only moments Yurari had to live like a kid, all other times the child was always doing some or the other work for the elders. Yurari had been sold there when she had been only 9 years old.
'It's already been 5 years...Ka?' Time goes so fast. She still remembered the day when she had first seen Yurari.
- 5 years ago -
It had been night, when a couple had come in. The child they had in their hand, wrapped in a shawl, slept as they haggard on her cost. As morning came and the cold snowflakes fell on the ground erasing any sign of life, Yurari's eyes filled with tears. Yurari had always loved the snow but that day- first day of snowfall that year, was the most sorrowful day of her life, as she realized she would never see her family again. She took them to be the culprits, thinking that they had snatched her away from her family. No one had the heart to tell her that her own family had sold her to survive the bite of winter.

'AHHH! I am so sorry Okinu-nee-san! I'm late!' Okinu snapped out of the trance.
'Come on hurry up!' Okinu said pulling her along gently. Yurari looked out of the sliding door overlooking the garden and asked, 'Ne, Okinu-nee, do you think it will snow? I hope it snows after I see Tsubasa.. .'
Okinu looked at Yurari raising an eyebrow. 'Yurari, you love the snow don't you? Although I think you look forward to something else....'
A faint blush crept on her cheeks, 'Ah.... Ouh... that... Tsubasa is just um...' Okinu smiled slowly, 'Oh? That young police officer? He lives around here right?'
'Yup! He says that as this area is dangerous, he's here for everyone!'
Okinu chuckled, 'That's nice, he's 16... and you're 14... .'She murmured the last part to herself.
After her training for the day ran late Yurari ran to a small, comfortable house nearby. She pushed the sliding doors, inviting herself in. "Tsubasa! Are you there?"
'Here...' A deeper voice called from the garden. Tsubasa, a young man of 16, with brown eyes, resembling wood, along with a well-toned body. He smiled, inviting her to sit by him on the Engawa. She gladly accepted the offer.
'How was today?'
'It was fun! Okinu-nee is really nice; everyone was so kind to me...'
She let out an inaudible sigh. "I don't want to lose any of them..."
'Ah, sou?' he smiled. Noticing he was still in his work clothes, she asked him, 'Tsubasa-san, you're still wearing your formal police clothes? Did you just return earlier?' Looking down, he saw that he is still in his uniform. "Ahh, I did! I will go change, until then, I made some chamomile tea. I hope it is to your liking.'

Yurari waited patiently, slowly sipping the tea as Tsubasa changed.

The tea is quite nice, she thought pleasantly. As Tsubasa reappeared with everyday clothes, the pair saw through the window that snow had started drifting and landing softly. 'Ah, it's snowing ... I'll make something warm for us to enjoy.' Yurari only nodded, watching him disappear into the kitchen.
After some time, he came out from the kitchen, carrying a leek soup in a tray. Arriving, he observed that Yurari had fallen asleep, snoring peacefully.
I guess it is late, he thought.
Keeping the tray down in the living room, he went to the cupboard and took out a wool blanket, closing the door to the garden. 'You'll catch a cold sleeping here,' He softly whispered, smiling slightly. He gazed at her innocent sleeping figure. With the utmost care, he wrapped the blanket around her, careful not to wake her.

'Don't go... don't.... leave....me.' She muttered, surprising him.
He stared at the sleeping Yurari wide-eyed, only to realize she was talking in her sleep.
"Please... I want.... to ... see...the snow together."

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My first ever story which I actually completed! ><

I actually wrote it for a competition! And there is a lot more to the plot but I had to cut it short by pages.. Word limit ;-;

Any thoughts on this chapter?

60 views? ><
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Ciao!!~