Merry Christmas to my best friend, snowinsummer8 I love you. hope you enjoy this present!!!

also, I wrote it in all lower case, cause I thought you might like it :)

...

it snowed in cambridge, it never does. I wonder why there was a strange warm feeling in my heart, even though it was below zero degrees outside.

where i stand, i can feel the the soft snow falling on me,
the scattered flurries flutter down from the bright blue sky,
the sun so bright it almost burns my eyes,
the trees surrounding me,
quietly.

there is no sound,
but i wait.

i wait,
looking up to the sky,
remembering that day,

the snow fell.

...

(shoma's pov)

is she gonna be alright?!

i pace back and forth in the waiting room of chukyo general hospital.

i'm alright, but that's all because she tried to avoid me, resulting in her crash against the boards.

i hope it's nothing serious and no head injury.

waiting, is the most painful thing to do. especially when it's in the waiting room of a hospital.

i don't know how long i stand there pacing, before a nurse came out and told me that there were no contusions or concussions. it was only a minor cut to her upper jaw and a knock out from the blunt force trauma.

my sigh of relief could not have been louder.

i look up at my best friend, sota, who had been waiting with me in the room concernly. he smiled and i smiled, and all of a sudden, the world was no longer in peril.

the girl, at least, was not.

although i should still apologize and check if she's okay.

sota leaves first.

"can i go in?" i ask the nurse that just came out.

"sure, she's awake now. are you a friend?"

"uhm. not really, but...well yeah." as i hesistated, the nurse looked at me strangely, so i decided to lie and say i was a friend.

once she let me in, i stand by the door, waiting for the girl to notice me.

her beautiful bright blue eyes flash up at me, and she makes a soft gasp before i can make another move.

"uhm....you are al-alright?" i fumble with english, assuming she didn't understand japanese as her ginger hair would suggest she's a foreigner.

blinking, she looks up at me and struggles to get words out.

maybe she doesn't speak english either? maybe she's german or something....

"...s-sh....sho-"

she hesitates so much, that she only manages to get one syllable out before the nurse comes back in and interrupts us.

"miss alexandra, you may be discharged now. here's the bill."
the nurse hands her a receipt, and i immediately intercept after observing her confused face.

"she doesn't speak japanese." i tell the nurse.
"can you translate?"

she looks from me to the nurse, trying to figure out what we're saying from expressions.

the nurse tries to explain in mediocre english but i think the girl, no, alexandra, understood.

she takes the receipt, nodding.

but i step forward again.
"uhm...i will pay bill...yours?"
i try to offer to pay her bill, since the reason she got into the accident was because of me.

but she doesn't seem to get it.
"pardon me?" she replies in a strong british accent, but i can make out her words.

"your bill, i will pay." i say more confidently.

"eh...no, i can't let you go that."

"but, you crashed... in the rink against boards because of me."

"no it was an accident. i'm just glad you didn't get hurt. i'd hate myself if i hurt shoma uno in a skating accident."

just as i'm about to say something, it hits me.

"you...know who i am?"

"...yeah. i came to japan on vacation to watch you..."

so she's a fan.

i can't decide if this is a good thing or not.

"i'm really sorry that i almost crashed into you while I was setting up for my axel, i really didn't see you."
she speaks rapidly.
but i managed to catch the the important phrases.

"its okay. i'm so glad you're alright. are you feeling better?"

"yes. thank you." she smiles.

i smile at her smile.
it's so happy and kind, and it radiates warmth.

"you don't have to keep me company. i'm sure you have other things to do."

"ah no. i will atleast wait until, your family comes for you."

"oh, they're not with me. i'm just here alone on vacation. i came with a couple of friends at first, but they've gone back to their countries only yesterday. i'm leaving a day after because my flight is a couple days later from theirs. so as of right now, i'm alone here in a foreign country who's language i don't speak or understand." she laughs.

i can't help but laugh too.
"i know the feeling. whenever i go to competitions in foreign lands, I feel the same."

there's a silence and we glance at each other smiling.

"so, you figure skate?" i say.

"yes. i'm not half as good as you, ahah. but i do. since my friends left me yesterday, i thought i might go to the public rink for a couple hours, and just enjoy myself. who knew i was this lucky to bump into you..."

"but still, you got hurt. although i  can't lie. i'm lucky to have bumped into you too."

"...me? why?"
her puzzled look just makes me laugh again.

wow, she's so cute.

everything she does is cute, the way she speaks, her accent, her smile, the melodious laugh...

i find myself instinctively wanting to get to know her more.

"well, because you're a wonderful girl."

"you hardly know me."

