12 Roses

18 | When the Moon Smiles

Against the coziness of the cabin, with the warmth beneath your blanket welcomed after running in snow, Tsumiki's room was a different kind of home, with tidbits of life decorating it, from photos and drawings from Tsumiki's childhood, to awards and achievements decorating the walls and telling everyone who entered it that someone destined for great things resided there.

You sat in Tsumiki's bedroom, your back against her bed while Nanako and Mimiko sat across from you, Tsumiki beside you, and the four of you seated around her light purple carpet, cards in the middle while you talked like you hadn't seen each other in ages.

Then came a pause, when everyone but you turned to the open window.

"What is it?" you asked.

"There's music outside," Tsumiki answered.

The four of you gathered around the window and poked your heads out to see Nanami standing near a black pickup truck, talking into the window to the driver.

"Who's that?" Nanako questioned, squinting to try and see through the windshield.

Mimiko shrugged. "No clue. It's not Uki, her pickup truck is red."

"And Hiroshi's has a bunch of stickers on the windows," Tsumiki added, placing her hand on her chin.

You hummed, eying the stuffed bear with the flower crown that was seated on the dashboard inside the car.

Nanami paused and looked up at the four of you, prompting you all to retreat back into Tsumiki's room.

"Do you think Nanami has a girlfriend now?" Nanako questioned with sparkling eyes.

You pursed your lips, thinking about the little bear that sat on the dashboard, and shrugged. "Who knows?"

•••

The next day, the four of you walked to Koko's bakery and sat at the table closest to the counter, watching people go by as you cherished the last few days of Christmas break.

First, you met under the second tree to the right of the third tea shop. There, the bench's paint was chipping but none of you dared to sit on it because of how cold it was.

Nanako and Mimiko were six minutes later than you and Tsumiki because they stopped by the tea shop just a few paces from the tree.

You smiled as Mimiko scolded Nanako for not looking where she was going. They were moments apart, you knew, yet they seemed like they were ages apart from each other sometimes.

The four of you entered the bakery and you and Tsumiki stopped by the counter to order tea and coffee.

You glanced at the table near the window, where Nanami usually was, but saw that it was empty. "Where's Nanami?"

"Not sure," Koko answered. "And I made a pot of coffee for you two to order for him too."

"He'll come by soon, I'm sure," Tsumiki said.

You sat down at the table with the twins and did as you normally did, watching the people of your town as if you didn't know them all your life.

Well, Mimiko acknowledged this fact, now bored of the reality she knew and making a new one in her sketchbook beside you.

"Hatsu and Miyazono are together again," Nanako pointed out.