Through the windowpane, the winter landscaped looked like a a snow globe. The trees and bushes were all thoroughly blanketed in snow, which reflected the lantern light into a glistening night. The snow fell steadily, gently kissing the ground as it landed. Not a single footprint damaged the view, making it seem like a picture crafted by a skilled artist. What was the artist trying to say? Perhaps he wanted to portray the cozy atmosphere of winter nights. Maybe he was trying to paint the image that though the cold weather was pleasing to the eyes, it harbored chilling dangers. Or perhaps the artist simply liked the simplistic style of winter.

Whatever the reason, it was lost to Natsume. She stared out the window, her eyes focused on nothing. This isn't how it was suppose to be.

She was on a ski trip with her college friends over her winter break. It was suppose to be fun. So why was it that she was sitting alone in the hotel lounge while everyone else was in their rooms watching movies and talking.

Why wasn't anything working out?

Why did she always feel so excluded. She sighed deeply. She knew that it wasn't anybody else's fault. It was her own. She always made up drama and pushed herself out. Why did she do that? She wanted to have friends. She just wanted to have fun with everyone. So why was she always pushing herself out.

It was moments like this that Natsume knew she hadn't changed since high school. She had her group of friends and if things weren't going right, she didn't know what to do. Being a busy body in everyone's lives wasn't really fixing things. If anything it just made people hate her. That was it. Everyone hated her.

Reveling in her angst, Natsume sprawled out on the couch. She was in her pajamas with a blanket over her and the fire in the huge stone fire place made it extremely hot. Everything was wrong. Since she was already taking the time to look at her current sad situation, she felt she might as well wallow in everything else wrong with her life. She was failing her classes. She was pretty sure the boy in the apartment next to hers was in a relationship with her roommate. One of her teachers kept hitting on her. Her parents had called her to tell her that her goldfish had died. Mitty never called her. Her most recent blog post had resulted in her loosing five followers. Nothing was right.

And the worst part was, Sasayun was probably in one of the girl's rooms, playing cards and drinking with them.

Natsume stuck out her lower lip. Since when had she come to rely on Sasayun so much. She knew it had been happening gradually, but it wasn't until today that she fully realized it. As he helped her with her bags at arriving at the hotel. When he had called her that morning to make sure she didn't oversleep and miss the train. While she followed him around during dinner, because she wasn't familiar with the restaurant. She relied on Sasayun's constancy and presence so much it annoyed her. And she knew why. Because she felt guilty.

It had been four years since he confessed his feelings for her. At first, she didn't take him seriously since he was so nonchalant about it. Over time, she knew he meant it. But she still played him off. She still wouldn't give in. She still refused to fall in love with him. She wouldn't accept his feelings. She became somewhat stubborn about it. Until one day she suddenly realized she was in love with him.

"Hurry up and fall in love with me!"

He had practically shouted at her that day. And all she could do was blush and stutter. When she really wanted to yell back, "I already have, idiot." In that moment, she knew she had fallen in love.

Then why couldn't she just tell him? It felt like lying. He was waiting for her. And all she could do was smile and pretend she wanted to just be friends. Why? Why did everything have to go wrong for her?

She threw her face into the couch cushion. "I am a pathetic excuse for a human being."

But then again, Sasayun was so unpredictable with when he would talk about his feelings, always getting along with everyone so well, and seemed so happy with being friends that it made him feel unreachable. He was suppose to make it easy for her to confess not awkward. He was so passive about the whole thing. As if he really didn't care. And it was this irrational anger towards him that gave Natsume some solace.

It was his fault everything was wrong. His fault. Then why was he having a good time and she alone in a hotel sitting room blinking back tears.

"Natsume?"

Sasayun was standing in the doorway. She didn't even have to turn to look. She pulled the blanket over her head and hoped he would go away.

"Natsume, I know you're here." He pulled the blanket off of her. As he did so, he leaned casually over her. His spiky hair was still damp from his shower and Natsume could feel a few droplet of water fall on her face. His loose sweat pants and white t-shirt still revealed his lean muscles. But worse then all this tempting beauty was his wide eyes, staring at her with such normal concern.

She rolled over and hid her face from him. "Go away."

"Why are you pouting?"

