𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐍 𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐃、𝗆𝗂𝗒𝖺𝗓𝖺𝗐𝖺 𝗄𝖾𝗇𝗃𝗂

꒱.✧ 天気 ;; through summer's heat

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It was one very hot day. The calendar started declaring the season of summer with the skies offering the almighty sun as their king. For the people of Ihatovo, it was yet another day to celebrate. Their heads are out of the clouds for they do not share the same perspective of those who live in the city. It was something that you truly admired about them. Despite the sun, glaring its heat down on the villagers, a blazing smile burns on their faces as they continue to work and till their fields.

"Isn't it amazing?" Kenji had asked you without turning his head towards you. He is standing beside you, above the both of you, a huge tree that the town head's ancestors had deeply cared for since it was a seedling, now protecting children like you with its humongous shade. "They never complain about the heat despite our friends getting sunburn by the end of the day."

The boy has a soft smile pressed on his lips, quietly waiting for you to exchange a few words with him. You were not much of a talker. But he knew there were days you cannot stop your tongue from working and all he had to do was to sit down and listen to you.

"I was wondering," Kenji's ear perked up once he heard your voice start with a low volume. Almost like a whisper in his ear yet he still perfectly hears your words clearly. You watched as his eyes went wide silently as if he was waiting for this moment. How long has it been since you talked for hours? The boy knew. Yet he could never ever tell you the exact days or else you would have been embarrassed. "What would it be if I cannot talk to the spirits?"

You were born with an ability. A supernatural power where you can forecast the weather by simply letting the spirits whisper in your ear. Most of the time, it was the wind who kept you entertained. The soil was too moody for you to hold a proper conversation with them. But the trees like it when they hear you sing, alone in the forest whenever you hide and want time all to yourself. It was a blessing to you. They were the ones who told you about the people living in the city and what kind of life they have. Everyone here was your friend and by he means everyone, he meant every living thing in the village.

Kenji pondered it deeply. "I don't think you would have changed."

"Really?" You questioned. You were quite surprised by his answer. You have always thought that thanks to your ability, the village had no problem preparing for the storms or heat waves. Hearing this from your childhood friend had made your heart lose its pride but you could never tell him out loud. You wanted him to acknowledge it somehow.

"Ah!" The golden boy had reached the peak of its realization. "You were talking about what our life would have been like if you were you without your ability!"

He heard you laugh. It was almost like his words had piqued your curiosity on how he understands things. He did not quite understand why it had made you laugh but he laughed along, feeling his heart a rising with the thought that you're warming up again.

"I thought you were talking about who you are without the ability. That's why I said nothing will change because you're always been helpful to us! Though if you were without it, I think our village will suffer from sudden loss here and there. But you know!" Kenji flashes his smile at you, imitating the sun up above the sky, illuminating your world. "We still can manage our life pretty well! You've always been so smart after all!"

Kenji noticed your eyes sparkled upon hearing his words. It caused his heart to overflow with such joy. Sometimes, he thinks you're lonely even with all the spirits you have been talking to all these years. He figured that you are starting to get insecure about what you can do in the village. He caught you many times watching him carry all those crops and heavy wood logs.

His arms pave its way to your neck and reach the back of your head, and make his forehead touch yours before shuffling your well-done hair. Kenji bolted away after he committed that act to which you yelled in such a childish wrath, fixing your hair back to normal before you chased him under the sun. You could have sworn the trees laughed with the golden child's happiness and he, too, could have sworn he heard a lighthearted laugh as the wind whistle around him. Kenji even noticed you grumpily shaking off an invisible spirit's mockery out of your ears by simply covering them.

It was one very hot day. Kenji had yet again managed to draw the smile out of your face. He would never forget your carefree expression when you started playing with him. Thinking back about it now, he wishes that kind of memory burns his mind forever.