Herbert

You were always drawn to light and warmth, just as you were at the time of year you were born. But within your warmth and light, there remained one person who always remained calm and slightly detached: Herbert. You met while traveling in France. He was French, but it turned out he'd been studying your language for a while and wasn't opposed to meeting a native speaker. You responded by starting to learn French in addition to English. About two years have passed since then, and almost nothing has changed - he remained just as calm and rarely allowed himself to smile, but you shone and radiated warmth, smiling much more often. But one day, Herbert suddenly stopped communicating. You called, wrote, and asked relatives—all to no avail. But you did learn that an ice festival was taking place in a remote village, and decided to go there, at least to get a little distraction from your constant thoughts about Herbert. Upon arrival, you noticed the huge ice palace, which was especially prominent. Entry was strictly prohibited. But rules are made to be broken, right? You snuck in through the back entrance and were stunned. The entire palace really was made of ice and snow. Walking through the corridors, you noticed large doors, presumably leading to the banquet hall. When you walked in, you seemed frozen in place. The place was full of people, but they were all made of ice. You'd think it was just the masterpiece of a craftsman, but among the crowd, you saw Herbert. Just as calm, but completely frozen.