"I'm not pouting."

"Natsume..."

"Go away."

"Why? If you didn't want me here then why did you invite me along?"

Natsume could feel the tears in her eyes. He acted like he didn't know how much she relied on him. Sitting up, she wiped her eyes and nose with her sweater sleeve, then moved over so Sasayun could take the seat next to her.

"So what's the matter?"

"Nothing. I just like wallowing in my own self pity unlike you, who is always so considerately taking care of everyone else."

"Picking a fight, as usual."

"But the self righteous Sasayun will just shrug it off."

He gave her a sideways glance, a smile growing on his face before he burst out in laughter.

Natsume tried not to smile. He always cheered her up. Without even really trying. It made her frustrated. She should just tell him right now. After all, it was better for her to bring it up now. In this situation she knew it would be very easy for him to take the first move in talking about his feelings. And if that happened, she would feel to awkward to say anything. As if somehow her feelings were so much less than his.

But instead of saying anything, she just stared at him blankly.

"What is is?" He had the exasperated look, as if he expected her to get mad. A look that he gave Natsume so often without realizing how attractive it made him look.

"Sasayun," she began. "Sasayun, I... I, um. Sasayun, I think. I..." She trailed off nervously. No. She mentally smacked herself. She had to do this. She made up her mind. She would tell him how she felt. "Uh, Sasayun, I..."

He was starting to look annoyed. "Just say it already."

"CAN I KISS YOU?" She bowed her head. That wasn't what she had meant to say. Not at all. She was suppose to profess her feelings more elegantly than that. As her mind raced, she realized Sasayun hadn't said anything. She looked up hesitantly. Her eyes met his wide ones, intensely staring at her. Natsume could have sworn she had never seen him blush before, and if that was the case, this definitely made up for it.

"Whaa...? You don't just say that!" He seemed to find his voice.

"I don't know! Unlike you I'm not good at this stuff." Feeling very embarrassed, she started to stand up. It had gone horrible wrong and now was a good time to run away. "But never mind. I take it back. Forget it ever happened."

"Wait," Sasayun grabbed her arm. "I didn't mean to say that. I was just shocked."

"I didn't realize the thought of kissing me was so appalling."

"You know I don't mean it like that."

She tore her hand from his grip and started to head towards the door. "I'll just be going."

"Why are you so extreme?" He shouted after her.

"Sorry I'm so undignified and unappealing."

He was leaping over the couch and coming towards her. "Natsume, stop. Come on." He grabbed her arm and pulled her around so suddenly she barely had time to think as she reached up and kissed him.

Natsume knew she had never been kissed and she wondered if it was the same for Sasayun. He seemed shocked for a few seconds, as her lips rested on his. But it lasted only a few moments. She felt him kiss her back, with such lingering passion as if he had waited his whole life for it.

And then Sasayun was smiling like crazy, such a contagious smile that Natsume couldn't help but grin, too.

"Do you like marshmallows in your hot chocolate?" Sasayun was sitting on the floor, sitting the hot chocolate mix into the steaming water.

"Yes."

"How many?"

"You decide."

She was perched at the edge of the couch, watching him intently. "So, Sasayun, are we boyfriend and girlfriend now?"

Sasayun almost dropped his spoon and stared up at her, a slight trace of horror on his face. "I don't know. Can we be?"

"Yes."

He let out an audible sigh of relief. "I was worried you wouldn't agree."

"Hmmph." She gave him an annoyed look as she took her mug. "I'm not that unreasonable."

Sasayun just smiled. It seemed that was his only reaction to the whole situation.

"I'm sorry, by the way."

"For what?" he asked sweetly, still smiling.

"For my confession. I wanted to tell you I loved you in a sweet way but it came out wrong."

He sat next to her, taking a sip of his hot chocolate. "You mess everything up and have been rejecting me for three years. I didn't really expect anything more."

Yay, my first second chapter! ~(^-^)~ But I guess each one can exists as it's own one shot. They're in something of a chronological order, though. Anyways, thanks for reading. If you feel so inclined, please review or favorite or follow. I have at least one other chapter thought out, but I might have something for in between. Thanks for your support. Until next time, SASANATSU FLUFF FOR ALL!