Chapter 7

Elixir's eyes brightened, with energy once again entering his body. "Sure!" Elixir went to his class with a smile from ear to ear. [ He asked me to hang out.] he had Helios in his mind all day.

Soon, the day was over. "Okay, let's finish early. So that's it for today. Enjoy the winter festival."

"Senior, let's go."

"I'll just finish cleaning up first." Helios stored all his things back in his bag, 

"Here, let me carry that for you." Elixir took the bag that Helios was carrying. This sudden act of Elixir caught Helios off guard. He stood there for a couple of seconds with his mind still processing things.

"You don't have to. I can carry my own things." Helios took his bag from Elixir's shoulder.

"Are you sure?"

"I am." 

[If someone saw us together, and you are holding my things, they might start talking again.]

"Let's go then."

Helios and Elixir walked together to the winter festival. The lights were so bright, there were so many stalls selling food. The noise was wonderful, it was the kind that would bring back nostalgic memories. Elixir had a smile on his face the whole time,

"I heard there would be a snow sculpting event. Do you wanna go check it out senior?"

"Don't they do that every year?"

"They do but isn't it still so amusing that they can make so many cool things with just snow?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Come on senior, let's go see what they made."

Elixir held on to Helios' hand, forcing Helios to follow him.

A lot of things were sculpted using snow, there was one that was inspired by cartoon characters, a realistic human figure, and one that was a life-size house.

"How did they even make that?" Elixir exclaimed with a wide mouth. They both looked at the different arts that were in the competition.

Elixir pointed and pointed, showing Helios all the once that he found amusing. Helios was feeling so light. He had no thoughts of the things that had happened. He looked at Elixir as he ran around like a child while holding hands with him.

"This is really fun. Right, senior?"

"My back is killing me. You were pulling me the whole time. I think I'm about to die."

"I'm sorry." Elixir laughed, watching Helios catch his breath.

"I'm sorry, I'll just buy you food. Look, meat buns!"

Elixir pointed at one food stall. Elixir went to Helios' back and slowly pushed him to the food stall. They ordered some meat buns.

"Look senior. There is a good spot there to rest." Elixir pointed at a tree where it is far enough to move away from the crowd but not too far so that you wouldn't feel the festival anymore.

They sat down under the tree, and for a moment, it was silent. A quick break from all the chaos from earlier.

"You know, senior. Winter festival was a very important festival to my family. It was the only time my father came home, so we would always do our best to have a fulfilled day. We would always come here then we would bet who would win the snow sculpting contest. It used to be a lot of fun

"But when my dad started to work near home, it became more and more irrelevant, till we just stopped celebrating it. I'm so glad to spend my second, first Winter festival with you, senior."

Helios looked at Elixir, and they met eyes. The blissful second ended, and Helios' eyes moved away.

"I never even went to a festival before. My parents don't care much to go to a festival or even care for me. My brother is too busy working to keep our family alive, so it was mostly me. But it's not like I have time anyway. I was too busy doing the house chores while my parents drink their asses off. So it's my first winter festival too, and I feel the same way as you."

Elixir was quiet, Helios expected that. "Thank you for earlier. Anyways, do you want to bet who would win in the sculpting contest?"

Helios ate the last bite of his meat bun before standing up. "Yeah, let's go." Elixir stood up

They went back to the festival and watched the announcement of the winner. They played games and ate at the festival till it was about midnight and the fireworks were set up to the sky, symbolizing the end of the celebration.

"Senior, hold my hand. There would be a lot of people who are going to watch it too. It would be hard if we get separated." Helios held on to Elixir's hand.

[There is class tomorrow, and it's late already. There won't be students who go to the same school here now, right?]

The fireworks popped and the colors danced in the sky. It was a sight to be seen, but

[The way the colors reflect on senior's face while his smiling makes this night so beautiful.]

Elixir went closer to Helios. "Let's go home, senior." He whispered. "Yeah, it's getting really crowded, and late," Helios yelled back to him.

"We should go out more often, senior. This was a lot of fun."

"I don't have a very open schedule, unlike yours. Just call some of your friends or something."

"But I want it to be you."

"I told you I can't. This is a one-time thing, I just wanted to say thank you."

"I don't even know what you are being thankful for, senior"

"You don't need to know."

"We're here, can you at least let me walk with you till you get to your room?"

"Fine."

Elixir walked beside Helios till Helios reached his room, "I'll go now then. See you around, Senior."

"Yeah."

Elixir walked back to his room happy that he was almost skipping. [I can't wait to wake up tomorrow.]