Are you serious… Seigo thought, hoping this was all a dream.
The little girl, who didn’t so much appear before their eyes as ooze out of the air, said to Azuri, “My name is Momo. I’m a shinigami. This is Daniel. I brought a message for you.”
Politely she handed over her ID card, upon which was written, “shinigami #A-100100.”
The little girl wore a white one-piece dress, which was quite irrational given the season. In contrast to her all-white clothing, her red shoes were eye-catching.
Her voice sounded childish, yet very mature. Her face was beautiful, like a fantasy. However, in her hand she held a dull-colored scythe as tall as she was. By her side was a black cat, who apparently was named Daniel. He had sharp golden eyes and a large bell attached to his collar.
Her appearance was truly far from the popular image of a Shinigami. In fact, at first glance, the little girl looked more the type to have a halo and wings, rather than a black cat and a scythe.
Oh, I know! This must be part of the costumed character events. At least, that’s what I’d like to think…
That was how Seigo tried to explain the weird phenomenon to himself. But the little shinigami ignored him and instead continued to speak to Azuri.
“I was asked by your papa and mama. They wanted to let you know that they’re very sorry they couldn’t properly celebrate your birthday.”
Azuri was startled. “…What…?”
“Your papa and mama are always looking after you. Even now… and from now on. Because they love you.”
“ Uh-huh,” the black cat added. “If Momo says so, then it’s the truth. Sometimes I don’t understand her, though.”
Once more Seigo hoped that this was just a dream. A cat was talking. And he seemed a bit arrogant, too.
Azuri said nothing. The things the shinigami had told her, they were all things she already knew. Her parents had been busy people, so she hadn’t seen them often. But she had never once thought that she was unloved. She had believed that her parents worked hard, hoping for their only daughter’s happiness.
But still, in all honesty, she had wanted them to be near her, even for just a little bit. That’s all. That was her wish.
Her feelings were chilled, accumulating like the packed snow. The sky in Azuri’s heart was steeped in ashen gray, and the door to her heart was frozen.
As if sensing her emotions, the shinigami said, “The snow eventually melts… and then, what will you have left…? Or do you think you’ll have nothing left?”
“What are you talking about?” Azuri demanded. “How do you know about Papa and Mama…?”
“Because I’m a shinigami.” That one sentence said it all.
“H-hey,” Azuri said. “Don’t mess around! I…” Not even waiting for her to finish, Momo turned her back on Azuri and said, “Daniel, let’s go.”
“Already, Momo?” Daniel asked.
“Yes…”
They disappeared, leaving behind the sound of the cat’s bell. It continued to ring, pealing out as if in song. Azuri and Seigo felt as if they had just witnessed a magic show.
“What was that?” Azuri called out after them. “Don’t mess with me! Is it all an illusion? Or… Answer me! How do you know about Papa and Mama…? And… what about the snow melting…? Nothing left… Nothing will be left… What are you talking about? I don’t understand a thing…”
Azuri shook her head. Now that her parents were dead, she had nothing left. “…After all…I’m…”
“…I have a feeling,” Seigo murmured, “that I understand…”
“What do you mean?” Azuri asked.
Seigo took a breath, hesitated, and then spoke. “How do I say this? It’s like, when you’re making a snowman, even while you’re building it you feel it’s kind of tragic… It’s because you know…”
“What?” she prompted him.
“That it will eventually be gone.”
“…Gone…?”
“Yes,” he answered. “After a while, it’ll be gone. You worked hard to build it, you had so much fun and were smiling the whole time you were building it, but by tomorrow morning it will have melted and disappeared. But you already knew that before you started building it. You knew it the entire time you were building it. You try not to think about it. But somewhere inside your heart, you know.”
“…Th-that…” Azuri stuttered, “I-I don’t know. After all… I’ve never built a snowman before…”
Seigo simply answered, “Then let’s build one.”
“What?”
“You’ve never built a snowman, right?” he said. “So we’ll make one. Then you’ll know. Probably.”
“B-but…”
“C’mon,” he urged, “it’s all right. We’ll do it. We’ll just do it. It’s actually pretty fun… according to my experience.”
Right then and there, the two of them began building a snowman.
✦ ✦ ✦
Grand and lyrical music could be heard from somewhere far off. As if beckoned by the distant music, people began to disappear from the plaza until only two were left.
They gathered the snow into round balls. They rolled it round and round.
Shunk, shunk. The sound of two sets of footsteps, stepping through the snow. Imprints of their shoes remained in that white carpet.
“Huff… It’s so cold…”
Her hands were very cold and red. She was fast losing feeling in them. Yet her body felt warm.
Somehow, strangely, she was smiling. It was fun, even though she knew that their creation was going to melt. Her heart was pained at the thought. Yet, right at that moment, it felt warm.
Why?
Azuri knew the answer.
“Okay, it’s finished!” Seigo declared. “I think…? Well, it looks kinda… Well, but anyway, it’s a full-fledged snowman!”
Seigo plopped an icy-cold hand on top of Azuri’s head. They inspected their work; the distorted snowman looked as if it could be either crying or smiling.
Oh, I see. Somehow, I see. I have a feeling I understand now. It’s all going to melt anyway. It’s eventually going to disappear. But I wish it could remain. Tomorrow, the day after that, and the day after that. People walk through the world knowing this kind of loss and pain exists.
“…Tomorrow, even though this smile will disappear, you grab hold of that sense of loss, and you smile,” Seigo said awkwardly. He spoke in a kind and gentle voice, yet it was filled with strength.
But we’ll walk with our chins up. After all, we’re still here. Let’s smile. After all, we are here.
“Oh, that’s right,” Seigo said. “I almost forgot.”
“What is it, Seigo-kun?”
“Here, something to remind you of today.”
“…A ring?”
“Well, it’s a cheap character thingy. But I did try to pick the best one…”
“Oh, no!” Azuri protested. “It’s really cute!”
“Oh, good. And… this is also for you, princess.”
“What?” Azuri asked, surprised. “…Is this… a picture of me?”
“Of course,” he answered. “I drew this while we were inside the Ferris wheel. At the time, I could only imagine it, but now you’re smiling, right? Even more than I imagined.”
She accepted the picture. “Thank you. It’s the first one I’ve received since turning eleven… A present.”
“Huh? Seriously?”
“Uh-huh…” she confirmed. “That day, my Papa and Mama were supposed to celebrate my birthday…”
“…Azuri…”
“But I’m okay now. Thank you, Seigo-kun. This is so wonderful…”
“I see,” he said. “Well, happy birthday, princess! It’s a bit late, though.”
“Thank you. Oh yeah… Uh, Seigo-kun…?”
“Hm?”
“I like you, Seigo-kun.”
“Ha ha ha! Well, thank you very much, princess.”
“So… I don’t really mind becoming your bride.”
“Really?” he asked. “Then I guess I’ll wait ten years for you.”
“Uh-huh. I’ll become an amazing adult, you’ll see.”
“…I’m looking forward to it,” he reassured her.
“Then,” she said, “as the first step toward living up to your expectations…”
“…?”
“…I’ll make you some delicious tea,” she declared happily.
✦ ✦ ✦
The white shinigami danced.
The thing you lose is precious. Something precious can be lost. It is cruel, but do not think it is only cruelty. Always keep that precious thing in your heart, and walk with your chin up.
Eventually, the winter will end. Then comes the warm spring. The snow will melt…
The white shinigami danced along with the powdery snow.
✦ ✦ ✦
snow rebirth — fin.