There’s an amusement park near where I lived. It’s been 4 months since the first time I moved around this area, but never once I get inside that crowded place. I just peeked inside as I always get into the bus from this bus stop.

And tonight, just like the other night, I wait in the bus stop in front of the park for my boyfriend to come visit me. I’ve been sitting here for almost 2 hours. Tighten up my blue coat, I rubbed both of my hands because I feel so cold.

‘where is he?’ I said.

Narimiya Hiroki, my boyfriend for 3 years, has been avoiding me for the past 2 months. Well, at least that’s what I thought. I wonder why. Everytime I asked him, he said there’s nothing wrong in our relationship. But the fact is I also felt that he’s slipping away. Our love does.

I looked at the bracelet he gave me. M-E-I-S-A. the charms formed my name.

We were friends before become lovers, so actually believe that everything will be just fine between us. He’s never unfaithful, so I trust him. But somehow, since he’s been promoted to a higher position in his office, slowly he became untouchable. He started to break our promises, didn’t appear in our date, and so on.

And as I live in Tokyo by myself, without him, I begin to feel lonelier than ever.

I just looking at the road as I wait for the bus to come, but suddenly,

‘’Konbanwa~ (good evening)’’

I turned to my left. There’s a bear standing beside me. I mean, it’s a person with bear costume. Ah, he might be the one who worked in the amusement park. And as I staring at him –I said him because his voice is deep, just like a man- the bear is talking again.

‘’what are you doing here by yourself, Shirayuki hime-sama (snow white)?’’ he tilted his big brown head.

Actually, the costume is quite cute. The bear got big stomach, the brown head had small ears and he’s so furry.

I don’t know what to say, so I just reply, ‘’Im waiting for the bus.’’

‘’soudesuka (is that so)?’’ he said with a cute tone.

‘’hai (yes).’’

‘’arent you feel cold only with that coat, Shirayuki hime? Where’s your robe?’’

Robe? Ah Shirayuki hime is a princess after all.

‘’I lost it.’’ I answered randomly.

Suddenly, I felt something warm.

‘’I steal it from a man’s camp. A gift for Shirayuki hime..’’ he said as he presenting in front of me, like a servant to his princess.

‘’eh?’’ as I gets up. But then he walked away as he said, ‘’good bye for now, hime.. don’t walk around the wood at night like this. There’s a mean wolf and hungry tiger around..’’

He wiggled and dance as he walk further. Sometimes he even jumping and singing.

‘’ehh?’’ I said. ‘’that’s just so weird.’’ But then I smiled. It’s so warm now, thanks to him. I realized that he’s not walking to the park, as he’s just disappeared to another direction.

Ah, the amusement park must be already closed by now.

I wonder who he is. Ano kuma-san (that bear).

On the next day, Hiroki already said that he’s not gonna come by. But I still wait in the bus stop. This time Im not there to wait for him. I actually wanted to return the blanket that the bear gave me.

But he didn’t appear.

And 2 days after, the weather is just too cold, so I decided to stay home. I still kept the blanket at home.

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Ah. Baka (stupid). Im so lateeeeee!

I forgot that this week is my morning shift. Moouu~ (geez), the boss might be so mad at me!

GUCHA!! Someone bumped at me when I almost reach my working place.

I fell to the ground as I grabbed my hand. ‘’iteeeeee (it hurts)!’’

‘’gomenasai (im sorry)!’’ the young lady in front of me bowed for several times, and it makes everything inside her bag came out just like crazy.

‘’no.. it’s okay.’’ I tried to get up. ‘’I was wrong too.’’

I smiled, ‘’you’re late, huh?’’

‘’eh?’’ she said, ‘’how do you know?’’

‘’because I am.’’ I laughs as I helped her picking all of her stuff. And a ruined cake in the box. ‘’ah, it ruined.’’

But she seems doesn’t care. And she said to me instead,‘’oh my God, your hand. it’s bleeding.’’

I looked at it, she’s right. But it’s alright. ‘’daijoubu (it’s okay), I might just on it.’’

She looked surprised, but then she realized that Im just joking.

