A Midwinter Miracle

The Final Member

Yuri's point of view

How bitterly cold it is today...

I'm alone, as usual. I lay down to relax under a large oak tree, wrapping a thick woollen scarf around my neck. It provides little relief against most of the cold, but at least it keeps my head warm to a reasonable degree. As I go to sit down, I notice a small bramble bush nearby, with what looks to be a small plastic box underneath it. I take out the box to examine it.

It's completely empty apart from a lone sheet of paper, seemingly taken from a small notebook, with what looks to be a poem written on it. I don't particularly wish to divulge in other people's belongings, so I don't touch it. however, I do catch the title of the poem:

Eagles can fly

That's a strange name for a poem, I think to myself.

I replace the box under the bush, and lay against the tree, whilst pulling a thick coat out of my bag. I wrap it around my shoulders.

It's quite late. It's got to be almost half past four at least. Oh well. I don't need to be back home yet, which is good. I like to spend time alone with either a book, my thoughts, or both. Today, though, I can't be bothered to read. It's too cold.

I look towards the school building, only about fifty feet away from me. To my surprise, I see that a single light on the first floor is still illuminated. Three figures are moving around in the window, all most likely girls, from what I could see. One goes to seemingly jump on another, but trips over a table as she does so. A few minutes later, one of the girls disappears from the window.

She's probably coming, I think.

I get up, and hide behind the other side of the tree. Sure enough, before long, a small girl comes out of the front door. However, instead of leaving the school site, she starts heading over to me.

Oh no, she must have seen me watching...

I hide back around the tree, but the girl then seems to stop. I look around the corner, and see her crouched by the bush, fiddling with the box, before closing it, hiding it in the bush, and running out of the school grounds. She doesn't even notice me. I'm relieved.

I slump back to the ground at the base of the tree, sighing. However, a looming curiosity lingers around me, not about the box in the bush, but about that first floor classroom. What are three students doing so late in school?

I get up, but think to myself: wait a second, I can't just waltz in there and ask what's happening, that's much too hasty. I look around for a motive as to why I'd potentially go into the room, and my eyes spot something on the ground, near the bush.

It's a pen. A small, black ballpoint pen. However, it seems to have a label on it. It says:

Natsuki

That must be the name of that small girl, I suppose. I can enter the classroom, under the pretence of returning the pen to her friends, and ask what's happening at the same time. It should work.

I pick up the pen carefully. I don't particularly want to damage it. I set off towards the school.

I make my way inside. The front desk is deserted. I find the stairs and make my way upwards to the illuminated classroom. I peer inside. Two girls seem to be talking, one of whom was in a particularly good mood. It was as if she'd just been promised cupcakes or something.