Cardcaptor Sakura: The New Trials (Wish-luv)

Chapter 49.75: New Trials Christmas Special

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There is nothing as serene yet wistful and lonely as watching white snowflakes quietly fall from the gray, overcast sky and blanket the world in a sheet of icy beauty, a perpetual whiteness.

Someone once told me that though those millions of tiny white snowflakes all seem to be the same, each one of them is different, no two exactly the same as another. No wonder the Inuit have dozens of different words for snow. Even though they all look the same, each individual flake is made up of its own unique crystal formation, just like each person is different, though we are all same in the superficial level. After all, it's only a fraction of us that makes us different from the person standing next to us.

It was over a year ago that I watched the person who told me this melt into the blur of a snowstorm leaving me to stand, feet planted on the ground, heart torn and body like lead, bitter cold snow melting on contact with my skin. That scene has haunted my dreams for months afterwards, him walking away from me, and me, chasing after him like always.

Snow is so pretty, yet intangible. When I was little, I used to be fascinated by the little snow fairies falling from the sky, wanting to catch one in my hand and treasure it. But as soon as I caught one, it melted into a water droplet.

In my dream, every time I reach out for him, he melts away in my hand, like a snowflake. Recently with the familiar cold of winter, this recurrent dream has returned to my sleep, only this time in the overclouded, stormy sky, I see a pair of ice blue eyes watching me, paralyzing me. And I can't chase after him, only watch him drift away into the snow.

If humans were snowflakes, identical on the surface, what makes each of us so different? Is it chance or fate or biological rendering of genes? What makes him different from everyone else for me? I think if he were a snowflake amidst millions of other snowflakes, I would still be able to spot him.

Then again, maybe he isn't so different from everyone else, and it's neither chance nor fate nor biology. Maybe it's just my heart.

******

"Christmas is coming soon!" Sakura exclaimed, clapping her hands together. The students of class 3-2 were more energetic and there was a lighter atmosphere around them that day.

"Really, Tomoeda deserves some brightening of spirits," Chiharu stated. "After all the chaos with the earthquakes and the case of flu epidemic going around these days, I'm more excited than usual for Christmas."

"Even the patients in the Kinhoshi Hospital seem to be in a better mood these days," Naoko commented. "I've noticed as we worked there over the past week. Up till last week, with the increasing number of people falling sick because of the exceptionally cold weather and the flu virus going around, people were tense and touchy, but this week, they smile a lot more and even say thank you when I bring them dinner."

"I know, the doctors and the nurses too," Chiharu said.

"I feel sorry for all those children who have to stay in the hospital during the holidays, though," Sakura said with morose. "Hey, do you think the journalism class could do something special for them? For example, we could dress up like elves and give them little gifts, or do a little skit for them."