Then she gave me her handkerchief. ‘’here.. take this.’’

‘’ha?’’ I pushed her hand, ‘’no.. that’s fine. The blood will ruin your handkerchief. Besides, how can I return it to you?’’

She’s smiling. ‘’don’t worry.. as we can bumped like this, someday we can meet again.’’

I took the white handkerchief as I say thanks.

So then we just bowed to each other before we started to walk to a different direction.

But.. I don’t want to lose this opportunity.

Before I went to the amusement park, I turned around and shouted,

‘’anoo!! Kimi no namae wa… (your name…)?’’

She turned around and seems startled a bit, but she pointed to me, ‘’look at..’’

‘’eh?’’ then I understand, looked at the handkerchief. As I saw her, she just smiling and start to walk again.

‘’Mei-chan.’’ I read.

As then I smiled, ‘’so.. your real name is Mei-chan.. Shirayuki hime-sama..’’

But I have to stopped daydreaming as my boss yelled at me from behind, ‘’MASUDA-KUN!!’’

Ah. Yabai (dammit).

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Im sorry, I forgot to introduce myself.

My name is Kuroki Meisa. Im 21 years old, work as an part-timer. And no, im not in college.

Today I came home later than usual, because this morning I went so late to my office.

Ah. The night wind is just so cold, ne. Suddenly, I remember about the blanket. Right, maybe I will meet the bear tonight.

I lived nearby, so before I went home, I just stopping by the park.

I peeked in the entrance, maybe I will see the bear.

‘’looking for someone?’’

‘’eh?’’ I saw there’s a bear talking to me. But he’s –once again, he has a male voice- not the bear who gave me a blanket. The fur is different. This one is crème coloured.

He seems kinda busy with the balloons on his hand, but I just thought that he didn’t have any kids to be given those by him as at night, you will barely meet a kid in the amusement park. Not to mention tonight is a school night.

‘’im.. looking for.. the brown colored bear. Do you know him, Mr. crème colored bear?’’

This bear doesn’t have any cute gesture like my brown bear, well maybe because he’s not facing a little kid, as then he just reply, ‘’ah.. you mean Jack?’’

‘’Jack?’’

He nodded his big crème head. ‘’my name is John, his name is Jack.’’

As then suddenly, a big creature jumped in front of me.

‘’who’s calling my name?’’

‘’bikuria! (im shock)’’ I said.

‘’ah~ Shirayuki hime-sama?’’ he bowed.

Then I just gave out my hand and say, ‘’chotto matte ne (wait here, okay)?’’

I ran to my house and I grabbed the blanket. Less than 5 minutes later, I went back to the park’s entrance, but Jack-san is not there.

‘’Jack?’’ I shout in whisper. Because the park is actually already closed and I was too afraid to go inside.

‘’Jack? Where are you, Mr. Brown bear?’’

Suddenly, there’s a voice from behind. ‘’im here…!’’

I turned around and saw him hiding behind an electric pole, waved his furry hand at me.

I burst into laughter as the pole actually failed on hiding him because his body is just too big.

Then I walked to him and gave the blanket. ‘’here’s your blanket.’’ I added, ‘’maybe it will help to keep you warm in the winter night.’’

‘’ma~ in winter night, I will be hibernating.’’

Ah, I forgot that it’s still autumn because actually lately the weather is just so cold. ‘’so.. you will be hibernate soon, huh?’’ I asked.

‘’maybe?’’ he tilted his cute but rather big head with a tone that I can imagine he’s actually smiling behind the head.

Then we’re sitting side by side in the bus stop as he still doing some cute gesture. Well, it’s his job to be a clown, maybe he cannot help it. But yeah, it worked, because I laugh.

After we laughed, I said to him, ‘’why are you calling me Shirayuki hime?’’

‘’hm?’’ he put his big finger to his mouth.

‘’and why you’re not took off that costume? Your job is done, right, the park is closed already.’’

Then he jumped as he gets up from the bench. ‘’just one question per one night, Shirayuki Hime.’’

I frowned. ‘’well, okay.’’

