No more parkour

"So. That was it for this year.", Key mumbled and looked up, and sure enough - a lonely, lost snowflake slowly floated out of the gray nothingness of the December sky. "That was never a snowflake.", Masao contradicted. "It hardly ever snows here. That was probably just ash or something ...". No. It wasn't ashes. And it had gotten really lousy. Yes, it even smelled of snow. I hadn't actually intended to eavesdrop on the four. But since I still had a little time before school and the gray everyday life was approaching again, I was able to listen to them a bit. Anyway, I thought they would only talk about football or parkour - because the four of them loved parkour. The group was Key, Masao, who was quite cheeky, Minho, who actually never said a word, and Ren. Yes, they did parkour; they jumped over obstacles and ran over roofs and clung to house walls. The trick was not to stall or to take a break, but to always stay supple and keep the pace and above all the momentum. The momentum was Key's problem. He usually had too much of it.
And I didn't like that either. That's why I actually had to float in pure happiness after this lost flake. Snow meant they couldn't exercise. As soon as the railings and roofs iced over, it became too dangerous. Actually, I found parkour dangerous even in the nicest summer weather. I always worried that one of them wouldn't crash after all. That was a strange business. Actually, I didn't know her - none of the four. Not that I had never exchanged a word with them - because I bumped into Minho last year and he gave me a "piss off!" hissed at. Idiot.
I was surprised that Key wasn't freezing. It actually looked pretty silly to stand around in the schoolyard in the dead of winter in a ribbed undershirt and ripped jeans - but it suited him. I, on the other hand, froze. I was wearing more than him - he was a long, red knitted scarf, a red and white striped jacket and a white shirt, a relatively short, black skirt, tights and dark gray wool socks that peeked out from my light gray loafers. I raised my head - they said nothing more. But they hadn't noticed me - not that anyone had ever done that - they were just depressed. They didn't love parkour - they lived it. "Then that's the way it is. Had a good training session yesterday ...", Ren finally spoke up. "Exactly ...", Key said, looking exaggeratedly satisfied. "Everything's going to be a bit stressful now anyway. I have to help my old man." Key lived across the street from me and his parents owned a pizzeria. Actually, they were always stressed.Key's mother was also firmly convinced that we - my family - were hindering the business. My papa had a funeral parlor, so it was unavoidable that sometimes a hearse was parked across from the pizzeria, and of course the guests wondered what it was all about. We would also have more work in the next few days. Christmas was a critical date, as Papa used to say. And he was right - at Christmas he was often very busy. Mostly heart attacks or strokes. Papa was of the opinion that people no longer knew how to party peacefully and that they were killing each other with their pointless arguments. Besides, my father didn't go on vacation. He would rather be there for his customers - make money. That's why I didn't see him very often. But he's a good-hearted person. And he's my family. Since I never got to know my mother, he is all I have and need.
I looked at the group again. Well, Key might be right. They couldn't do parkour in snow. But Masao couldn't imagine pausing training until the weather was better - you could tell from him. And although I was always worried - and it wasn't because of the fours, because I was worried about everything and everyone - I couldn't imagine not being able to watch them training for a long time. "Don't even think about it ...", Key said fatherly when he noticed Masao's furrowed brow. "Oh, you are wimps!" He hissed. "A snowflake! That's nothing!". But Key just shrugged his shoulders and walked towards the school entrance. Minho and Ren got up and stretched, then followed Key. Masao stood there offended for a while, but followed the others too. That tore me out of my trance and I also trotted towards the school building. It was warm at school. Only now did I notice my back pain and wonder how it felt when you did parkour and suddenly landed on your back on the floor. I shook my head and mingled with the masses of students running wildly up and down the stairs, talking loudly or listening to music. I, on the other hand, was very quiet, with my bag tossed loosely over my shoulder and a rather empty expression on my face. I named it the bubble face myself.
There would be testimonies today. I was probably one of the few who worried or even had to worry about their grades. I did very little for school and only learned when it was really necessary.
