Scrrch… scrrch… scrrch…
The rasp of a broom against snow echoed steadily at the entrance of the lodge. White powder, thick and soft, was being swept aside by a wooden shovel wielded with practiced rhythm. Wrapped in a puffy blue coat lined with animal fur, the figure worked through the biting cold, pushing heaps of snow aside toward the towering pines, their tips frosted white like the gates of heaven.
A small, pale face peeked out from the layers, nose red, lips raw, breath puffing in clouds that clung to the icy air. His body was tall and lean, but the soft, youthful features made it obvious he wasn' t older than his early twenties.
The blond-haired boy, cheeks flushed by the wind, bent diligently over his work, clearing the snow-choked path in front of a modest homestay perched on higher ground. From here, the Northern Lights would surely blaze clearer than anywhere else in the village below.
"Hey, kid…"
Scrrch, scrrch, scrrch.
"Hey! You!"
Ray rubbed his gloved hands together, exhaling warm breath to chase the cold gnawing into his bones. He stepped closer to the young man, voice deliberately casual, trying not to sound like some aloof stranger.
The boy lifted his head, stopped sweeping, and turned fully toward him. "Yes?"
Even from the side, he' d looked pretty. Face-on, he looked like a doll.
A delicate jawline, lashes dusted with snow, dark eyes that contrasted sharply with his pale skin and the fair-haired locals. His lips, cracked from the cold, still looked soft, almost inviting. Every breath fogged white into the crisp air as though etched permanently into Ray' s memory.
The boy wore a blue parka, a knitted cap to match, black pants, and sturdy boots that sank into the snow with each step.
"Which way' s Reborn Lodge?" Ray hefted his heavy pack onto one shoulder, his voice raspy from hours spent battling the frozen wind. He hadn' t come just for the aurora—but maybe, he thought, asking a miracle from nature wasn' t the worst idea.
"Keep walking two hundred meters that way," the boy pointed. "But don' t step off the trail. Snow' s heavy. You' ll get lost." His nose trembled red as he spoke, snowflakes clinging to his lashes, and for a moment Ray thought he looked like a snowman brought to life.
"No sled dogs around here?" Ray squinted, scanning the pines and narrow trail.
The boy shrugged. "Owner' s allergic to dogs."
Ray blinked. "Seriously? Then how do people even get around here, by—"
A jingle of bells cut him off. Leather straps creaked, and a reindeer-drawn sleigh glided past at the perfect moment. The boy tilted his chin. "By that."
"…Oh," Ray muttered. "And… free?"
The boy smiled faintly, then deadpanned, "Costs money."
Ray groaned. "Ugh. I' m broke. Spent it all on food and the room. You work here, right? The caretaker?"
"Yeah," the boy replied simply, still shoveling as Ray trailed behind.
"Then help with the bag, will you?" Ray shoved it forward like it was the most natural request in the world.
The boy arched a brow. "Got a tip?"
"Told you I' m broke! C' mon, advance me—I' ll pay you back."
The boy tilted his head, expression flat. "From where? You come here on holiday. How' re you gonna get more money… steal it?"
Ray froze for half a beat, then narrowed his eyes. "The hell, kid… You' re asking for it. If you weren' t local, I' d have already stomped you into the snow."
The boy' s gaze hardened. "What was that?"
Ray sighed, slapped his own pack in mock defeat. "Fine, fine. At least walk me there. Two hundred meters isn' t nothing—I' m freezing my ass off here."
Scrrch… scrrch… The sweeping resumed, steady and unhurried. Snowflakes caught in the boy' s lashes, his pale cheeks glowing red in the lamp-light of the lodge. He didn' t even look up.
"I' m busy."
Ray tugged his coat tighter. "Not cold? Sweeping snow alone like this?"
A quiet chuckle. "I like it."
"Whoa—hey now," Ray cut in, half laughing. "We just met. Don' t go falling for me, kid. I' ve already got someone waiting for me."
The boy paused, then deadpanned: "I meant I like snow. It' s cold."
"Oh…" Ray scratched his head, embarrassed at himself.
"At least walk me in, and I' ll talk to the owner about giving you a raise."
Before the boy could argue, Ray hooked a hand around his collar and dragged him forward.
"Hey—don' t! Let me go! I' ve got work—"
"Relax," Ray muttered, hauling him until the boy reluctantly fell into step beside him.
Ray grinned sideways, trying to spark conversation. "So, tall kid like you… how old are you? Not in school?"
"Don' t like school."
"You' ll end up stupid."
"Stupid' s fine. As long as I' ve got money."
Ray squinted. "Wow. That' s classist as hell."
The boy shot him a sharp glance. "Nooope," he drawled.
Ray burst into laughter, breath misting white. "Cheeky little brat."
Snow sifted down like rice grains, boots crunching in rhythm. Ray trudged alongside the bundled figure in the puffed blue coat, irritation and amusement wrestling on his face.
"Hey, kid," Ray asked suddenly. "Heard the owner' s name' s Aman, right?"
"Mhm."
Ray pulled out his phone and flipped the screen toward him. "Not listed online, but… he look like this?"
The boy studied the photo—R' s sharp features, saved on Ray' s phone though he knew he shouldn' t have kept it.
"Mm. Looks alike," the boy murmured.
Ray' s eyes widened. "For real?!"
"Ears," the boy replied matter-of-factly. "Same shape."
Ray swore under his breath, hand raking through his hair. "Damn brat…"
His stomach grumbled, saving him from his own thoughts. "So what' s for lunch?"
"Fish soup. Black bread. Cocoa with vodka." The boy' s lips twitched in a ghost of a smile.
Ray swallowed. "…Not bad. Okay, food, shower, nap. Then maybe the aurora tonight?"
"Too early. Start of season. Won' t see much."
"Tch. Staying ten whole days, something better show up… Got any free guides around here?"
The boy shrugged. "You tipping?"
Ray snorted. "God, you' re greedy. Fine. When I wring some money out of my friends, I' ll hire you. My personal guide, Mr. Money-hungry."
The boy chuckled softly. "Heh… Hey, big brother."
"What now?" Ray frowned.
"That necklace." The boy' s eyes flicked to the faint gleam of silver peeking from beneath Ray' s collar. "Pay me with that. For the guide fee."
Ray' s hand flew to his neck. "Why?"
"I like the letter R."
Ray' s eyes narrowed instantly. "No way in hell."
The boy laughed under his breath, a mischievous sound. "Heh-heh-heh." Then he turned back toward the entrance, broom scraping once more, leaving Ray shaking his head in exasperation as the snow kept falling.