‘’I saw you at the first time in the summer.’’ He just said that. I didn’t really understand what he means. Then he said, ‘’maybe you remembered that day.’’

‘’but I don’t.’’

‘’jya.. that’s it for tonight.’’ he bowed, ‘’bye bye, Shirayuki Hime.. remember what I told you, the wood isnt save at night..’’

As usual, he walked as sometimes he’s doing a dance steps.

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Yes, I saw her that day. With so many boxes, accompanied by a cool and decent guy. I just walking down the street as that day I got a morning shift. Inever saw her before, maybe.. she just moved around here.

Her hair is jet black, her lips are red and as the morning sun light shine on her face, the skin is just as white as ever.

Shirayuki Hime (snow white). There’s no name that fitted to her more than that.

It might be cheesy, I know, but I fell in love with her at the very first sight.

Kenichi-kun, or I may say, John? He said I was stupid as I just keep staring at her since then. He once asked me,

‘’why don’t you just ask her name?’’

I was startled, ‘’nooooo, I cant! she had a boyfriend!’’

So then I just enjoying every moment when I saw her walked out from the bus every evening, everytime I got a noon shift. Or I looked at her got into the bus every morning, sometimes running because she’s late.

The guy, who I believed is her boyfriend, oftenly seen together with her. But somehow these days, he doesn’t anymore.

I know, Im just as low as a stalker. But I cant help to see her sitting by herself on the bus stop, waiting for someone, who usually doesn’t come up.

So that night, I decided to gave her the blanket that I kept on my locker for about a week, because I havent got the courage to give it to her.

I was so shy as then I appeared as Jack, the bear.

I thought, that’s it. So I doesn’t came up anymore. But in one morning, suddenly I bumped at her.

When I told Kenichi-kun, he said, ‘’well, maybe this is your chance.’’

Maybe he’s right. So.. im gonna try.

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Today Hiroki doesn’t come again. He said he got a business trip until weekend. We’re almost doesn’t see each other in 2 weeks now.

I know it might be because of his work, but actually I’ve been wondering.. maybe I did something wrong to him?

And before I can realized, I was sitting on the bench in front of the amusement park.

Now it’s 5 PM and somehow I kept looking inside. Maybe Jack will appear.

As I felt kinda cold, suddenly there’s a furry hand offered me a hot coffee.

‘’coffee? Do you really think that Shirayuki Hime like coffee?’’ I .

He laughs behind the big bear’s head. ‘’gomen (sorry).’’

Well, that’s the first real conversation we have, usually he stick to the character as a bear.

‘’arent you tired wearing those costumes?’’ I asked.

‘’remember, one question per night.’’

‘’ah.’’ I stopped.

But then he put his finger to his chin. ‘’well, just for tonight, you can asked 2 question.’’

‘’really?’’ I said, ‘’so.. answer that one first.’’

‘’yes.. it was so tiring. But it’s my job, right? and besides, I like to make everybody, especially kids, smile.’’

Hm. The answer, it does suit him.

‘’and.. why cant you took it off? Ah, the shift aren’t over yet?’’

He shook his head. Somehow he looked normal today, not too much of a happy gesture. He’s more like.. nervous.

‘’I will took this off, ‘’ he holds the head, ‘’but not now.’’

‘’eh? But I want to know what you look like. It’s not fair, right, you see me, but I cant see you. I don’t even know your name.’’

He’s just paused for a while, as then he said, ‘’okay.. but will you do me a favor? Tomorrow is my day off, do you want to accompany me?’’

I was just startled. But well, he doesn’t know that I have someone. And besides, he’s just a bear, he doesn’t ask me to go out. He wouldn’t.

‘’to.. where?’’ somehow I just felt that I want to thank him after he gave me his blanket.

As I said that, he suddenly went to his usual gesture. Jumpy and cute.

He gets up and then he put his hand on his mouth like he’s surprised.

‘’you accepted?’’ he said.

‘’well.. tomorrow is Saturday. Why not?’’ as I actually felt kinda pissed at Hiroki, so I just don’t care about him. but then I asked, ‘’wait, you’re not gonna take me to somewhere odd, right?’’

