The Tale of a Century \\ SoraMafu

> One <

It was a cold winter day. The snow was drifting down in diminutive flakes, each one glimmering against the sun peeking through the parting gray clouds. A sheet of ice covered almost everywhere where snow didn't, and icicles hung down from ceilings and the bottom of cars.

It was a winter day like this, with the trees bare without blossoms, when he arrived.

It was a freezing day like this when he arrived, carrying a doll that looked like a ghost with him. Except it was drooling. Now, he didn't say much upon meeting, but even without uttering a word, he was beautiful.

He was beautiful in Soraru's eyes.

The counselor came out of the car not long after the albino haired boy had. "Go on, this is your older brother, Soraru-san," the counselor said, putting her hand against the boy's back. He looked back at her before saying, "It's nice to meet you Soraru-san. My name is Mafumafu."

Mafumafu gave a bow.

He's pretty polite, Soraru thought. "Ah, it's nice to meet you, too, Mafumafu-kun," Soraru greeted. He couldn't help but think how adorable the name "Mafumafu" was.

The counselor went on about how she had already went over everything with his parents, but the only thing that occupied Soraru's mind was how he was going  to protect his new little brother.

|*|*|

"Mafumafu-kun?"

"Yes, Soraru-san?" Mafumafu answered.

"You can just call me Soraru. There's no need to be so formal with me. After all, we're family, now."

Mafumafu hugged his doll tighter, "Soraru-kun."

Well, he guessed that could work, too. "Then, is it okay if I call you Mafu?" Soraru asked.

Mafu nodded.

Soraru smiled at him as they walked. He was currently giving Mafu a walkthrough of the house. It was the first thing he could think of doing, but it was going to be helpful for Mafu to know the layout of the house he was going to live in, anyway. "It's a good thing you came during winter break, or else you would've had to start school during the middle of the year," Soraru said as they walked into the last room. "And, this is the room you'll be staying in with me. We don't have an extra room, so we'll be sharing one."

Mafu nodded.

"It should be big enough for the two of us," Soraru mused. He turned towards Mafu. "You only have that bag?"

Mafu nodded again. "If you need anything else, you can ask me," Soraru said. "Okay, you should get settled in."

The rest of the day was spent organizing everything and getting to know each other. Well, it was more of Soraru attempting to get to know Mafu. He didn't speak much. It was near sunset when both of them were in Soraru's room, silent. Mafu sitting by the window, staring out at the blizzard getting denser and denser, and Soraru on the bed with his knees brought up to his chest.

Soraru took the moment to examine Mafu's profile as he looked out the window. He still had the doll clutched to his stomach. Soraru couldn't shake the feeling about the intense aura coming from him.

"Is there anything wrong, Mafu-kun?" Soraru asked.

"No, why?" he answered.

Why do you look like you're trying so hard to look for something? The words couldn't escape Soraru's mouth. "No, nothing," he said instead.

Mafu turned around for a split second, flashing Soraru a small smile.

The smile didn't reach his eyes.

The room was enveloped in silence once again.