So, this is whathappens whenI see you again

LiuShengyu(6C47), NienWeiShengWelden(6C47)

Nothing has changed Somehow, the billowing snow still comes year after year without fail; the bells still sound as I walk through the bakery door Stark as a red poppy in white snow, he is the first thing I notice Behind the counter, working the coffee machine with deft hands.

I walk up to the counter, trying to still my hands How long has it been? Ten, twelve years? He is taller than me now His hair is longer than I have ever seen it Behind his golden curls, I still see the eyes and smile I used to know like the back of my hand.

“A hot chocolate please ” I say to the boy who wears the name tag reading ‘Benji’

He looks up from the glass he was cleaning, and suddenly I find myself avoiding his gaze. His eyes widen in the distorted reflection, then he smiles. And I'm brought back

"Alex?" Benji looked up at me, uncertain The apple wobbles on his head I squinted and grinned at him

"Don't worry! Just stay still" I aimed my nerf gun and squeezed the trigger The plastic pellet flew out and hit him on the nose He cried, stumbling backward and onto his butt, the apple rolling away from him

"ALEX!" he hollered accusingly, while sniffling on the ground I rushed to him, laughing A welt started to rise on the tip of his nose. I pointed and cried, "Rudolph!"

All the way back. akery

o me even after all these

I take a seat by the window The steam from the cocoa floats upward as frost creeps down Someone shifts into the seat opposite me and I look up It’s Benji

"You're Alex, right? From North Pole Primary School?"

"Yeah You remember?"

"Of course, how can I forget?" Benji swirls his own cup of cocoa and runs a hand through his hair The chill has tinted his cheeks pink

We talk until it started snowing, then stopped Only when I stare down at what remains in my cup do I remember what this reminds me of. Those days we used to spend together, just like this Then, we stopped

When will I ask him why?

"You never responded to my letters " ither of us would broach this, but there it is I shut my Letters? I – I never got any letters "

Liar I sent them, Benji Fervently And I waited, but that's all I ended up doing I'm done waiting on him

Ignoring his stuttering, I stand, leaving my cup and grabbing my pack before stepping out onto the streets

I walk down the cobblestones as garland and lights greet me from above. People are in Santa hats, reindeer antlers headbands, talking excitedly with smoke escaping their mouths Green pine trees covered with snow lights and ornament b f

My parents made the decision to move out to the city when I was nine They always told me it was for the good of my education and their business, but I never really believed them I remembered being distraught that I was forcefully ‘evicted’ from my fairytale and I had to leave my friends, and Benji I made a promise to myself that I would always find my way back here, back to Benji I just never got around to doing it until this Christmas

I vividly remember after opening my presents on Christmas day, I would sit on my bedroom floor and write a letter to Benji, telling him about all the toys I got

He never responded to any of them And when the snow crackles with footsteps almost don't expect him to speak at all After all, in my memories, he is voiceless A for a while, he speaks.

“I thought you forgot about me, Alex I don’t know where your letters went, but trust me, ” his voice breaks, “I would’ve written back in a heartbeat My mom My mom must’ve thrown them away without showing them to me ”

I smirk Benji was, and still is, the quiet, sweet child of a respectable family And I am the troublemaker next door. They made their disapproval of me quite plain, even kicking me out of their house one Christmas Benji had snuck out that night to join me, and it is here we swapped presents and stories

From his coat he pulls out a red wrapped box and hands it over to me I nudge him gently. “Thanks, Rudolph Merry Christmas I guess we found our way back after all.