He shook his head in a funny way, ‘’nope! Trust me. Jack never telling lie.’’

‘’so..?’’

‘’meet me here at 10 AM.’’

‘’in front of the park?’’

He pointed his finger, ‘’right on the amusement park entrance.’’

‘’ookay then.’’ I said in a bit hesitation.’’jya ne (see you)..’’

As I walk away, suddenly he called me, ‘’Me- Shirayuki hime!’’

I turned around, ‘’hm?’’

‘’you.. you might need this.’’ he took something from his side pocket, well, turns out his stomach have a pocket. And it’s my white handkerchief that I lend to a guy at the other day.

‘’eh?’’

He tilted his head, ‘’thank you, Mei-chan. Now we’re even. With my blanket, your handkerchief.’’

‘’not yet. I don’t even know your name.’’

He paused for a while, ‘’I’ll tell you as we introduced ourself properly tomorrow.’’

I smiled. ‘’okay.’’

And when I begin to walk again, he said, ‘’ah. you do still remember what I look like, right?’’

I laughs as then I said, ‘’byeee..’’ he waved at me with his big paw.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

‘’stop smiling like an idiot..’’ Kenichi said to me as I just keep on grinning since I got here.

‘’what? I cant hear youuu..’’ I just said that to him.

‘’lucky you to have a date on your day-off..’’ he said.

I punched him slightly, ‘’aw, shut up! It’s not a date.. You already got a nice girlfriend yourself, why cant you leave me with my own life?’’

‘’what time she will get here?’’

I saw my watch, ‘’ah, soon!’’ then I grabbed my jacket and ran to the entrance, ‘’wish me luck!’’

As I was smiling and ran off to wait for her in the entrance, the ticketing staff said to me, ‘’so.. Jack is waiting for someone, huh?’’

I just smile as I posed a victory sign.

And suddenly, I saw him. Mei-chan’s boyfriend, he walked out from the bus.

My smile is fading at that very moment.

Baka. I know she already had a boyfriend. What am I doing?

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Hiroki came up as I was getting ready to meet Jack the bear. I felt so surprise, but I cant help being happy, too.

‘’my business trip is just cancelled!’’ he smiles.

‘’really? Well, it’s great then..’’

‘’why don’t we go out for a date today? It’s been a while, right..’’

I was a bit worried. Im sure Jack will be disappointed, and I also hate to break a promise. But.. to save my relationship, I think it might worth it. Besides, I can meet Jack everyday, right?

So then I nodded, ‘’okay..’’

We walked hand in hand but before we walked to the bus stop, I said to Hiroki, ‘’cant you wait for a sec, I need to do something first..’’

‘’well, okay.’’ he said as then he read the bus schedule.

I walked to the entrance as then I saw Jack. In his bear costume.

‘’Jack!’’ I called him. He was handling the balloon for the kids.

He squatted as then he said to them, ‘’wait here, okay?’’

Then he walked to me as I said, ‘’I thought you got a day-off..’’

He tilted his head, ‘’Jack forgot. Turns out today isnt his day off.’’ As then he said cutely, ‘’go-men-ne (sorry).’’

I shook my head, ‘’uun (no).. actually Im here to say sorry too. My um.. boyfriend came and-‘’

He cut my sentence as then he said, ‘’the prince are coming?! Shirayuki hime must be so happy..’’

As then he gave out to me a red balloon.

‘’eh?’’

‘’don’t worry.. it’s not a poison apple.’’ He bowed. ‘’im Jack the bear, not an evil witch from the wood.’’

I laughs as I took it from him. ‘’arigatou (thanks).. jya ne..’’ I turned around and walk.

But then I heard him saying,

‘’be happy, okay?’’

I looked at him, but he’s already with the kids again. I frowned as I walk to my boyfriend.

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‘’don’t worry..’’ Maki-chan patted my shoulder, ‘’there’s still many cute girls out there. Besides, she’s not that cute.’’

Kenichi-kun just sitting in front of me as he offered some coffee.

