Kaze (Wind)

Hikari's spring

Eleven years…it doesn’t really seem that long ago…

 

 

Part One: Promise

 

“Ryu! Ryu! Ryuu!” A body slammed into mine, sending the book flying out my hands.

“Hey! I was at a good part—”

“Ryu! Let’s go play!” Her golden blonde hair seemed to glow in the bright afternoon sun, but was soon eclipsed by her smile. The little girl, who had always been one of my best friends, sat beside me, gazing at me with pleading sky-blue eyes. With my anger instantly lost, I took her offered hand. The smile grew as I grinned back. We ran together to the nearby creek, the book forgotten.

My parents were under in the shade of a tree, talking occasionally and watching us play in the shining waters. Kazuki, nine at the time, was playing soccer with his other friends. Water droplets clung to our hair and the clear liquid chilled us. The water was only waist height and the rocks were smoothed by the ever-moving currents. Light reflected off the surface, sometimes blinding us, and then rippled again and was gone.

I stooped down into the water, with my chin touching the surface. “Rawr! I am a big monster! I will punish the little girl that wades though my waters by eating her!” I bared my teeth and moved towards her.

“Eek!” she squealed. “Please don’t hurt me, oh great monster!”

I lunged at her and, after making sure she took a breath, pulled her under. We splashed and laughed until we could no more. We dried ourselves and ran through a grassy field. The emerald blades were soft and kissed lightly on our toes, tickling. Sometimes we would play house and sometimes traveling on grand adventures. Trekking through dangerous forests and passing loud cannibals, arguing over the catch, we reached the sandbox, our desert. We sat down and created worlds. From the glittering sand came strong castles, moats, and towns. We decorated the small world with anything we could find—stones, feathers, sticks, leaves, even a small snail shell.

As the sun went to rest among the green valleys, I remember glancing at her. The rosy fingers slipped into her golden hair, melting into it shades of red and orange. Even her blue eyes glinted a fair purple in the darkening light. They turned upward and connected with mine.

“You look so pretty,” I said, gazing into the pools.

She smiled. “And you look very handsome.”

I smirked back. “Of course I’m handsome,” I replied with all the dignity of a six year old.

Her laugh was gentle and clear. She pulled out a blade of grass and, taking my hand, wound it around my left ring finger. Like a promise ring. The grass ring was small with a single knot, but still good-looking. She pulled another and handed it to me, gesturing I do the same. Hers was clearly the better make, but she seemed satisfied.

She winked. “This is a promise, ‘kay?”

“What kind of promise?”

“A promise that we’ll always be together.”

I gave her a strange look. Seeing her eyes glowing with enthusiasm, I nodded. “Yeah.”

“Pinky promise?” she asked, holding up her pinky.

I remember that I hesitated for a few heartbeats before reaching out and curling my pinky around hers. With her, the whispering trees, the setting sun, the rising moon, and glimmering stars as my witnesses, I looked into her then purple eyes and said, “I promise.”

 

 

Author's Note

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