DISCLAIMER: Not mine. Never mine. *sob*

AUTHOR`S NOTES: Written in reponse to a challenge by Shiori at the Gravity Forums at www(dot)geocities(dot)com/gravity(underscore)snowflake I`m not fully sure I`m happy with it, and I`m writing this hoping to get criticized, actually. I am not usually one to post something until I`m happy with it. I am not all that happy with this. But it`s highly seasonal and I figure I can always just edit my

Damned Snow

“So, I`ll be there around dinnertime!”

”You`re not going to be late, are you?”

“Of course not! There`s no way I would miss this.”

“Okay … I`ll be waiting!”

“See you then, Ayaka-chan! I love you!”

“I love you, too, Hiro!”

Hiroshi Nakano cursed snow. He cursed it loudly and thoroughly.

“Due to heavy snowfall, the bus to Kyoto will not be running tonight, those with tickets can cash them for a later . . .”

Normally, this would not be an issue. He would just drive to Kyoto. It wasn`t that snowy out, really. No problem!

“Come on, little brother, I need your car! Oh, please! It`s a one time chance audition! You could just take a bus to Kyoto! Please?”

It hadn`t seemed to so bad. Yeah! Take the bus!

Right.

Hiro cursed Yuuzi, too.

A payphone in a corner the bus stop of the bus stop did not prove to be of any help.

Ring . . .

Ring . . .

Ring . . .

“Hello, this is Yuuzi, he is probably out doing something far more important than whatever it is you want, so –”

SLAM!

Reasoning with the idiots who canceled the trip didn`t work much either.

“I need to get to Kyoto! I have to see my girlfriend!”

“I`m sorry, sir, but you`ll just have to find another way. The snow is just too heavy.”

He`d called everyone with a car.

“This is Sakano, I`m unable to answer your call right – ” SLAM!

“You have reached the Nakano Residence, please leave a message for us after the – ”

SLAM!

“HI! This is Yuki and Shuichi`s house! We`re sorry, but we can`t talk to you right now! So just – ”

SLAM!

Unfortunately, they all seemed to out enjoying themselves on the day when Hiro, too, should have been.

He would even take his bike despite the freezing cold were it not

“Yup, your brakes are shot all right! Give us a few days to have em fixed up!”

It was obvious what was to blame for this awful turn of events.

“…a record breaking heavy snowfall warning is in effect, with an accumulation upwards of 30 cms …”

Thus, Hiroshi Nakano cursed snow. He had a special date planned with his girlfriend, a girlfriend he rarely got to see. He had been looking forward to this for a month. But there was snow. He had tried everything, and he was not getting to Kyoto.

He flopped onto a bench in the bus stop. There were very few people around, most of those who had anticipated catching a bus tonight had left. He pulled out his last coin. His last resort. The suicide capsule. The self destruct. Use only if all other methods fail.

He checked his watch.

1:47 PM.

He sighed. There was nothing to be done for it. Standing up, he crossed to the now familiar pay phone and dropped the coin into the slot.

Ring . . . ring . . . ring . . .

“Hello, you have reached the Usami residence, we are unable to take your call right now. Please leave your name and number after the beep and we`ll return your call as soon as possible!”

Ayaka sounded so happy, he noted wistfully. That wouldn`t last for long.

Beeeeeeep.

“Uh, hey Ayaka-chan . . . this is Hiro . . . look, uh, I don`t think I`m going to be able to make it tonight. The roads are really bad and I can`t find any way to get there, believe me, I tried, so I, uh . . . I`m really sorry. Call me when you get in, all right? I love you. Bye bye.”

Dejected, he pulled on his heavy coat. The humor of getting this much snow in a land that snow forgot on this, of all days was not lost on him. But when he thought of how disappointed Ayaka would be when she found out that all of her work planning and making a special romantic dinner for them at the hotel would be gone to waste, the joke was utterly unfunny.

The snow was still coming down at a fierce pace, each flake spiraling through the air, whipped around at high speeds. It was freezing, and the snow was seemingly endless. There was no car or bike to take home, the ride he had got here was long gone. With a sigh, Hiro wrapped his arms around himself and started on the hike home.

The difficulties of a long distance relationship were not so bad. He and Ayaka accumulated massive long distance phone bills, but it was worth it. Whatever feelings she may have still harbored for Eiri Yuki when they had begun their relationship were long since gone, leaving just the two of them, happy together. The times when they got to see each other were few and precious. He sighed. This day was going to be so wonderful, too.

He wondered, briefly, what her response would be. He doubted she`d be angry, when she was mad, she was dangerous, but she wasn`t the type to get upset over something like this. She would be disappointed, dejected . . . she may even cry.

