11 Chapter 11

I returned home and Papa Bear gave me a weak smile.

"He didn't wake up," I said

"His powers are returning. Don't feel down. If the Winter area lost its coldness, Winter was no longer with us. As you can see, the ice didn't melt yet and you are still here to help him" Papa Bear comforted

"I know he will wake up soon, if not for me, maybe for everyone," I said

"Did you know that aside from Autumn you are the second one to care for him?" Papa Bear said and guide me to sit

"Let me tell you something about the brothers," he said and smiled

"When I asked them to tell something about Winter, they said I should ask him. And now, you know something about the brothers, why not just tell me everything about Winter?" I said and pouted

"My innocent child, you should know that communication builds relationships. Fights and rejections can make stronger or weaker bonds. How can I pull up the strings and let you be a stranger to your husband" he laughed

"It's so nice to hear you say I am your child. It reminds me of my good father" I smiled

"There, there my child. Your smile is genuine right now. Do not be disheartened, you know that life is difficult, yet never forget to be happy" he said and combed my hair

"Now, for the story. I told you that this is not my old self. I watched how this place grew into this kind of world." he started

"I believe Master Winter was just 10 when he got lost in this area and met the Master. He was too young to understand and too innocent to reject the Master's offer. Winter was a kind child, he has a lot of friends, therefore when he recognized this place as home, he invited more. Thus, Winter became a living invitation."

"As time passed by, the Master got bored of how Winter enjoyed his childhood and created restrictions. He said it is for fun. Winter and the rest agreed. This is the creation of the timeline law in this world. The Master said that he only granted three years' worth of living in his world, then the guests must leave. The place became a not for a free area for every child except Winter who is then named by the Master as his favorite guest."

"So Winter didn't leave the place because he is the sole successor of this place?" I asked

"No... There are other reasons" he replied

"Winter didn't mind the restrictions and let more children inside the place which angered the Master. He then added in the time line's law that in exchange for their entry is their existence in the real world. Afraid of losing their lives, Winter's friends gradually decreased. Only 7 were left and the most precious one is Rose."

"Who is this Rose? His childhood friend?" I asked

"No, his first love" he responded and gave me this stingy feeling in my chest

"Rose is pure. She is so simple and that's why Winter named her, Rose. She's so lovable that every man might fall for her, but there's a tragedy that happened. And then Autumn came in with the second generation. With Winter's decisions, the Master granted him to leave and enter the place anytime he wanted and so the third generation came after some accidents of the second one. Life was there too. Then, Heat who grew up in his grandfather entered not a long while, until you come" he said trying to skip some important details

"What's the tragedy? What accident? Papa Bear you left me in shatter" I said and he laughed

"I'm not the one who can explain this all to you," he replied

"You're the one when you started the conversation! You just don't want to let me know!" I said

"No, there are opportunities but I am not suitable. Wait for him and ask him. If he's ready to let it go, he will know the right words to say. If not, it will be your choice to comply on his decision" he said

I was about to start an argument when we heard a knock and the Master's voice. This man has a gut to enter our area when he knows how much hatred I have for him.

"How dare you came here?" I shouted and pushed him as the door opened

"The wind is mad, no wonder there's a blizzard a while ago," the Master said and fixed himself as the snow was all over his clothes

"This is your guest," he said and introduced a young man who's not far younger than me

"Winter is not dead! I don't need a guest" I said and was about to close the door when Papa Bear stopped me

"I'm sorry, Wind is just out of herself these past few days. Master, please come in and I'll serve you something hot" he said

"Respect was taught in your real world, isn't it?" the Master looked at me

"However, my mother told me only to respect someone who wholeheartedly knows what respect is," I said boldly

"No wonder you are Winter's choice. The Lady of the Snow surely is dauntless" he remarked

"I'm sorry in behalf of My lady" Papa Bear apologized

"No need, villagers' names correspond to themselves. If Wind has this attitude it is simply because she is Wind" he said

"Now, now, handsome little guest. Take your rest" the Master ordered and the boy nodded

He is thinner and a bit smaller than Winter. He has black hair and blue eyes. He is as white as snow and somehow innocent. He is like some lost boy who is blown by our place due to such weather. I pity those homeless children living on the pavement of Winter. Maybe I can ask my father to take care of them? I wonder if he agrees.

"Welcome" Papa Bear greeted

"Tell me my name" he responded teary eyes

"You can't have one," I said then he cried

"But the Master said, I can live here if you give me a name," he said

"Yes you can live here even without a name," I replied

"But I will live again in the streets after some days," he said

"You are homeless? I asked which opened my merciful heart

"Yes, I... I don't want to die in the cold night. I want to live a happy life here." he pleaded and hugged me

"Wind, the role of this place is to bring fun and answers to everyone who seeks it. Why not give him a chance to experience it?" Papa Bear asked

"But, I am married to Winter," I said

"Is that your excuse? Or is it just so hard for you to accept someone else to think that it might be called a betrayal in your heart?" he asked me

"Tell me, did you fell in love with Winter?" he added

I was shocked by the question. Am I in love with Winter? My real-world mentor said that I am too young to understand love, how can it be? In the novels I read, they are much compassionate and I don't even remember Winter cared for me. Or maybe I didn't notice it all this while? My heart palpitated and I felt like stopping my breathing. I stayed in silence.

