Chapter 1(Part 1)
June 17 had arrived, yet winter still held the land in its icy grip. Mori gazed down at a patch of winter heath blooming through the snow. He burrowed deep into his bright blue jacket, the vivid fabric a sharp contrast against the bleak winter grey. A serene expression hovered on his lips.
"Earth to Mori! Hellooo?" Duraq's deep voice broke through Mori's thoughts.
Mori had almost forgotten he was with his stepbrother, as they both walked through the snow fields.
"Oh... sorry, D. I got caught up enjoying the feeling," Mori said, his eyes still closed.
"More like you were lost in it." Duraq clicked his tongue.
Duraq yanked the collar of his red jacket up, burying his face to hide his scowl.
"You do know your gotcha day is tomorrow." Duraq shifted his stance, staring intently at Mori beside him.
For a moment, Duraq's words hung between them.
Mori halted a few steps ahead. Duraq stopped as well, turning toward him in confusion.
Mori then snapped his head the other way, his features wiped clean of pleasure, anger, and sadness.
Something about Mori had changed. Duraq noticed it immediately.
A freezing gust of wind slammed past them, making the nearby trees scream as their branches lashed against each other in tight groups.
Mori...
The biting atmosphere painted the tip of Mori's nose a vivid, glowing red.
The relentless gale gave Duraq a sudden nudge, forcing him to shift his weight to keep from stumbling.
Damn.
Duraq thought, his eyes narrowing into tight, calculating slits as he stabilized his frame.
Mori opened his mouth to pierce the howling draft, his voice completely clear against the din.
"Duraq, what number is my gotcha day?"
Mori asked as he turned a blank stare upon Duraq, his eyes revealing nothing.
Duraq had been worlds away until that question shattered his thoughts. He shifted to face Mori, his eyes locked straight into Mori’s empty gaze.
"This is your Third, dumbass!" Duraq stated.
The two towering figures stood like statues in the snowstorm. Up close, the brilliant blue and crimson of their jackets radiated a stark, frozen splotch of vibrant color against the flat, white background.
Yet from afar, the heavy white rush softened their profiles, displaying their colors as glowing, hazy aura bleeding through the grey-white veil of snow.
Has it really been that long since that year under the bridge?
Mori thought as he bowed his head slightly.
The cold stillness vanished from Mori's gaze, replaced by a radiant spark of life as a subtle smile illuminated his face.
A prominent vein bulged on the upper left side of Duraq's face, pulsing beneath his yellow durag.
"Hey, what's so interesting down there?" Duraq asked as his unusual smile wavered, fighting to maintain a straight line.
Mori stepped toward Duraq, keeping his gaze on the snow.
"Oh, it's nothing. Just my imagination running wild," Mori answered.
Mori slowed to a stop beside Duraq, and Duraq matched his pace. Letting out a soft sigh, he raised his head straight and turned to his left to face Duraq.
As Mori turned, time seemed to slow. For a brief instant, Duraq found himself inexplicably captivated.
Duraq blinked, instantly shattering the illusion and dragging him back to reality and his old self.
"You're dramatic, you know that?" Duraq concluded.
As his sense of self returned, there was one thing he couldn't let go of: the image of Mori smiling softly despite the bitter cold.
"Oh really?" Mori asked, his smile twisting into a mischievous grin aimed at Duraq.
A small trail caught Mori’s eye, hidden between the tall, bushy trees. Mori raised his hand and pointed. Duraq grew confused by the gesture until he followed the line of sight and realized what Mori was pointing at.
"It's narrow," Duraq remarked, looking deeply sceptical.
"But... we can fit and... walk right through it, easy peasy." Mori exhaled a quiet breath through his nose, a confident smile breaking across his face.
"Fine! But don't start whining when I leave you in the dust when THEY appear," Duraq spat as he began to march forward with a janky, uneven stride. Duraq shoved both hands into his pockets, digging for space that simply wasn't there.
There he goes...
Mori thought.
"Hey, wait up!" Mori shouted, quickening his pace to catch up to Duraq.
The two began dashing over the drifted snow, the blinding white giving way to the dark, narrow green trail ahead.
Duraq leaned his head forward, ducking against the heavy, biting wind to keep the swirling snow from blinding him.
Duraq ducked into the frost-kissed trail between the trees, the dense branches cutting down the worst of the howling wind. It didn't take long for Mori to catch up, falling into step beside him.
Duraq stopped, shutting his eyes and bowing his head toward the frozen ground. His hands remained tucked inside his pockets.
Tsk.
Mori drew in a deep breath, pausing for a quiet moment before letting it slip past his lips. A peaceful smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he turned to look back at the snowy entrance they had just left behind.
"Man, look at that blizzard we just came from," Mori said, letting out a sigh of relief.
"It was a light one," Duraq corrected, his eyes still shut tight.
"But somehow, to me, it felt heavy," Mori said.
"That's because you were too busy living in your mind while being a drama queen," Duraq countered.
Mori let his hands drop, gesturing vaguely at the snow. His face scrunched into a puzzled little squint.
"Huh?"
Mori turned around, squaring his chest to face forward once more.
Mori tucked his hands into his pockets and began marching forward, perfectly mimicking Duraq's janky walk along the snow trail.
Duraq caught on instantly to the antics, his fists squeezing tight inside his pockets.
"Hey! Stop imitating me!" Duraq roared, his head burrowing deep inside his crimson jacket.
Mori stopped in his tracks and looked back at Duraq, sticking his tongue out at him. Mori stood up straight and resumed walking forward.
Little did Duraq know, Mori's features had twisted into a pout full of bottled-up frustration.
Duraq quickened his pace, closing the distance to catch up to Mori. When Duraq glanced over, Mori was staring blankly ahead, refusing to meet his eyes.
Duraq burrowed the lower half of his face back inside his crimson jacket, trying to hide his sensitivity.
Then...
Duraq extended his right arm, wrapping it around Mori's shoulders and pulling him close against his side.
"Hey... you okay?" Duraq whispered, his voice muffled by the thick fabric by Mori’s ear.
"I can't believe a year has passed since Dad passed away," Mori said, his eyes heavy and lost as he gestured vaguely down at the snow.
"You mean your second gotcha day?" Duraq asked softly. He rested his forehead lightly against Mori's head, saying nothing.
"Yeah," Mori confirmed.
"Don't you dare do anything stupid that'll bring upon more misfortune," Duraq murmured softly, rubbing his right cheek against Mori's head.
"Then how will his soul be at peace?" Mori asked, his voice cracking on the final words.
