The autumn breeze suddenly wrapped itself around Art, causing his body to gently rattle involuntarily. He tabbed his place in his book with a slip of paper before closing the book and setting it on the low table in the center of the room. Turning his body toward the door, he saw that the chilly wind had come from a crack in it and the one that opened it was…a fish?

Art slowly rose to his feet and padded over to the open door. Upon closer inspection he noticed that the fish was actually made out of color paper, folded to resemble a fish. He picked it up with caution and carefully turned it over in his hands to examine it. The yellow paper fish had no note of ownership on it. So where did it come from?

A flash of blue glimmered in the corner of Art's eye, and when he turned to see what it was, he found himself looking eye to eye with his only friend on the estate. "Nice…," he breathed out the name with either weariness or relief, Nice couldn't tell which.

The smile in the servant boy's eyes was impossible to miss. During years of communicating through secret, Art would sometimes only get to catch a glimpse of his friend once the whole day. Due to their more often short rendezvouses, the two had over time learned to read the other's mood and mind by things as simple as the way one turned their head or how long they held their gaze.

"Do you like it?" The smile in his eyes momentarily switched to nervousness, and Art was fast enough to catch it. As care free as Nice tried to act, his friend knew that he would still fret when it came to giving others things.

"Very much so, thank you," Art said with a reassuring smile that instantly calmed Nice's nerves. "Is there a reason you're leaving paper fish at my door though? Is this your version of house; bringing home the food like a good husband?" Art giggled at the color of pink Nice's cheeks turned from his teasing.

"I—No, that's not—I mean—Not that I would be against marrying you, it's just that's—," Nice looked anywhere but at Art's face as he stumbled over his own words, only intensifying the hue of his cheeks. "It's origami—! A yellow fish symbolizes freedom…," his last sentence came out a mumble, obviously making him just as embarrassed as the teasing had.

Art stood there in shock for a moment after the purpose of the paper fish set in. He couldn't decide which emotion to choose to display from the chaotic mess of them swirling in his heart. Luckily, if his current life has taught him anything, it's how to keep his composure. "I see… How thoughtful of you," he smiled and looked down at the token of freedom in his hands. To be entirely honest, at first he was offended, thinking Nice was mocking his situation where he was anything but free. But one look at the origami told Art of the hard work and meaning put into it, along with the excited, albeit cautious, smile on his friend's face. The piece of colored paper was brimming with good intentions, just like his friend.

"It's a good luck charm. To give you hope!" Nice's brown locks seemed to bounce from the momentum of his buoyant attitude. Art swore he could see rays of sunlight shining from the boy's face every time he showed him that dazzling smile of his.

"Hey, do you know how to do any other shapes?" If Nice was kind enough to make something with such a significant meaning for him, he definitely wanted to return the favor.

Nice's face lit up like the sun, more than happy to share his newly acquired knowledge with his companion. "Yeah, lots! What did you wanna make?"

"Hmm...Can you show me how to fold a dove?"

"Sure, that one's pretty easy!" More colored paper appeared from inside Nice's kosode. He finally stepped into the room and slid the door shut behind him, splaying the different patterned paper on the floor for Art to choose from. Art went with a flowered design and many paper cuts and failed attempts due to Nice's bad teaching later, produced a neatly folded paper dove.

"Here," he pushed his hand with the dove to Nice's hands.

"You're giving it to me?" Nice returned the gesture with a quizzical look.

"Yes, because it means something special," he placed the paper bird in his friend's hand.

"What does the dove stand for?" Art gained another confused look in response.

"That's a secret," he smiled warmly at Nice, who only tilted his head and stared at his smiling friend.