"Are you s-sure…about th-this…?" Hanako clung to Hisao's arm as the pair stepped out onto the frozen pond behind Yamaku Academy. She was beginning to wonder why she let him talk her into iceskating when he pushed off the ground forcefully, propelling them forward. She tightened her grip on his arm, terrified of falling.
He wrapped his arm around her tightly in response. "I got you," he promised as they slowly skated around the pond. He placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head, making her blush and giggle softly. He smiled, pleased that he could distract her from her fear, even if only for a few seconds. "Just don't let go, Hana."
"I…I won't…" She gave a forced smile as she was pulled alongside him. "Um…Did you d-do this often…Before…?" Her voice trailed off awkwardly, but it was obvious to the both of them to what she was referring to. Before his first heart attack that landed him at Yamaku Academy.
"Hm? Yeah, my friends and I used to do this a lot when we were younger." He smiled fractionally as he remembered his carefree childhood. "Not as much when we all became teenagers, though. I'm surprised I still remember how to do this. I guess it's muscle memory. Hey, I could teach you how to skate."
"H-How?" Hanako stared up at him in horror, praying desperately that he wouldn't let go of her. She knew if he released her waist, she would be sprawled on the ice within seconds. She immediately tightened her grip on him, so even if he let go of her, she could still use him as a support beam.
He chuckled at her reaction and dropped a comforting kiss on her forehead. "Calm down, Hana, I'm not going anywhere." He turned around so he was skating backwards but facing her, and grabbed her hands before she could fall down onto the ice. "Follow my lead, dear. Don't think about falling." He smiled encouragingly at Hanako, who seemed to turn as white as the snow covering the ground.
She gripped his hands tightly as she hesitantly slid one foot before the other, taking small baby steps. Once she was nose-to-nose with Hisao, he would kiss her lightly and skate back more. They repeated this process slowly around the lake a couple of times and Hanako eventually became more confident on her legs. "I…I think…I'm r-ready…to t-try skating…alone…"
"Go for it, Hanako." He dropped her hands and moved to her side, preparing to catch her lest she tumble to the ground. She smiled gratefully up at him before she skated off by herself. She managed to stay upright for a couple of minutes before she went launching headfirst into a snowbank.
Hisao raced over to her and helped her up from the snow. "Hanako! Are you alright?" he asked concernedly as he brushed the snow out of her face and hair carefully.
"Y-Yeah…I'm fine…" she smiled reassuringly at him. "D-Don't worry…I'm okay, Hisao…But…I think…I'm done with th-the cold…for today…" She stood up shakily and made her way over to the bench where they had left their snow boots. Hisao followed her, making sure she wasn't about to fall down again. They untied their ice skates and put on their boots wordlessly. "H-Hey…Hisao…? My hands…are cold…" Hanako pressed her hands against his face, giggling as he pulled out of her icy grip.
"Jeez, Hana! Did you forget your gloves?" Hisao grabbed one of her hands and held it in his coat pocket. "You're colder than the snow!"
She laughed softly at his hyperbole while they began to walk back to the dorms. "I…I'm sorry…f-for forgetting…but…I didn't think…my hands…were that cold…We should m-make…hot chocolate…wh-when we return…"
"Yes, dear. That sounds perfect." He pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek, thinking of the nice, warm dorms and the possibility of snuggling.