[Original Fairy Tale] News from the Wind

I wrote a letter to my grandmother who lives in the next town.
I wonder if she will be happy to receive it.

I left my house and headed for the mailbox.
A slightly cold wind is blowing today.

Just as I was about to put the letter into the mouth of the red mailbox,
the wind came rushing toward me with a whistling sound.

I got scared and squeezed my eyes shut.
At that moment, the letter I was holding in my hand flew off toward the sky.

Oh, my letter!
Please, give it back.

I shouted at the wind and reached out my hand.

But the wind wouldn't give the letter back to me.

The wind was playing with the letter as if it were dancing.

Wait!
I chased after it desperately.

I chased and chased, desperately reaching out for the letter.
I tried jumping, but I couldn't reach it at all. What should I do?

Please, come back.

That letter was an important one I wrote to my beloved grandmother whom I rarely get to see.

I wrote it together with my mother using the letters I had just learned.

(I want my feelings to reach her!)

It was the first time I had run this much, and I was out of breath.
I couldn't run any further and stopped.

Haa... haa... Grandma... I'm sorry.
I felt like I was going to cry.

At that moment, the wind also stopped abruptly.
The letter fluttered down right in front of me.

Yay!
I caught the letter between both my hands.
I won't let go ever again.
I started walking, looking for a mailbox.
This time, I can finally mail it.

Oh, Yu-chan.
I turned around at the familiar voice and widened my eyes.

Grandma!
To my surprise, my grandmother was there.
Grandma also had her eyes wide open.
When I looked around,
I saw Grandma's house nearby.
I had ended up all the way at Grandma's place.

I told her everything about how I wrote a letter,
how it was blown away by the wind, and how I chased after it
until I arrived here.

When I finished my story
and handed her the letter,
Grandma smiled brightly and said,
"It truly is news on the wind, isn't it?
I must thank the wind."
"Huh? Why?"

"Because, that's how I was able to meet you, Yu-chan. You wrote a letter for Grandma,
and you came all the way here, didn't you?
Grandma is so very happy.
Thank you, Yu-chan. I will read it with care."
"U-um."

Suddenly feeling shy,
I hugged Grandma.
For some reason, tears started to fall.
"Oh my, you're such a little sweetheart."

Grandma hugged me tight and patted my back.

She smelled nice. It reminded me of Mom.

Because of Grandma's words,
the wind that had been so mean just a moment ago
felt a little bit kinder.

A soft, warm breeze was blowing.

...
I wrote this a few years ago for children who had just learned to read hiragana (preschoolers).

I am honored to participate in such a dream-like project.

I wonder what will happen. My heart is racing.