"but everything i do so far, i find wonderful."

she looks down and whispers something inaudible and smiles sweetly again. she really is interesting.

"by the way, you mention you had friends returning to their countries? why didn't you all return together? although i'm glad you didn't, because i wouldn't have met you otherwise."

"oh, they live in different parts of the world. it's complicated. we're really close though. julia lives in america, brogan lives in canada, i live in britain..."

"...britain...that's so far from here. how do you stay so close if you're so far apart?"

"well, i love them. we all put in the effort to keep in touch. and when you love each other, it isn't hard. i find myself texting them almost everyday. but yeah, it is really far, even from here...i don't really want to go back...i wish i could stay here forever."

"when are you leaving?"

"tomorrow."

it's too soon. for some reason, i want her to stay, just a little longer, just a little more.

"hey, alexandra, is it?" she nods, "is it okay if...if you're free...would you want to grab a coffee or something since you're discharged?"
i blush, realizing that i had just asked her out. even if it is a friend date.

she looks as if she's seen a ghost.

"are...are you okay?" i tilt my head in concern.

"no, y-ye-i mean...i don't drink coffee, but if it's hot chocolate, then yes. i'd love to, shoma."

i smile again.

it's funny how quickly things change in a day.

earlier, i was a guy drowning in his worries about having caused a girl to be injured.

now, i'm taking the girl out for coffee, and getting to know her more.

am i crazy?

...

i can't even stop looking at her.

i'm on my second cup of hot chocolate at the local cafe, just sharing random stories with her.

"...and now i can't even watch kimi no na wa without crying."

"i know right! the soundtrack just makes it even worst! and yet, it's my favourite anime."

we both laugh at how crazy we are about kimi no na wa.

"mitsuha's theme is my favourite soundtrack," she says.

"mine is sparkle and date."

"...i have a suggestion..." she pauses and hesistates.

"what is it?"

"someone should skate to a kimi no na wa program...... and by someone i mean you."

"tell my coach that!!! i wanted to do it for this season's short program, but she refused."

"!!!! mihoko what you doing...."

we burst in laughter again.

"maybe make it an exhibition?"

"...that's a possibility...."
i genuinely consider her idea.

there won't be much time to prepare a new exhibition before four continents, but it would be so amazing if i could skate that at the gala.

she gets so excited at the possibility of a kimi no na wa program, it's like watching myself.

i get this excited over this too.
she's honestly my other half.

we just happen to be worlds away.

as we chat on, never getting bored or tired,
time flies,
and it hits me.

she's the mitsuha to my taki.

that's it.

we're just lost between all the sky between us.
and yet here we are, at half-light.

face to face, we meet.

but when i realize that, it feels like my other half has been fulfilled.

she's it.

it's not just that she's my fan, or that i got to know her more, or that we're friends, or that we're here at the half-light of the setting sun right now, but by this time tomorrow, we'll be worlds away. it's not that.

it's that i'm in love with her.

is that even possible?
it's only been a couple of hours, and i was never one to believe in fate after i was rejected by yuzuru after japan open this year, and yet.

i don't want her to leave.

...

just a little more,
just a little longer.

don't leave me.

the more i stare at her, the more i can't stop thinking about how i've fallen so quickly for her, without even noticing it.

it all happened slowly at first, and then all at once.

"ah, the sun is setting. i should probably get back to my hotel soon if i want to catch my flight."

i want to ask her to stay just a little longer. but i know she should go back and rest.

"i'll walk you back. your hotel is just around the corner right?"

"eh, there's no need."

she begins walking out, away from me, but i follow her behind.

when we're out of the cafe, she turns around.
"i said it's alright. i can make my way back myself." she smiles a sort of sad yet happy smile.
"thank you for today, shoma. you officially made this day the happiest day of my life."

then she turns and walks away.

i step forward and pull her back so she faces me, and before she can add another protest, i've got her in my arms, not letting go even a little bit.
the heat reaches my face, and i can't tell if i'm crazy or what, but i know this is right. it feels right.

she gasps.

"shoma...i-"

"if you don't want to, you can push me away, you know."

she doesn't.

"you.....what are you doing?" she whispers, almost as though she's scared.

"shhh. just a little longer." i whisper back, pulling her closer to my chest.

"just a little more." she rests her head on my shoulders.

right then, snow falls.

in the fading light, it sparkles as it flutters down from heaven.

flakes land on us, around us everywhere, but it doesn't feel cold. the warmth from her, spreads all the way from my chest, to my cheeks, down my spine.

"hey, look up. it's snowing."

