Interlude: A Snow Laden Dream

 It was winter when we met. Snow was gently falling and had built up on the ground. I The chilled wind freshened the air and soothed my muscles. I do miss the smell during winter time. 

I was working on a project in my back yard. I was carving–or was I sawing? I don’t remember. It had something to do with shop class, I think.

“What’cha doing?” A peppy voice asked from out of nowhere.

I looked around to see a girl’s face peeking above our fence. Her arms were hanging over.

“Huh?” I was so confused that that was the best I could come up with.

“I said, ‘what’cha doing?’” She repeated. “You’re making a lot of funny sounds over there.”

“I’m working on something.”

“Outside?”

“Yes.”

“In the snow?”

“Yeah…”

“In… a tank top?”

“Is–is that weird?”

Her eyes rolled up to the sky as her head tilted. A strand from her messy hair fell over her face. Her expression contorted as she was pondering my question. I thought it was weird back then, but looking back, I can’t imagine her without her funny little faces. Eventually, she looked back at me and shook her head.

“Ok then–” I said, promptly getting back to my project. I continued working like nothing happened-

"Looks cool–" She had snuck up right next to me. Always good at that. I leaped back in fright.

“WHAT THE HELL?!” I shouted. Her tiny figure barely came up to my shoulders.

“Why are you shouting? I wanted to get a closer look,” She stated.

“D–did you climb over the fence?!”

She looked over her shoulder at the fence, then back to me. “Obviously.”

Before I could say anything, the back sliding door was thrown open with force. “What’s all the racket?!” My dad shouted. But as soon as he saw the girl standing next to me, his face and posture softened. “Oh, you made a friend, Daisuke!” He said. “You’re that Otani girl from next door, right?”

The girl smiled and quietly nodded her head.

“No, dad–” I interjected, “she hopped the fence!”

My dad shrugged. “Well then make her some tea,” he said, then walked off.

I was too flabbergasted for words. I could see the girl was staring at me.

“I like oolong,” She said.

I sighed in defeat, and offered her to come inside.