‘’for me.. she’s the prettiest girl in the world.’’

‘’but you don’t know her.’’ Maki still defend herself. She and I took the job in this amusement park at the same day around 4 years ago, and we were bestfriend ever since. I posed as Jack the bear, while she’s in charge to taking care of the costumes.

‘’as I saw her waiting patiently by herself in many cold nights, I can understand what kind of girl she is.’’

Maki took a glance at Kenichi as if she said, ‘say something!’

Then Kenichi talked, ‘’well.. at least now you’re befriends with her.’’

Maki bulged her eyes and throw a napkin to him as she hissed, ‘’it’s not gonna make him feel better!’’

‘’what?’’ Kenichi shrugged. ‘’I didn’t say anything wrong! Sometimes, as you’re being her friend, it’s helping you, because you two can get to know each other better. And maybe.. someday she will realized that you really care about her.’’

Maki and I just sit there in silence.

Yeah, he’s right. If I really like her, then I should think of her happiness at the most. So.. that’s it. I will try to look after her from a far.

Two days later, as I walked to the amusement park, I met her.

‘’Jack!’’ she shouted.

I turned around and saw her.

‘’hey.. please don’t call me Jack whenever im not using the costume. It’s kinda embarrassing.’’ I laughs.

‘’sorry. it’s because.. I havent catch your name.’’

She’s right. Then.. I bowed, ‘’Masuda Takahisa desu, yoroshiku onegaishimasu.’’

Mei-chan’s smiling, ‘’Kuroki Meisa desu, yoroshiku.’’

‘’you can call me Massu.. just like everybody else.’’

‘’okay then, Massu.’’

Ah, her smile is just as calm and nice as I always imagine.

‘’hey, you will miss your bus if you don’t walk into right now..’’ I pointed at the bus that just got here.

‘’you’re right.’’ she said, ‘’jya ne (see you).’’

‘’bye..’’ I waved at her.

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Massu is just one hella funny guy.

He once came up without his costume as he juggled together with Kenichi-kun, his friend who wear crème colored bear costume. And once he also gave me 2 free tickets to get into the amusement park.

‘’you can use this anytime around this season.’’

‘’really?’’

‘’yep..’’

We’re slowly become friends as before I realized we have known each other almost for a month.

Our friendship is going so well, but my relationship with Hiroki is not.

He begin to break our promise again, and sometimes he even yelling at me. I wonder what I do wrong.

So then one day, I just walk to his office in lunch hour to gave him a surprise bento (meal).

And when I walked to his floor, I heard some of the OL (office lady) said, ‘’I heard them fought yesterday.’’

Another OL said, ‘’who?’’

‘’Narimiya-kun with the boss’ daughter.’’

‘’ah, so the engagement is off?’’

What? engagement? Narimiya? As in.. Hiroki, my boyfriend?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Today I catches cold.

Bakadesho (stupid, isnt it)? so I cant go to work.

I dialed a number, ‘’Maki-chan? I felt so sick, tell the manager I cant go to work today.’’

As then I said, ‘’thanks..’’

I hang up and then I just fell asleep.

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‘’he’s sick?’’ I asked Maki-chan, a friend of Massu.

‘’yes.’’ She said. ‘’what’s exactly bring you here?’’

Somehow I can feel that she doesn’t really like me.

‘’no. it’s not important.. um.. I just want to talk.’’

She looked at me with a look that makes me asked, ‘’is there something that you want to tell me?’’

Maki shook her head, ‘’not really. I just want you to know that.. Im not gonna sit here and watch you hurt him.’’

I was shocked. ‘’what? hurt who?’’

‘’Massu.’’

I frowned, ‘’what are you talking about?’’

She sat on the bench as then she talked, ‘’I will not let anyone disappointed him anymore.’’

I paused for a while, ‘’do you like him?’’

She pulled back, ‘’what?? God, no. Im Kenichi’s girlfriend.’’

‘’oh, im sorry.’’

‘’it’s just that..’’ she stopped, ‘’you don’t have any idea how much he’s been disappointed by his love ones in his life.’’

