We played snowball fights for a while. Bernardo kept throwing his snowballs at me, but my hand-eye coordination was far better than most five-year-olds. In fact, two kids were throwing at me Simultaneously, including that annoying little shit, Arnel.
I glanced around. There were more children and families playing nearby in the neighborhood, and, of course, more unreasonably attractive mothers to impress.
It wouldn't hurt to show off a little.
Because there's one thing I've realized: for my age, my physical abilities are unreasonably good.
Or maybe I'm just stroking my own ego.
I dodged every snowball that came my way nonchalantly with my Impossibly immaculate footwork on the snow.
Bernardo looked impressed and he kept throwing, but I evaded them effortlessly, including Arnel's pitiful attempts.
I held onto my snowballs, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. I could feel the gazes of those unreasonably attractive mothers on me, witnessing my greatness and impeccable style.
Arnel grew increasingly frustrated by his tragic lack of accuracy, yelling at Bernardo to do better. For some reason, Bernardo actually listened, even seemed scared of him. Interesting.
Meanwhile, Phoebe was simply watching, probably amazed by my sheer presence, as were the other kids in the area.
Yes, look at me!
Tell your unreasonably attractive mothers about my legend!
"You are so cool!" I heard it, it was coming from Phoebe, and without hesitation, she also started throwing snowballs at me.
It was now 1 vs 3. She looked genuinely amazed by how easily I'm dodging every projectile.
Children at this age get impressed by anything, even if it's mundane.
However, Arnel looks increasingly frustrated when he hears Phoebe's compliment toward me. Bernardo doesn't care and just playfully keeps throwing snowballs at me.
Jealousy and insecurity are at their highest at this stage of life, and now I'm just making my own arch-nemesis, my future opposition, into being.
You, Arnel, should be honored, for I will show you true humiliation.
After dodging as much as I can, it's time for me to strike. They have no snowballs left, and Arnel is about to make more of his own. Just as he's about to gather snow, that's when I throw mine.
When my snowball connects with Arnel's face, a headshot, I finger-bang precisely at the collision.
BOOM!
As Arnel was about to recover from the sheer disrespect I'd just done to his face, I wasn't finished.
He opened his mouth to yell something, but before he could, another snowball smacked him right in the face, cutting him off mid-sentence.
I didn't want to make it obvious that I was doing this out of spite, so without warning, I shifted targets and started pelting Bernardo instead, headshot after headshot.
Then there was Phoebe. Upon witnessing the sheer difference between me and the others, she just stood there frozen. She'd been throwing snowballs at me earlier, but I grinned at her, she wasn't getting any special treatment.
Phoebe looked shocked, but not upset. Still, I had to make sure she wouldn't cry or make her mother angry, so I eased up on the force.
My snowballs toward her were lighter, and harmless… well, I'm five years old anyway, I can't generate much force to begin with.
The snowball hit her square in the face. She stumbled back, brushed the snow off, and instead of crying, burst into laughter and started throwing snowballs back at me!
Bernardo retaliated too, followed by Arnel's frustrated attempts.
Of course, I was styling on these toddlers.
Not a single hit landed on me, while I had a perfect 100% accuracy rate.
Somewhere in the middle of the fight, I realized, I was actually having fun.
It's fine, right? To experience a proper childhood?
I won't be condemned for this… right?
It's okay for me to feel this… right?
I kept throwing and dodging, but deep down, I didn't know what to properly feel. I'm still a grown man at the end of the day.
"ARSEN! DO YOUR BEST!"
Yuri's voice rang from the sidelines.
The mothers looked impressed rather than angry that I was absolutely washing their kids. Some adults and nearby children even seemed genuinely amazed by my reflexes and hand-eye coordination.
But why am I so fixated on that praise…?
Then I saw her, my mother, just getting home.
She was watching, smiling, and cheering me on.
Ahh… what is this warmth in my chest?
For now…
I shouldn't worry about anything.
I'm not doing anything wrong.
For now…
Let me just—be a child again.
Let me have fun.
And get lost… in the flow of a child's innocence.
The playtime went on longer than expected, so long that more kids from the neighborhood started joining in.
Time really flies when you're having fun.
Except for Arnel, of course. I might've just fueled his early childhood insecurity.
Maybe that's not a bad thing. I'm basically investing in my own future opposition, it was a risky decision, but it builds character.
Eventually, the sun dipped low, the sky dimming into soft blue and violet.
The air grew colder, and it was time to head back home.
"That was fun! We should do that again!" Bernardo said, grinning from ear to ear.
The others had already run back to their parents, who were waiting nearby.
Phoebe stepped forward timidly. "Hope we can play again, Arsen," she said shyly before hiding behind her mother's back.
I gave my regards and goodbyes, even bowing, formally, of course—just to show the mothers that I'm a man of class.
Naturally, everyone found it endearing.
Just as planned.
As for Arnel, he was already gone, storming home with his mother.
Damn. Couldn't even say goodbye to his mother, at least once.
Then, Yuri crouched beside me, brushing some snow off my hair. "You had a lot of fun today, didn't you?"
I looked away, scratching my cheek. "...Maybe. Just a little."
She smiled softly. "I'm glad. This kind of memory… you'll carry it with you for a long time."
I paused, watching the snow-covered street and neighborhood slowing being lit up by lamps, the footprints already fading under the next flurry.
"Yeah."
"I think I will," I said quietly.
I'm glad I did it…
We walked home together through the evening chill.
When we arrived, warmth greeted us even before we opened the door.
The air was filled with the aroma of roasted chicken, ham, and all sorts of dishes.
At the table stood my mother, Natalie, wearing her apron and a proud warm smile.
"Welcome home," she said brightly. "Dinner's ready. We're having a little feast tonight."
"A feast?" I blinked.
She chuckled. "Of course. It's a special day, isn't it? Happy fifth birthday, Arsen."
For a moment, I just stood there, snow still clinging to my boots, hands still cold from play, but my chest felt impossibly warm.
Maybe… this is what happiness feels like.
When was the last time…
I celebrated something like this…
I'm guess I'm no longer that lonely after all…
Chapter End.