"If he can't wake up, I can be a replacement. I promise I won't force myself to you" the guest said

This made me felt weird. A while, he is a poor child in the form of adolescent, now he is a gentleman? It is so hard to predict him. He's like hiding his true form to me, this made me a bit of scared.

"Can you... Can you step back?" I asked and removed his hug

"I'm sorry... I shouldn't say that. It's fine if you can't accept me because of your lover. I believe that he's more important to a stranger like me" he said

He left the house. I was about to follow him out of conscience when he vanished in the blizzard. How can winter be this chaotic? I entered our room when Papa Bear said he must go home.

"Winter, please wake up and order me around again, I need your guidance because I don't know what to do right now. Just a simple sign... Please" I whispered and cried

I woke up in a sudden movement.

"Winter?" I asked

I saw the guess holding my hand. I am a bit disappointed. I thought it was him. I thought he is awake.

"What are you doing?" I asked as I woke him up by my movement

"You were sleeping on the ground. I accompanied you instead of waking you up" he said innocently and smiled

"You don't have to," I said and walked to the kitchen

"There's already food there. I cooked it!" he said proudly

"I'm not hungry" I replied and put some hot water on my coffee

"Did I do something wrong? Why do you always give me a cold shoulder?" he asked

"No, I'm sorry if you felt that way. I'm just... I'm a bit down" I explained

"My friends played with me when I'm sad" he suggested

"Too old to play" I responded

He pulled me out of the house and left me there. Suddenly, I was thrown by a snowball. He laughed when he saw me down the snow. I stayed there and felt the coldness of the ground.

"Are you okay? I'm sorry" he apologized

I threw the snow in my hand and I laughed. How dare he? A shut-in lady is a snow fighter when I was younger. I am good at trickery!

My memory of the real world reminded me of the butlers and maids who played with me. They are always there when I am bored. Then...

"You love playing, too?" the girl asked me

"Yes, yes!" I happily replied

"Do you know how to play hide and seek?" the other asked and I nodded

I am in the same room and talking to the same girls who locked me up inside the cabinet. My heart started palpitating and I screamed out my pain. It's so hard to breathe.

"Hold my hand. I promise to never leave you. I won't do nasty things to you and even take revenge to those girls" a young boy said

"Will you be my friend?" I asked him

"Yes! And if other men do not want to marry a cute girl like you or did nasty things to you, I, your future husband will make them suffer" he said and smiled

Why the boy's face is so blurred? Why can't I see his face? Do I know his name? Where is he now? Why these memories came suddenly?

"WIND! WIND!"

I came back to my consciousness as the guest shakes me. I held his arms to make him stop and I saw his relieved.

"I'm tired," I said

"Hold my hand. You will never be alone this time" he said and gave me a hand

"Winter had been alone all this time and I never said those words to him. I'm a bit envious" I said

"He knew it. He knows you'll never leave him so you have to smile and be strong for him. And if he woke up someday, he can say that you've been stronger while he is away" he said

"Will he? I know Winter will just look at me with his cold eyes. But, probably it would be the best for I know he's alive this way" I cried and he hugged me

"I'm sorry I've been rude to you all this while," I said

"I understand. I've been in your shoes so I know how you feel" he replied

"Please give me more time to think of your name," I said

"I'm not in a hurry" he smiled

"Thank you," I told him

He said I should go out more and he would take care of Winter, but I somehow feel not to trust him deeper. He's kind, but there's still doubt. I left the house when Papa Bear came. I went to Autumn's house. Rain hugged me and cried in my shoulders saying that she was crying for me. She knows it's been hard and if she can do anything, she'll help too. I told her that once she entered the winter area, she'll be a block of dead ice and I wouldn't want to see that.

"Is it true?" she said, afraid

"Yes, because it's so cold to that area," I said

"How can you live there? What if you catch a cold?" she asked

"I'm the Lady of Snow, how can I catch a cold in my place" I laughed

"It's so nice to hear you laugh again" she smiled

"Did you see the new Lady of Spring?" she asked

"There's also one?" I said

"Also? Do you mean you also have one?" she asked

"Yes, we have a guest," I said

"You didn't name him yet" she concluded

"I don't have the power" I replied

"You have because you are now the temporary representative..." she responded

"Don't worry if you name him, that won't change anything. As long as Winter is alive" she assured

"But I can't just learn how to trust him," I said honestly

"It's fine, take time," Autumn said as he popped up somewhere

"Autumn!" I greeted and hugged him

"How are you feeling my little sister?" he asked

"So so" I replied

"It's progress... Would you like to accompany us? We will meet Dahlia" he invited

"So Life named her after all," I said

"Yes... I also want to apologize on what happened to Leaf" Autumn replied

I accompanied Autumn and Rain to the Spring area and saw a girl plowing a land near Life's house.

"Oh hello, neighbors" she greeted

She's so lively. She's like a female version of Heat, but I felt she's a bit reckless.

"Hello" I replied and she hugged me

"It's so nice to feel the wind," she said

"Your smell is good too" I complimented

"Thank you, Life said that too and named me, Dahlia" she laughed

"If not rude, may I ask where is Life?" I asked

"He's talking to the Master, it is his birthday" she answered

"Come in! Let's wait for him inside" she suggested and pulled us in

What a very cheerful guest. I wonder how can I name the guest. He's a bit tricky and warm too. I wonder why I feel like Winter is much warmer than him, but he's kind too. He has those blue eyes that's captivating and is good at comforting. He's understanding too. What should I name him?