‘’what?’’

‘’I know it’s not my rights to say this.. but I do care for him like my own brother.’’

Then she started to talk.

Massu is an orphan as his own parent abandoned him in the orphanage. He got adopted by a woman at the age of 13, but suddenly 3 years later, the woman left him as her new husband doesn’t want him. Since then, he started to live on his own. When he reached 20 years old, suddenly his younger sister appeared as she told him that his real mother is sick and wants to meet him.

He went there just to see his mother is dying. She said she was sorry, at that time she has to abandon her baby because she’s still in highshool. And that’s why, he never knew who’s his real father.

‘’oh my God.’’ I said.

‘’yes. And he doesn’t want to know either.’’ Maki said. ‘’barely unimaginable, huh? a clown like him actually had such a past like that.’’

‘’he.. always seems happy and cheerful.’’

She nodded, ‘’because he lived in the orphanage, he knew what it feels like to be a kid with a sad life. So what he really wants is just to make them smile. He still visit his orphanage by time to time..’’

Maki continued, ‘’you know.. without his costume, back then he rarely smiled.’’

‘’eh?’’

‘’but it begin to change as he saw you sitting by yourself in this bench. Slowly, he can smile and laughs naturally.’’

I fight really hard not to cry as Maki said, ‘’he oftenly do what you did. Waiting for someone to come for him although he knew there’s no one will come. As he saw you, once he said to me, ‘I might be happy to know that im not the only person in this world that feels lonely.. but, as I keep watching on her. Slowly.. I want to be the person who can make her feel less lonely.’’

Maki finished her story as she said, ‘’that’s why he learn to become someone he is right now. How will he cheer you up if he even not be able to be happy himself?’’

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I was getting better in 2 days.

I walked by myself to the amusement park. Ah.. in days like this I actually want to see her. But I think she’s busy with her work. I wonder whether everything is okay with her and the boyfriend.

As I was waving at the kids in the entrance, suddenly I saw her.

Eh? It’s still 3 PM, what is she doing here?

‘’Jack!’’ she waved.

‘’Shirayuki hime..’’ I said. I never called her Mei-chan in this costume as she also will always call me Jack.

A girl beside me asked, ‘’Shirayuki hime?’’

I nodded, ‘’yes.. look at her, as just as pretty as the princess, right?’’

Mei-chan smiled shyly as the little girl is giggling. Her mother suddenly called her, so then she waved at me, ‘’bye Kuma-chan (bear), bye Shirayuki hime..’’

We waved back as Mei-chan said to me, ‘’ne.. I need you to do a favor before you gone for hibernating, Jack.’’

I frowned although she cant see me because of my bear head. ‘’anything for Shirayuki hime.’’

She took out two tickets that I bought for her. ‘’I will go and play, but I know nothing about this park. Will you go with me?’’

I don’t know what to say. I cant put my expectations too high as I have disappointed at her once.

Suddenly she said, ‘’im sorry I disappointed you at that day.’’

‘’ah.. it’s- besides, I worked that day.’’

She smiled as if she knew that im lying. ‘’so?’’

‘’but.. I need to talk to my manager first.’’

‘’don’t worry, I already tell him.’’ Maki suddenly appeared.

Then she pushed me, ‘’go, change your costume.’’

‘’eh?’’

Kenichi appeared behind his girlfriend, ‘’you need to be yourself today.’’

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I went to talk to Hiroki that day. And he explained, his promotion was along with his engagement with the boss’ daughter. I yelled at him that I never know he will do such a low thing like that.

He said that he doesn’t have any choice. Then I said,

‘’well, I do. So, that’s it, we’re over.’’

I know that I was wasting my time to worry about a guy like him. And as I heard about Massu’s story from Maki, I know that there’s so many people who was able to live their live no matter how hard it is. And my case was just a small one compare to theirs.

So here am I right now, after I explained about what happened with Hiroki, I asking for Massu to accompany me to play in this park as I want to ease up my mind.

