<The Wind Spirit Aleksi’s Love>

One winter morning…

On Stenbäck Street in Helsinki, the capital of Finland.

The snowfall that had continued since the previous day had stopped before sunrise.

The morning sunlight made the fresh snow sparkle brilliantly.

From the second-floor window of one of the houses lining the street, a red squirrel gazed outside.

Wrapped in a white cloak fastened with a crimson ribbon, the squirrel let out sigh after sigh.

After yet another sigh, the wind spirit Aleksi, in the form of a red squirrel, rested a paw against his cheek.

“Could this be… love?”

He murmured dreamily, his eyes full of longing.

Sitting cross-legged on the desk nearby, the little Tonttu girl Toori watched him with an expression that clearly said she wanted nothing to do with this.

‘I’d better not say anything unnecessary.’

That was all she thought.

After observing Aleksi for a while and deciding he wasn’t going to drag her into whatever was bothering him, Toori returned to operating the laptop and resumed watching her video.

Meanwhile, on the same desk, the little bear fairy Nuutti sat happily munching on a biscuit while staring curiously at Aleksi as though he were some strange creature.

After finishing the biscuit in his paw, Nuutti took another one from the box and began eating it, scattering crumbs everywhere.

“Could it… really be love?”

Aleksi muttered again with another sigh, this time loud enough for everyone to hear.

Nuutti tilted his head before looking toward Toori, who continued quietly watching her video.

“Toori.”

“Aleksi keeps saying something, nuu.”

“Is he—mmph?!”

Toori quickly covered Nuutti’s mouth.

With her other hand, she placed a finger against her lips.

Then she silently shook her head.

Her expression made it perfectly clear.

Don’t say another word.

Once Nuutti nodded, Toori released him.

She glanced sideways toward Aleksi, who remained perched on the windowsill, still sighing while gazing outside.

After letting out another long breath, Aleksi reached inside his cloak.

He took out a frozen blueberry and popped it into his mouth.

He slowly chewed and swallowed it.

“Could this… really be love?”

“I don’t even have an appetite anymore.”

He spoke loudly enough for the two of them to hear, while pretending it was merely another monologue.

Then he casually glanced at them.

Toori immediately looked away.

But…

“What’s wrong, nuu?”

At last, Nuutti spoke to him.

Toori slumped her shoulders.

Aleksi’s eyes sparkled.

“You want to hear about it?”

“I suppose I have no choice…”

“But should I tell you…?”

He fidgeted dramatically.

“You can tell us if you want, nuu!”

“Hurry up already, nuu!”

Nuutti urged him in his usual high-and-mighty tone.

“Actually…”

“I’d really like Toori to hear me out.”

Blinking innocently, Aleksi directed pleading eyes toward Toori, whose face screamed exhaustion.

Letting out a heavy sigh, Toori answered,

“I’ll listen.”

“But don’t drag me into this.”

Aleksi immediately brightened.

After finishing the blueberry, he gracefully floated through the air and landed on the desk beside them.

“I’ve fallen in love!”

He declared proudly while raising one paw into the air.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, nuu.”

Nuutti responded without missing a beat.

Keeping one paw raised, Aleksi placed the other over his chest.

“A child like you couldn’t possibly understand these feelings.”

“My heart!”

“So…”

“Who did you fall for?”

“Stop dragging this out.”

“It’s annoying.”

Toori asked with narrowed eyes and an exasperated expression.

“It all began a few days ago…”

Aleksi began speaking as though reciting a poem.

“One snowy day…”

“I saw the most wonderful woman in the park.”

“She had a pure white, translucent body…”

“And the cutest little eyes.”

“The moment I saw her standing there so elegantly…”

“I fell in love at first sight.”

His eyes sparkled as he reminisced.

“Love at first sight, nuu!”

“I know exactly what that’s like, nuu!”

“I fall in love with biscuits at first sight every time, nuu!”

Nuutti exclaimed excitedly.

“No.”

“That’s not the same thing.”

“So…”

“Did you actually talk to her?”

Toori asked.

“My delicate heart could never do something so shameless!”

Aleksi protested, his cheeks turning red.

“What part of you is delicate, nuu?”

Nuutti immediately shot back.

Ignoring him completely, Aleksi continued basking in his own emotions.

“I haven’t even spoken to her yet.”

“I simply watch her.”

“But that’s enough to make my heart ache.”

“So this is what lovesickness feels like…”

He placed one paw dramatically against his forehead and slowly shook his head.

“Then just go talk to her.”

“Is she always at the park?”

Toori asked.

Aleksi nodded.

“You could just say…”

“‘Mind if I sit here?'”

“‘Would you like to chat for a bit?'”

“That would start a conversation.”

“I’ve already decided.”

“The next time I see her…”

“I’m going to confess my feelings.”

“Then why are you asking me for advice?”

Toori huffed and turned back toward her laptop, ready to resume her video.

Suddenly, Aleksi firmly grabbed her arm and began tugging on it.

“Please hear me out!”

“I’m trying to figure out how I should confess!”

“Your best friend needs your help!”

“You’re not my best friend.”

“And if you’ve already decided to confess…”

“Then just do it.”

“It’s not something I need to solve…”

“I’ll help, nuu!”

Nuutti interrupted before Toori could finish.

“I’d really rather have Toori helping me.”

“Setting things up and everything…”

Aleksi said hopefully.

Completely ignoring him, Nuutti picked up the single pale purple flower standing in the tiny glass of water on the desk.

“I’ve heard flowers are important when confessing, nuu.”

“Take this flower with you and confess, nuu.”

“The fact that this flower is here today means destiny decided today is your confession day, nuu.”

Hearing that, Aleksi released Toori’s arm and accepted the flower from Nuutti.

“Nuutti…”

“My opinion of you has completely changed.”

“Until now, I thought you were nothing more than a noisy, selfish, foolish little bear fairy.”

“But you’re actually capable of saying something incredibly sensible.”

With a serious expression, Nuutti proudly gave him a thumbs-up.

“Nuutti.”

“He’s insulting you.”

Toori pointed out.

“What are you talking about, nuu?!”

“Aleksi just said I’m smart, nuu!”

“How rude, nuu!”

Nuutti puffed up angrily.

Toori simply watched him in silence.

There was no point arguing anymore.

Once Nuutti charged ahead with something in mind, stopping him was nearly impossible.

Helping Aleksi finish his confession as quickly as possible would be far less troublesome than trying to stop either of them.

That was the conclusion Toori reached.

“Then let’s go meet her right now.”

“Things like this are all about momentum.”

She casually offered the suggestion.

“Y-You’re right.”

“For a wind spirit like me to lose my nerve…”

“I’ll give her this flower…”

“And tell her exactly how I feel!”

Aleksi declared with renewed determination.

And so…

Toori, Nuutti, and Aleksi set off together for the park where the woman Aleksi admired was said to appear.

Aleksi carefully carried a bluish-purple scabiosa flower in his paws.