SNOW: Christmas Tree

by *carola-chan

Atsushi stared wide-eyed at the tree before him. His golden brown eyes sparkled with excitement, and something that resembled envy.
He'd seen Christmas trees before, sure, but not like this. The Christmas trees he knew of, were the ones on display in malls and decorated outside, or portrayed in movies.
Atsushi had never seen an actual Christmas tree, inside someone's house.
And though this looked like just another pine tree at this point, with no ornaments or tinsel on it, Atsushi was marveling over it still.
"How come you have a Christmas tree?" he finally said, looking over at his best friend.
Maaya stared back at him, his dark eyes blinking.
Just as it was new to Atsushi to see a tree, it was impossible for Maaya to imagine not having a Christmas tree.
"Because my ancestors are from Europe." Maaya replied.
"Ancestors?" Atsushi repeated, struggling a little to pronounce the word.
"That means family. Or something." the other eight year old informed.
"Where's Europe?" Atsushi asked, not noticing that Maaya's parents were keeping an eye on them both, exchanging amused glances, chuckling softly.
"Uhm," Maaya thought for a bit, pressing his index finger to his chin, "It's on the other side of the world kinda? You have to fly across the ocean at least. I think. I've never been there."
"Oh," Atsushi settled for that answer. He went back to staring at the tree.
Maaya's father was now beginning to fasten the electric lights that he had finally untangled. When he had clipped them all onto the branches, he reached into the cardboard box on the living room floor, taking out a white, plastic star.
"Do you want to do it?" he asked, turning to Maaya.
The child grinned, nodding excitedly.
His father lifted him up, and helped Maaya adjust the star a little as he fastened it at the top of a tree; over the light that was already sitting there.
"All set?"
"Haaii!" the child smiled, giving his dad a thumb up before being lowered to the floor again. "Now plug it in dad!"

His father did as told.
Atsushi gasped when the tree was plugged in and all the lights came on; green, blue, red and yellow bulbs glowed towards him, and the star shone brightly from atop the tree. While the children marveled at the magnificent sight, Maaya's mother started hanging long strands of tinsel on the tree. Streams of glittering gold and silver gleamed in the light of the bulbs.
She stepped back, regarding the tree for a moment, then looked out the window. "I wish it would snow," she said quietly.
"Why doesn't it?" Maaya demanded.
"It's not cold enough dear."
"Why not?" Atsushi echoed.
"Because this isn't Europe." Maaya sounded sulky all of a sudden.
"Cheer up kids!" his dad beamed, "We're decorating the tree, aren't we?"
The kids immediately cheered up, Maaya rushing over to the box of ornaments, digging into it.
Atsushi stared in awe as one colorful, shiny ornament after the next was taken out of the box, before Maaya's choice fell on a bright red orb that he picked up and resolutely marched over to the tree with, hanging it as high as he could.
He returned to the box, picking up another one, this one was a little bigger and almost burgundy in color.
He smiled, holding it up with both hands.
Atsushi stared in envy. He didn't understand why they couldn't have something like this at his house too.
To his surprise, Maaya didn't set course for the tree, but came straight towards him instead, still holding the ornament.
"Here," he said, giving it to Atsushi.
Tiny hands swapped the possession of the orb. Atsushi stared at his best friend, wide-eyed.
"You help too!" Maaya grinned, heading back to the box.
A happy, warm feeling settled in Atsushi's stomach, as he too hung his orb on the tree, in between shiny lights, small bells and tinsel.

Even now, at fifteen, he cherished that memory. And he still came over to Maaya's house every Christmas, to help with the decorations.
He smiled, taking the orb Maaya was offering him.