Turning Of the Tide by Diana Sander

After a heavy snowfall, the entire Sapphire City was draped in a thin white veil. The gentle snowflakes danced through the sky, leisurely settling in every corner, attempting to accumulate little by little. It gave the impression of immaculate purity and flawlessness.

The tree branches were bent under the weight of thick snow. They drooped low, observing the ground covered in a blanket of snow. The once-visible grass blades were now buried beneath the snow mercilessly, a prevalent sight of pure white everywhere.

In a snow-capped area of Sapphire City, a group of children could be seen in the distance, chasing each other around in the snow. They were laughing and having fun. Their joyous laughter echoed through the snow-capped mountains, creating an environment that truly embodied childhood. It was what children should experience and cherish in their memories.

The children had already gotten along well, and the adults started to organize their teams.

Before the team allocation, Joseph said, "I'll look after the kids. You guys have fun." Wearing a heavy down jacket, Trevon swiftly scanned the few people around and thought of something. Then, he declared in a domineering tone, "Alright, Natalie, Frank, Ava, and | will be one group. The rest of you are a team of five." Christina, Quinn, and Leia didn't object, but Chris turned to glance at his team, feeling he was like an odd one out. It was as if he was the lone male amidst what seemed like a women's committee. Why did he have to be the only guy among them? Just as he was about to speak, Frank gave a wry smile and said, "We're all couples. Are you okay with splitting us up?" Trevon teased Chris, "You can consider yourself as female." Chris was rendered speechless by their response.

It crossed Chris's mind that it shouldn't be a big deal for the couples to split up just for a game, but he chose not to voice this thought.

Stella focused on something else. She said, "Come on, Chris. We're five, and they're four, they'd definitely agree. Let's go, we're okay with it." Chris agreed readily, saying, "Alright, let's do it." Before the game started, Trevon and Frank exchanged a glance, both simultaneously smirking mischievously. To Natalie and Ava, that kind of smile seemed conspiratorial, as if they were harboring some mischief.

As expected, when the game started, these adults laughed loudly like children, throwing snowballs at each other with fervor.

Joseph watched their interaction and smiled contentedly. He was in a good mood.

When the children at the side saw that their parents and the other adults were having so much fun, they couldn't resist joining the fun together. They automatically formed their own teams. George ran to his mom, Christina, to start playfully competing with his little friends.

Meanwhile, Jasper, Sophia, and Olivia went over to their parents to join in the snowball game. They were targeting Chris with playful snowballs while being considerate not to target their younger brother.

Trevon scooped up a snowball from the ground and teasingly glanced at Chris, then swiftly aimed the ball towards Leia beside Chris. Chris, watching the ball about to hit Leia, quickly turned and shielded her with a smooth move.

back, scattering snow over the dark coat, blending with the ground's accumulated snow. His attire bore the remnants of the snow, starkly contrasting the white against the

shielded by Chris. It was unexpected, causing a quickened heartbeat in her chest. Before Leia could voice her surprise, another snowball was hurled toward her from

chance to diffuse the awkwardness. Their actions

silent collaboration, they inadvertently assisted each other. Christina shared a

but whether it was a case of Parkinson's, a lazy eye, or an intentional move, the

Quinn, and Christina engaged in the snowball fight, intensifying the battle. This effectively dispelled Leia's suspicions.

tiny snowball hit Leia, prompting laughter from the group. Trevon affectionately tousled his daughter's head,

break and joined his father. They began building a snowman in an open area. "Dad." George wanted to take off the scarf, and Joseph didn't want to spoil

his dad rubbed it. "Okay." Sophia said, "Uncle Joseph, we want to join too!" Running over, she saw her cousin and uncle building a snowman and was

at all, leaving Jasper feeling helpless. His parents were having so much fun. He could only watch his sister and quietly help collect

she had already taken the snowball herself, showing no embarrassment whatsoever. Olivia, on the other

squatting down to help the children build a

a distance. Stella specifically aimed at Frank and Trevon, while Trevon and Frank seemed to have a squint today, and the snowball always accurately veered away from Chris. However, they didn't focus solely on Leia, avoiding suspicion. Poor Stella

taking the hit on his

being somewhat on the periphery, Christina and

She reached out, rising on her tiptoes, and brushed off the snow from Chris's hair. She reassured him, saying, "You don't need to shield me. It's okay to get hit." Leia's eyes could be seen when she lowered

themselves, and Leia remained silent. After all, Chris had shielded both Christina and Quinn several times,

slightly. If they continued playing, they would catch a cold. They

Chris, "Bend down, I'll help you get rid of the snow on your hair."

"It's too hot! My toes are on fire from running. If | zip it up all the way, I'm afraid | won't be smacked to death by them. I'll