Damn this snow. Damn Yuuzi and his auditions. Damn the travel safety idiots. Damn Kyoto for being so far away. Damn Sakano, and Mom and Dad, and Yuki and Shuichi for not being out enjoying themselves instead of where I need them. Damn this snow.

Dammit.

* * *

Hiro pushed open the door of his house and sighed happily as a blast of heat from his portable heater he always left on hit him on the frozen face. Throwing the bag of food he had picked up on the way on the ground and peeling his icy coat off, he continued cursing the snow. He crossed to his dresser and picked up his telephone.

2 new messages.

The words flashed at him.

He hit the playback button and pulled off his wet boots.

“Hiro! I just wanted to let you know that I`m not going to be home today if you`re trying to call, Yuki`s actually taking me out! Isn`t that so sweet of him? Have you seen all the snow! I`m so excited, we haven`t gotten this much in Febuary in, like ever! Remember how we always used to play in the snow? Well, Yuki`s waiting at the door, and he`s kind of glaring at me, so I should probably go now! You have a good time up in Kyoto with Ayaka-chan!”

Click.

Beep.

“Hiro?”

The guitarists`s ears perked up and the familiar quiet feminine voice coming through the telephone.

“I got your message … um … it`s okay, really, I understand. Snow and things.” She sighed softly. Hiro`s heart nearly burst. God, he wished he didn`t have to do this to her. “Ne, it`s okay, right?” she continued. “The date isn`t really what`s important! You can come down to visit next time Mr. K will give you all a day off.”

She was being happy for him. He could tell. There was a little catch in her voice. She wasn`t usually quiet like this unless something was bothering her.

“So I`ll see you then. Give me a call, okay? I love you! Bye bye.”

Click.

Beep.

He sat down on his bed.

This sucks.

Ayaka was in Kyoto … Hiro was in Tokyo … and there was 30 centimeters of snow on the roads preventing him from getting to her. Everyone was with their significant other today! Even Yuki had the romantic sense to take Shuichi out – which was saying something.

He grabbed his acoustic guitar and swung it onto his knee. There was nothing like some music to lose yourself in. He checked his watch.

2:51

Well, that had certainly been a long walk home. The stop at the grocery stop could take part of the blame.

He strummed a few minor chords. The sad sound really matched his mood. He was a horrible person. He was a jerk. He was a disappointment. He was really, really hungry.

He set the guitar aside. Just to make himself feel worse, he played Ayaka`s message back once again as he heated up some canned spaghetti. It was only fair. That was what Ayaka was going to cook him tonight, after all.

“So, I`ll see you then! Give me a call, okay? Love you!”

He couldn`t call her. He felt too awful. This was something that you`d see in one of those horrible girly magazines that could make a man want to cut off his own penis for being such a prick.

Beep. Beep. Beeeeeep.

He grabbed his spaghetti.

This really sucked. Damn snow.

There was nothing to be done for it. He grabbed his phone and dialed Ayaka`s number while crossing to the table.

Ring.

He sat.

Ring.

He stuck his fork into it.

Ring.

He took a bite.

Ring.

… Where was she?

“Hello, you have reached the Usami residence, we are unable to – ”

Click

He thew phone over onto his bed and immersed himself in tomato sauce and limp noodles. He was worried about Ayaka -- really, where would she be in weather like this? -- but in a way, he was rather glad that she wasn`t there. He didn`t want to have to face her.

He cursed the snow yet again.

The spaghetti was very obviously cheap. It wasn`t all that good, either. At least it curbed his hunger slightly. He ate in silence, taking his sweet time, perfectly aware that he was wasting his evening.

Knock, knock.

He stopped.

What? Who could that be?

Pushing his empty bowl back, he stood up and walked to the door. The knock came again.

He pushed the door open.

And froze.

A small woman wearing a thick winter coat stood there. It was possible that somewhere under the inch of snow covering her hair she was a brunette. She stood shivering and sniveling. “Hiro?” she asked slowly. If it wasn`t for the sound of her voice, he may not have recognized her.

“Ay … Ayaka-chan?”

“Hiro!” the girl lunged at him, throwing her arms around him tightly. “I`m so cold ..”

“What are you doing here?” he could hardly believe it. Ayaka? Here? What?

“I came to see you!” Ayaka replied, burying her face into his chest. Something bumped against his back and he concluded that she was holding a bag of something.

“Well … come in!” he urged her, stepping back and letting her follow him.

Ayaka peeled off her coat and mittens, shaking her hair clean of snow. “It`s so cold out.” She said through chattering teeth. She moved over to the portable heater and sighed as she began to warm her hands.

“What …” Hiro was having a hard time organizing his thoughts. Ayaka was here. There were thirty centimeters of snow outside, yet Ayaka was here. Snowy and freezing, but here. “What are you doing here?”

