The Polar Bear Cup is reaching its climax

This week's "I tried it" is the Polar Bear Cup.
I participated last week as well.

This time, I think I'll try writing a tanka poem and then a short-short story.
It's a story where a winter scene takes an unexpected turn...

Heavy snow falls, adults shovel snow, while nearby
I watch the children playing in the snow

"Wow! It's snow, it's snoooow!"
Children are so carefree, it's nice.
On a snowy day like this, adults have to go to work
even if there's a heavy snow warning.

Thump!
Something cold hit my back.
A child had thrown a snowball at me.
"Yay, I hit you! Hey, big sister, is school closed? Let's play!"
How old did they think I was?
I'm already old enough to drink alcohol, you know??

"Big sister has to go to work now,"
I said, and they replied,
"Eh? There's a heavy snow warning, right? Isn't work closed? Is it a black company?"
The children chanted "Black company, black company!" while clapping their hands.
Passersby are watching, how embarrassing.

I took a mandarin orange out of the paper bag I was carrying and handed it to them.
"I'll give you this, so please be quiet for a bit. It's from my parents' home, so it's delicious."
Then the children grinned and said,
"Thanks! Good luck at your black company!"
as they sent me off.

Behind me as I walked, I heard them complaining:
"Hey lady, don't throw the snow into the river when you shovel it! We won't be able to play anymore!"

I arrived at work and was about to start, but my boss gave the instruction, "They say the trains will stop from the afternoon. So let's go home now."
I want to tell those kids who teased me this morning...!
It's not a black company! My workplace isn't!!
I finished my work for the day, which consisted of handing out my parents' mandarin oranges to everyone at the office, and decided to head home.

I returned to the place where the children had teased me.
Huh? The children aren't here. Are they eating lunch?

I found an exceptionally large snowman.
Mandarin oranges were embedded in its eyes.
These are the oranges I gave them.
That means it must be those kids.

I fixed the position of the eyes, which had shifted.
Then,
"Thanks for fixing my eyes, I feel refreshed!"
I heard a low voice say.

Eh? I turned around, but no one was there.
Could it be...
"Mr. Snowman, can you talk?"
I asked, and
"Why are you asking in such a whisper?"
came the reply... Seriously? I don't work for a black company, but am I just exhausted...?

"Thanks for your hard work today. It's cold today, isn't it? Well, well, have a seat."
I sat down as told.
Even if a passerby came, this wouldn't look strange.

"The oranges from your place, big sister, are good ones."
This snowman just keeps talking. "Well... yeah. After all, they're my grandfather's oranges. My father has taken over now, though."

"Was your grandfather kind?"
"My grandfather is still alive, sort of. He's bedridden. That's right. He was kind. I was my grandfather's favorite, after all."
"Hmm."
Is the snowman not interested?

"I wish I could have shown him this scenery. It doesn't snow much where I'm from."
"Isn't it not too late to do that now?"
"That's why my grandfather is bedrid..."
"You could take a picture and show him, or tell him about the snow."
".........I see."

I watched the snowy landscape with the snowman for a while.
It's my first winter here since moving for my job.
Yet, for some reason, it felt nostalgic.

"I'm going now."
"Come talk to me again!"
That's too casual! I thought to myself as I said goodbye to the snowman.

***
When the woman was no longer in sight,
the snowman said,
"Have you forgotten the promise from that day?"

Twenty years ago, snow piled up in my hometown, which was a rare occurrence.
I built a snowman with my granddaughter.
"Hey, Grandpa, you're not going to die, right?"
My granddaughter asked me suddenly.
Did she hear something like that at preschool?

"Grandpa... will die someday.
You will too. All living things are destined to die..."
Oh, she's crying.
"Grandpa, I don't want you to die!"
Ah, I shouldn't have been so honest.

"Then, let's do this!
If, just if! Grandpa dies,
I'll watch over you from by your side."
I looked at my granddaughter, thinking that might be the model answer.
".........Can we talk?"
I hadn't imagined that response!
I continued the conversation while watching her expression.

"I don't think that's possible. Because my body will be gone.
Oh, then let's talk just once.
If I die, I'll borrow this snowman's body. I'll use my orange as a mark so you'll know it's me."
My granddaughter's face started to beam.
"It's a promise!"

Judging by her reaction, my granddaughter must have forgotten about that day twenty years ago. But I was able to keep my promise.
"Be happy. Grandpa is watching over you."
***

When I got home, I received a call from my father,
and I learned that Grandpa had passed away.

I almost cried while writing this.
(Wait, that's a bit much, haha)
At first, I was imagining the snowman from Animal Crossing, but I shifted gears halfway through.
I wonder if there are other people who write stories
that end up taking a different turn than the plot they originally planned.

I would be happy if this warmed your heart.
I noticed something while choosing the header.
Look, it always saysI'm by your side!!
Oh wow, the same line as Grandpa!