‘’here.’’ Massu came up and gave a hot orange juice for me. He looked really cute wearing a blue hoodie and gray vintage jeans. His short hair makes him looks like a kid.

‘’arigatou (thanks).’’

As he sipped his drink, ‘’so.. what will we do next?’’

We already took a ride on the small roller coaster, then house of mirrors, and swing rides. Massu actually offered me the merry-go-round first, but I said I want to take the ride after dark as the lights will be so pretty in that ride.

‘’hm..’’ I think for a while.’’ferris wheel? Haunted mansion? Bumper cars?’’

He smiled, ‘’easy.. we will, just one by one.’’ Then he pointed, ‘’bumper cars is the one nearest.’’

‘’okay then!’’

At the bumper cars, I was laughing so hard as I kept bumping on his car. ‘’ch-chotto (wait)!!’’ and then he will shrieked.

We moved to the haunted mansion, actually I kinda chickened out for a bit, but I saw he was so brave so then I just act like I am.

But as we walked inside, both of us just keep screaming and then he grabbed my hand and he pulled me as we ran out.

In the outside of the house, I rested my hand on my knees as then I took a glance at him. then we were laughing because our stupidity.

‘’Ferris wheel?’’ he asked.

‘’Okay!’’

We ran to the ride and after we queuing for about 10 minutes, finally we got into one seat.

‘’uwaaaa~’’ I said. ‘’kirei naa (it’s beautiful)!’’

He smiled as we saw the sunset from up above.

‘’give me your camera, I will take your picture.’’ He said.

As then he took a couple pictures of me, I said, ‘’get here, I can take our picture.’’

He seems hesitated, but then he nodded.

‘’don’t worry, im good at it.’’ I took the camera and we posed.

‘’not bad,’’ he commented as he saw our picture.

As the ride still continued, I said to him, ‘’arigatou ne (thanks)..’’

He nodded, ‘’no.. actually I had fun too. and besides, it’s not over yet..’’ he smiled, ‘’we still got a plenty more rides.. don’t forget about the merry-go-round, too..’’

‘’You’re right..’’ I smiled.

About 15 minutes later, we walked to grabbed something to eat. I waved to Kenichi-kun who’s wearing his John’s costume.

‘’here’s for you.’’ he gave me a pink balloon.

Massu smiled, ‘’it match with your dress.’’

‘’it’s not a dress, you know.’’ I laughs.

‘’ah, gomen (sorry),’’ he said, ‘’I was bad when it comes to women’s thing.’’

I looked at what im wearing. It’s a pink long t-shirt and a legging.

At least, I try to look cute, because people usually said that I looked a lot more mature than my age.

Then I nodded, ‘’no.. actually you knew much about women.’’ Then I nodded to myself, ‘as you always makes me smile.’

‘’eh?’’ he asked.

‘’nothing.’’ I turned around and then started to walk.

As I played with my balloon, I realized that Massu didn’t walk with me, so I turned around. ‘’Massu? Doue (what is it)?’’

He just standing there, and looking at one direction. So then I looked away, and I saw Hiroki ran towards me among the crowd.

‘’Hiroki-kun?’’ I said as he stopped in front of me.

He rested his hand on his knee as he’s panting because of running.

‘’what are you doing here?’’

Then he replied, ‘’we.. need.. to talk.’’

‘’I said we’re over.’’

He reached out and grab my hand, ‘’please.’’

I looked at Massu, and I cant read his expression. But I knew.. the feeling of being disappointed, it’s definitely there.

‘’go.’’ he said.

‘’eh?’’ I said.

‘’who are you by the way?’’ suddenly Hiroki asked Massu.

‘’I.. im just a friend.’’ He smiled… sadly.

Then I said to Hiroki, ‘’just wait outside the park. And I will be there soon.’’

At first he seems to be hesitated, but then he nodded.

As he’s gone, I walked to Massu, ‘’im-‘’

‘’too bad we cant take a ride at the merry-go-round, huh? don’t worry, you can come here anytime.’’

‘’Massu..’’

‘’hm?’’

‘’im sorry..’’