She turned to look at him, smiling that pleasant, quiet smile she often gave him. “I couldn`t very well not see you at all on Valentines Day,” She said sweetly. “I even brought all the stuff I need to make your you special meal.”

He just stared at her. She was so beautiful, even when she was wet and cold. “I …” he paused. “But how did you get here?

“Oh!” Ayaka exclaimed. She ran to the window and waved at someone. “There we go.” She turned once more. “I begged Tatsuha-san to bring me.”

“Tatsuha?”

“On his bike. When I got your message, I called him right away. I told him that you or Shuichi might be able to set him up with a meeting with Ryuichi Sakuma. He brought me here right away, driving like a bat out of hell.”

“You came on a bike through a blizzard all the way to Tokyo just to see me?” he asked incredulously.

“Of course I did.” Ayaka approached him, smiling brilliantly. “Hiro, to be with you … I`d do anything.” She wrapped her arms around him and stared up her him, her blue eyes glowing lovingly.

“I couldn`t make it,” Hiro admitted. Her cupped her cheek. Ayaka was here. His Ayaka, the delicate long-haired Kyoto beauty, had driven through a snowstorm on the back of a motorbike to see him. “I tried. I couldn`t make it to you.”

“I know.” She smiled. “That`s why I made it to you instead.” Her arms snaked up to his neck and pulled him down into a deep kiss.

When she pulled away, leaving him breathless, she blushed sweetly and gave him a small, shy smile. “I should get dinner started, I think.”

“Where`s Tatsuha now?” Hiro couldn`t help but wonder as she walked away.

“Probably begging Mika or Eiri to let him stay with them.” She smiled, grabbing her bag and sorting her ingredients. “I feel quite bad for Shuichi and Tohma. Nothing like your signifigant other`s annoying younger sibling showing up to make for a romantic Valentine`s night.”

“So you can`t get back to Kyoto tonight?”

“Well, you know, it`s a little late, and I wouldn`t want to go home in the snow anyways.” Ayaka was a timid girl. Even with all the time they had been together, he was always the one to take control. So he was incredibly surprised when she turned, grinned and dropped one eyelid in a saucy wink. “So I guess I`m going to have to stay here tonight.”

Hiro blinked, then grinned and leaned back against the dresser. “Fancy that.”

* * *

“The snow continues to fall, we have accumulated a record amount of 35 centimeters and it`s not stopping anytime soon! It`s a White Valentine`s Day in Tokyo …”

“I still can`t believe you made it,” Hiro said quietly in the dark, his voice drowning out the quiet radio they had left on to keep updated on the weather.

“Is it so hard to believe?” Ayaka replied, snuggling closer to him. It was freezing, but their bodies were warm pressed up against each other.

“I feel almost guilty for not trying hard enough,” He admitted.

“Don`t.”

“… and that`s all for Yk98.2 weather. Coming up next, we`ve got music from Bad Luck! Keep listening!”

“They`re playing one of your songs,” Ayaka observed.

“Hmmm,” He agreed. “It`s not so odd once you get used to it.”

The first strains of In the Moonlight filled the room. Hiro could pick out his own guitar mixed in with the many instruments of Suguru Fujisaki`s synthesizer. He was glad they had chosen that song, old though it was. It was quiet, romantic, and despite the clouds that obscured the moon tonight, it really did seem to suit the mood of the dark room and the white light that snowy nights always held flooding in through the window.

“You know, I like this song.” Ayaka told him sincerely.

“You used to hate Bad Luck`s music.”

“Well, I was jealous of Shuichi, remember.”

“…miageru shiruetto kimi no yokogao o terashita awai hikari wa ima …”Hiro chuckled. “You know, I just realized that I am actually going to have to try and pull some strings to have Tatsuha see Sakuma-san.” “He`ll never forgive me if he doesn`t get to.” Ayaka giggled. “He was screaming the entire way about how cold he was.”“…shigusa manete waratta kimi no koe mo omoi …”“You know … I remember when we first met. You had just come all the way to Tokyo to see Yuki-san with your own money without permission. You were so pretty. I remember thinking that whoever it was you had come to see, you must really, really care about them. And now you`ve done something even more for me.” Hiro shook his head. “You shouldn`t have. You could have frozen to death.” “Well, there were some people on the highway, and I don`t think they would have let me freeze.” Ayaka`s voice held a smile. “Besides, Tatsuha would have died first, he was taking all the wind.” She paused. “And you know … it was really worth it … to be with you.” “I love you.” Hiro whispered, stroking her dark hair. “I love you, too, Hiro.” Ayaka pressed her cheek against his chest and sighed in contentment. “Happy Valentine`s Day.” And Hiro took a moment to bless the record amounts of snow that made this time they could spend together all the sweeter.