I saw Key leaning against a wall and staring out of the window, loosely and for a changealone. I had to admit - he was handsome. But I walked past him quietly, as I did every day, and went into my classroom.In a bad mood, I peeked out from behind the door. No one was there, apart from the general chaos of our class: crumpled sheets of paper, paper tissues, used and unused, the contents of thrown rucksacks, old rotten sandwiches, thousands of bottles, and overturned chairs. Not a nice view. But I was very used to it and sat down on my chair. Minho, Masao, and Ren were in my class too. Only Key was in my parallel class. My class teacher would come in soon, tell how great he thought the school year with us again, proudly hand out our certificates, give everyone their opinion again and wish us a good holiday and a happy new year. Everything as usual.
At that moment Lucifer entered the class. She was a pretty, rather pale girl - but it suited her. Her long, straight and jet black hair was, as always, perfect - very different from my curly head. It was actually pretty nondescript. Most of the time she just sat at her seat in the back row and looked out the window or read. I didn't know much about her, only that she never answered, never spoke to anyone and was still admired by many. And she got good grades.
I must have stared at her a little too long again than I thought she deserved, and so she bowed her head and gave me a piercing look. A chill ran down my spine and I smiled hard in their direction. She tossed her hair back and looked out the window again.
Now my other classmates came along too - Minho, who was constantly being pinched in the sides by Masao, Ren, who was only busy with his hairstyle, my teacher and the rest of the colorful bunch. When they were all finally seated, my teacher only cleared his throat briefly and then beamed at everyone. "Well we have seen a lot again, haven't we? I think you will all be very happy about your certificates!" He smiled. Then he gave his usual speech again about how great he thought we were all, what a cozy class we were and how good our average would be again. So, we all took turns taking turns taking our testimonies. "Not bad, Taemin. You really improved your math, I was especially happy about your last job!", He praised me. I just nodded silently and strolled back to my seat. Lucifer hadn't even looked at her testimony, stuffed it into her pocket - she had looked elegant even then - and was now looking out the window again. While Minho was satisfied with himself and the world, Masao protested loudly that he couldn't have four in English and that this should definitely be checked again. I had to smile.
After further speeches we were finally released and I quickly found myself outside in the school yard in a horde of students who were talking wildly about their certificates and gesticulating.I saw Lucifer standing in the distance. She waited. You? At least that was something new. I wanted to take the opportunity to speak to her. I had tried it many times because she had always interested and surprised me. Making new friends wasn't exactly my forte, so I walked up to her slowly, swallowed a little, and smiled. "Hey ...". Lucifer raised his head and looked at me with an indefinable expression in his eyes. "Um, so ... how was your testimonial?". She shrugged her shoulders. "Actually as always ...", she mumbled and suddenly I had a lump in my throat. I had never heard her speak before, at least never in such a way that I could fully hear her voice. Her voice was calm and somehow soothing. "Hm ...", I just went and watched a few students who stormed past me. "Are you waiting for someone?", It came out of me promptly. Lucifer did not answer, pulled out a book and began to read. Actually a cheek, but somehow I wasn't angry with her. I wasn't disappointed either. I was more - neutral. So, I turned away from her and ran straight into Key and the others' arms. He eyed me briefly, then let me pass him and his group, walked on, gave Lucifer a few venomous looks and then disappeared with his cronies into the next best side street.
I too finally made my way home, took my bus, got on the subway where a couple of teenagers were screaming and teasing each other, scurried quickly through the alleys, fished my key out of my pocket and unlocked the door. As usual, Papa wasn't there - he was probably picking up one of his clients. I trotted into the kitchen, made myself some tea, and crumbled into the living room. I chatted. Mostly with a key. Of course, he didn't know it was me he was writing with. In the chat I was completely different - more confident and cheeky. I've been writing to him for about three months. But rather irregular. That was how I learned, for example, that he and the other three were doing parkour. But he wasn't online today. I sighed. I had had a crush on him once - well, at least I thought so, but now I was sure I had never had it.