‘’what for?’’ he said. ‘’you told me that your boyfriend did some mistake, and now he will explain everything to you, right? so this is your opportunity to choose.’’

‘’but I already said it was over.’’ I said.

‘’is is really gonna be that way?’’ he asked.

I didn’t say anything. As then he patted my head, ‘’don’t worry.. everything will be alright. The amusement park will not go anywhere. Me, too. I always here. So everytime you need to have some fun, like today, you know where to find me.’’

I looked up at him. Why don’t he just tell me not to go? I don’t need him to say that he likes me, I know he does. But.. how about me?

Ah. maybe that’s what he means about choosing.

But then he said, ‘’now go.. find your answer. Remember, no matter how long you wait for happiness, it’s still have to be you to decide, whether you want to sit and wait or ran to catch it..’’

As I felt a push in my back, then I ran to Hiroki. And I get my answer already at that very moment..

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I sighed. As im wearing my Jack’s costume, I just looked at the head in my hand.

Maki, who passed by, asked, ‘’oi.. your shift aren’t over yet! Wear that head back.’’

‘’hai.. hai (yes).’’ I said.

Then she stopped and said to me, ‘’I know.. you might be very sad because of what happen yesterday. But.. somehow I don’t believe on that saying, ‘bad things happen to good people.’’’

I laughs, ‘’really? My life experience seems agree to that.’’

‘’hey.. life isnt over yet, right?’’ Maki said, ‘’besides, if you didn’t experience being sit around and wait alone in the night like what you did in the past, you might felt nothing as you saw Mei-chan did the same gesture, right?’’

I looked at her as then Kenichi appeared, ‘’remember, everything happens for a reason.’’

I smiled, ‘’thanks guys..’’

‘’and.. the one who actually turn you into this smiley guy.. is her, right?’’ Maki said, ‘’no matter she will become, you cant hide that fact.’’

Then Kenichi turned to his girlfriend, ‘’hey, I thought you didn’t like that girl.’’

She shrugged, ‘’I don’t know.. somehow I have a faith on her.’’

Well, I hope Maki was right about that.

They said to me that they want to go to the office, but I said I want to stay here.

Ah~ tomorrow is the first day of winter. If I was really a bear, then hibernating would be a great option to help me forget about many things.

As then I wear the head, I gets up and walked to the balloon storage.

After I grabbed some and im waiting for some kids, 5 minutes later I gave up. There’s no kid in 7 PM and school night like this.

I sat on the bench as I looked at the balloon over my head. Somehow this bear mask was so heavy, but somehow it’s warm inside it. Love is just like that, right? it’s really hard to keep, but as you might get it, you will feel warm.

‘’aah~ naniyatten day o (what are you doing)?’’ I asked myself as I remember told Meisa to ran and try to catch her love back.

Suddenly,

‘’actually im here because I need to ask you something.’’

I paused for a sec. then I turned around, ‘’Mei-chan???’’

She shook her head, ‘’ie (no).. im Shirayuki hime and when I was lost in the wood, I remember you helped me, Jack the bear.’’

I took of the bear head as then she said, ‘’would you want to go with me to the merry-go-round?’’

I begin to smile, ‘’and took your photo there?’’

She shook her head as she smiled, ‘’no. our photos.’’

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I listened to Massu. I ran and catch my happiness.. that I found in him.

As now I walked with him to the merry-go-round, I took out a red head band with a bow and wear it, ‘’do I look more like Shirayuki hime now?’’

I don’t care if people questioned about losing a guy like Hiroki and choose to be with Massu. And I was more comfortable with him.

‘’you do looked like her. Although you looked more mature than her.’’ he teased me as I laughs so hard.

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Disappointment. It’s just one of thousand feelings in life. But I believe on what my friend said, that everything happens for a reason.

As now Mei-chan and I was posing happily in the merry-go-round, people might looked at us as two weird people, but what can I say?

We might just lost in our version of fairy tale, where the Shirayuki hime choose to be with me, instead of a prince.

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Here I goes again, an old oneshot i moved from winglin..

I hope you all can enjoy it because personally i love this story :)

lovelovelove,

z.