Following Butterflies

Winter

Winter was coming. And that's all she could think of. In fact she sat preoccupied every morning over a cup of tea at Tei's. Sometimes the old man would sit with her and they would ponder upon his sudden arrival. And the meaning of the note. Surely he couldn't have known about her mother's death. Though it could be possible. He had vanished in such a strange way that he was taken for dead. At least that's how Nicole remembered it. That's what she had been told. 

"The way I see it you should not worry child. He is a teaser, a taunting monkey. He will do no such thing." The words Tei spoke seemed to soothe the woman in her aching hour. However his eyes told a different story. As if he knew more than he let on. 

"Perhaps you are right Uncle. It would be hindering for me to think about this. Perhaps it was someone pretending to be him even." She said trying to reason with herself. There was no way this was the man whom she called her father in her childhood. There was no way he was trying to threaten her. There was no way he was even alive.

"Yes perhaps I am. Besides your mother was loved by all. Who would want to see her gone. She was a lovely lady. And an even better friend." he said smiling before they heard footsteps. 

"She's here again. Perhaps I should make her room upstairs as well. In fact she can have mine if you'd like. I'll go live with Scott. I can find away to separate myself from him easier." He said the annoyance dropping off of his words. 

"Already annoyed by my presence this early in the morning. I come to consult uncle Tei here in the morning. I've been worried. But yes treat my presence like an open wound. I'll pretend I don't sting as well." She said before storming out of the tea shop. 

"Yuuki is your incessant hatred of the girl needed. She came for help and you push her away." Tei turned to face him. "May the white dragon push you into the right path little lizard. 

"But grandfather-" he paused. Why was he treating her like that. Only to long for her to be close again. She was arrogant and over confident. Yet if you asked him personally those were her best traits. She walked like she owned the world. And talked like the humblest of us all.

"No Yuuki Hua. You will find and apologize to Nicole this moment." He said shooing the boy out if the shop. "Do not return until you are sure Nicole is not in harm's way. And you have learned to control that tongue of yours." His grandfather said practically kicking him out. 

"Of course Grandfather. I'll be sure to bring her back." He sighed before shoving his hands into his pants pocket. "Of course I'd be having to retrieve her. What other luck might come my way." 

He walked trying his best to discern the path that the girl had taken. Only to find nothing to do so. Instead he followed to where he thought have though she went. He would only have a free good options. The photo shop. Which as he passed by was closed and locked. So even if she was in there, the chances of him getting her out were very slim. 

He tried the Red Gala as she was invited there often only to be told directly by Scott she hadn't been in there. "Yeah man. She hasn't come by. But you should check at Tanya's place. She goes there a lot too. When she's upset too. Better be able to make up with the lady. I heard she's been having a bit of a hard time. Bad case of paranoia." He said behind the bar cleaning out a glass before getting smacked in the head by someone wearing a beanie. 

"If you're gonna pretend to work at least pretend correctly and clean the glass the right way!" She yelled and hit him once more before taking the glass from him. "Stupid boy..."