"it's beautiful..." she sighs. "it reminds me of this park near my house in britain. rideau memorial park. i always go there mostly to clear my thoughts. the flowers are always blooming, and even the rain, twinkles in the air."  

"i'd like to go there sometime."
as we're surrounded by the beauty around us, we realize that it may be too long.

we have to let go.

so we do.

...

i still walk her back right to her room in the snow.

"goodnight, sho." she stops in front of her hotel room door.

"night, alexandra."

she opens her door, but i don't leave.

i don't want to.

she looks at me, "do you...want to come in?"

what am I doing....going into a lady's room....

but i figure it's not that late, it's only 6, so i'll just leave later when it gets dark.

"sure."

she invites me to sit on the couch, and we decide to watch kimi no na wa together, seeing as neither of us are tired.

...

it smells like coconut and lavender.

the scent beneath my nose, is light and sweet.

the moment i open my eyes, the sun light streams in.

and i know something's wrong.

she's there.
wrapped around my arms, curled up against the couch we sat on as we watched kimi no na wa last night.
her hair was the smell of coconuts and lavender.

the first thought that comes to mind is that i've done something terrible.
i slept with a girl i barely know.

another voice in the back of my head argues that we were innocent.

its not like we did anything.

well, except cuddle all night.

but i look down at her face and only hug her tighter.

she might be half conscious, as she snuggles closer.

but then it ends.

she opens her eyes and the comet has struck.

reality sinks in.

panic fills her voice.

"?!? shoma...what! what are we doing..." she looks around worried and lets go of me.

"hey, it's okay, we didn't do anything. i promise i didn't do anything. we just fell asleep last night."

"...but...i'm sorry."
she looks down.

"why?"

"i shouldn't have invited you in. i stepped over the line. we were just friends. maybe not even that. i-"

"no. you don't understand. at first i thought i did something terrible too. invading an innocent fan's hotel for a whole night. but i realize...that if you don't regret it, then... i don't either."

her eyes were wide and confused, but it's too late now.

i can't go back now.

"i think i might be in love with you."

"sho-"

"i know you're going to say it's impossible, or maybe you don't even love me, but i know what i know. and i know i love you."

she starts crying all of a sudden and i have no idea what to do.

"do you...really, mean that?"

"of course." panicked that she's still crying, i step forward and give her another hug, not sure if that's the right thing to do.

"i know i love you too, shoma. i don't think there was a moment since i met you that i wasn't in love with you."

i'm so elated that i break the hug and bend down to kiss her.

she smiles into the kiss and i can't help it either.

i don't know how long has passed until after we let go, my sense of time and space was lost.

but i know it should be about time she leaves for the airport to catch her flight back.

i know mihoko will be wondering where i went all night, so will my mum.

but that's not the thing i'm most dreading.

...

i took her down to the airport, wearing a hat and a mask as disguise so no one could recognize me.

but she's already taken off.

i'm still sitting in the airport.

right before she left, she asked me to let go.
said that it's too hard.
almost impossible for us.
maybe not in this world, but certainly, in another world, we were meant to be.
i refused, but she said she didn't want to drag down my career, or my life. and then she left.

but i can't give up.
i won't.

and yet, it's been an hour, but i haven't moved from my chair in gate c34.

what is this feeling of emptiness?
i've never felt like this before.

i text sota.
maybe he knows.

sota: because you love her, obviously.

shoma: i know that. i even told her that.

sota: then? what's the problem?

shoma: what do you mean?

sota: what's holding you back?

...

(alexandra's pov)

now i'm taking a walk in rideau memorial park.

i've arrived home five hours ago.
it's just evening here.

so many things have happened in the last 24 hours that i can't possibly believe it's true.

as i stand, lost in my thoughts and flashbacks, something soft and cold hits my nose.

it's snowing in cambridge, it never does. i wonder why there was a strange warm feeling in my heart, even though it was below zero degrees outside.

where i stand, i can feel the the soft snow falling on me,
the scattered flurries flutter down from the bright blue sky,
the amber sun so bright it almost burns my eyes,
the trees surrounding me,
quiet.

there is no sound,
but i wait.

i wait,
looking up to the sky,
remembering yesterday,

when the snow fell.

"alexandra?"

i imagine shoma is there beside me. like he was for a brief moment in my life.

"alexandra." the way he calls my name.

ah, i'm hallucinating so much that i can almost hear his voice really calling me.

"alexandra." a hand taps me on the shoulder and opens my eyes.

and i find myself back in half-light.

the snow falling, sparkling all around me, and the boy who stole my heart, left it behind,

and came back for it.

...

The end :) I hope you like it. Merry Christmas again Lexi <3