Winter time. Strong blizzard covering houses, streets, roads and the forest in snow. People stay inside their houses sitting in front of the fireplace and drinking hot beverages to keep themselves warm while people living in slums set campfire to keep themselves warm. Kids are restless as usual. Running around their houses or playing with toys.

Akiara was sitting in her room making medicines and ointment balms. Teivel was staring at her quietly while having hot cocoa.

"What are you looking at?" She asked while she was arranging the herbs on the petri dish.

"Nothing. Just staring at you." She took a rolled wafer and bit it.

"Craft." She enchanted. Magic circle appeared which white light binded the ingredients and then a small vial filled with light blue liquid was created.

"Phew... all the medicines are created." She took out a small wooden box from the drawer. She put the vials inside the box and closed it.

"What are you gonna do these medicines? You know they tend to get spoiled?" She spoke while chewing.

"If medicines are not taken care depending upon room temperature then of course... they will get spoiled. And if you preserve it then it won't get spoiled." She replied while packing it.

She took one wafer and walked towards her. She put it on her mouth.

"Whot wos thot for?" Her voiced muffled out as she was chewing.

"I have been observing you the whole morning. You didn't even had breakfast with me." She turned her face away pouting.

She noticed a small whipped cream was sticking out at the corner of her lips. She wiped it with her thumb and licked her thumb. Her cheeks turned red but she kept on staring at her.

"I'm sorry. I will eat lunch with you. I promise."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"What are we waiting for? Let's go to kitchen." She grabbed her hand and walked out of the room.

Akiara bought vegetables and rice sack from storage. Teivel washed the rice and poured it on the pot to boil it. Akiara cut the vegetables and started cooking. After they finished cooking, Akiara served it on plates and put it on the tray and they headed to dining hall. Teivel sat down and she served her. She went back to kitchen and came back with pots.

"Why did you bring them?" She asked as she was leaning on arm.

"I have a hunch that you might ask for seconds." She placed it on the table and sat down beside her.

"Hmmm... we'll see about that." She fixed her posture and took the spoon.

They started eating. Akiara took a spoonful bite. Tears streamed down her eyes as she felt she tasted her mother's dish.

[Young Akiara came running towards her mother, "Mom I also want to help you to cook curry!"

"Really?" Her mother warmly smiled at her.

"Yes!" She hugged her.

"So how about washing the vegetables?"

"Yaay!" She bought a stand and stood on it. She was washing the vegetables. Her mother glanced at her and smiled.]

Teivel was enjoying after taking one spoon. She glanced at Akiara as she stopped eating after taking one spoonful bite. She noticed she was crying silently.

She touched her hand, "Akiara why are you crying?"

Akiara came back to her senses and wiped her tears with her hands, "I apologize for showing my embarrassing side."

"... there's nothing to be embarrassed about." Her grip got little tighter.

"..." she avoided her look and tightened her jaw.

She scooted her chair near her and hugged her tightly. She kissed her head.

"If you want a shoulder to lean on, I'll be there anytime you want. So don't hesitate to tell me."

"..." tears stream down her face as she was silently crying.

"You know... I'm glad that I met you and..." her cheeks turned red, "I'm glad that you are my friend."

She pushed her and stood up. Her expression looked empty but she felt it that her reaction was happy.

"T-thank you for comforting me. I must go to mow the snow." She walked out of the room.

She smiled warmly. "Even though her expression was emotionless, I already felt her feelings and I know that she must have smiled. But too bad I couldn't see it."

"Sigh." She leaned her head on the chair staring at the ceiling.

Later that night after Akiara putting her back to sleep, she walked out of the room. She opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. The room was dark except the fireplace that was well lighted to keep the room warm. She recalled what Akiara did in the morning. Her faced turned red and she turned to other side and covered her face with the blanket.

"I didn't realize she looked so beautiful when she ate the whipped cream." She tossed and turned in embarrassment thinking about her.

She took off her blanket off her face, "Am I falling for her?"

She blushed and covered her face so that only her eyes was visible, "Her cold expression is the best. She never wavers whenever I touch her and try to hug her. She's too precious to me. I don't know what made her heart froze. I hope she tells me one day."

She turned towards the window staring at the cloudy sky. "Mother, it seems that your daughter has finally found someone she likes. Bless me so that I can open her heart." She closed her eyes drifting off to sleep.

________

Akiara was sitting on the road with lacerations on her arms and knees and she was bleeding on her left side of the forehead. She turned her face towards the direction of the fire. Her eyes grew wide that it was her parents car that was flipped upside down and it was burning.

"Mom Dad? Mitsuko?" She started crawling as she couldn't walk because of injury.

"Hang in there Mom, Dad, Mitsuko... I'm coming to save you all...." her vision became hazy.

Suddenly the car exploded as she blinked.

She opened her eyes. She was lying on the bed. She clenched her teeth and turned to other side. Tears trickled down her face as she curled up.

"If only I reached there sooner... maybe I would have been able to save them."

"I'm sorry for being useless. I'm sorry." She cried until she fell asleep.

Next morning Teivel followed her to greenhouse where she was watering plants.

"Akiara I have something to ask." She asked walking towards her.

"Go ahead." She continued watering plants.

"First you keep down the watering can."

She stopped watering and glanced at her. Then she kept it down and then turned towards her, "Now what do you want to ask?"

She walked towards her. She wrapped her arms around her neck and pulled her closer, "Are you scared of my eyes?"