E Is For Enemy

Prologue

Ten years ago

Asano's P.O.V.

I sculpted the snow carefully, making the features of the snowman absolutely perfect. He was perfectly symmetrical, with a bright orange carrot sticking out of the center of his face, and black coal eyes.

I was just putting the remaining pieces of coal in a smiley face when there came a sudden shout of delight, and suddenly a red figure came flying out of nowhere and leaped onto my snowman, crushing it.

I gasped, dropping the coal. "Akabane! You ruined my snowman!"

A red head poked out of the pile of snow. His hat was even redder than his hair. He stuck his tongue out at me, grinning. "Sorry, Shuu."

I packed some snow into a ball and threw it at him. "Go away!"

He dodged it and his sunset eyes narrowed at me, flashing at the prospect of a fight. "Oh, you wanna play this game, Shuu?"

"I have to rebuild him, get off his face." I stated coldly.

Karma picked himself up and brushed snow off his snow clothes. He bent down and gathered some snow up in his mitten covered hands, packing it onto a circle.

He stood up and we stood eye to eye. Me glaring, him smirking.

"Lets make a bet, Shuu." He said. "I bet I can beat you in a snowball fight. If you win, I'll help you rebuild your snowman. If I win, you have to do whatever I say."

"I don't want to make bets with you." I rubbed my nose, sniffling in the cold.

"Scared to lose?" He leered.

"Father says only fools make bets." I answered.

Karma sighed and plopped the snowball on my head. "You're no fun when you listen to your dad, Shuu."

I shook his hand off and swatted the snow to the ground. "I'm destined for greater things than making dumb bets with losers like you."

Karma stopped walking away and turned to face me.

He was smiling.

"Come with me, Shuu," he urged eagerly. "I want to show you something!"

I was torn. I was curious, but I knew my principle of character would never be swayed by someone of his status. He was a trouble maker. I was above him. But I was so curious.

"Asano!" A loud voice carried out.

I turned and saw my father on the steps of our house.

"It's time to come inside. You have a piano lesson in five minutes."

I faced Karma. "I can't. I have to go practice."

Karma glared at my father. "Screw piano! Come with me! I have something cool to show you! I found it yesterday!"

"Asano." My father's voice was dangerously low. "I won't tell you again. Come. Inside. Now."

"I'll see you in school." I mumbled to Karma, before hurrying back home. I could feel his sunset eyes on me up until the door swung shut.

-

Later that night, I was kept awake in my room by thoughts of earlier.

What had Karma wanted to show me? And why? We weren't friends, we were completely separate types of people. We could never be anything but enemies.

And yet...

I slid out of bed and padded over to my window.

I pushed the curtains aside, and gasped when I saw my yard.

My snowman had been rebuilt. It was a little crooked, but now it was facing my window, a bright red hat on its head.

"Hmm," I smiled to myself, closing the curtain.

I crawled back into bed, my mind finally at ease to drift into sleep.