It was on a snowy day, in the middle of winter. Snow was covering the streets of the city like a beautiful white mantel, smooth and thick enough to bury your feet. Even the road was covered in white. Snowplows have yet to pass since it's only 3:00am and yet, I was awake, trying to write a novel that won't be a hit like all the others I've made until now. I was taking a break, hanging out on the balcony of my room, at the boarding house I live in, while resting on the railings with a cup of hot chocolate in my hands. A large sigh escaped.

"…I wish I wasn't single…"

I wonder if, if I was in love with someone, I could find some good plot for my novels. I am always criticized on the romance plot part of my novels by my editor, saying it was stupid, bland, and unrealistic. This time, it's my last chance to make a good one or I'll have to find a new editor...thinking about it, I sigh again.

"…maybe taking a walk will help me…"

Going down from the stairs through the small staircase while making sure I don't slip because of some ice covering the steps, with a moncler and mittens, I went outside and walked through the streets, leaving my footsteps onto the beautiful white snow, to the park who has a much more beautiful view than the streets. I brushed off the snow that was on a bench and sat down with hands in my pockets, then stargazed at the snowing sky...well, there wasn't any star to look at because of the clouds tough…

That's when I saw something unusual. At this hour, it's rare to see people walking in the streets, but it's even more rare to see people jumping between rooftops. Though I couldn't see how they looked like, it was already an unbelievable view. That was when I had the idea for my light novel. I rushed home and went on my pc, and put an all-nighter in writing. When I came back, or more precisely woke up, I had tons of pages with nonsense because I slept on my keyboard.

"Aaaaaaah! Sh*t, I fell asleep without saving!"

I spent at least 2 hours deleting every nook of nonsense. After that, it was around 1:00pm, and I felt really hungry, having already skipped breakfast as per usual, so I went to the convenience store a few streets away, to buy a simple bento. Outside, the snow was now plowed, and a few snowmen were made. That's when someone came directly talking to me while I was about to enter.

"Excuse me, can I have a word with you?"

A beautiful girl that has tanned skin and her dark brown hair is tied in a long ponytail with a white ribbon, the ends of the ribbon standing straight up. What she was wearing, though, was something like a santa outfit. She was doing the poster girl for Christmas promotions, huh. She looked very nice in it though. And for a girl her age, her rack was… well hard to not see. That was my first impression of her.

"Ah, sorry. I am not really interested i-iiIIIN-?!"

Grabbed by the collar, she led me behind the store with strength beyond what I imagined. I then got slammed onto the wall behind the convenience store, and got stuck with something right next to my head, something like a shortened version of a katana.

"You saw me last night, didn't you?" She said.

Last night? I don't remember seeing anyone in the streets.

"I don't remember seeing you tough…all I saw that night was snowy streets and…"

Now that I think about it, I saw some people jumping rooftops to rooftops…I couldn't see them, but was she perhaps one of them?

"And…that's it."

Although I was trying to play dumb, I guess it showed on my face that I was lying, because the hand…rather the fist that was holding my collar pressed harder onto my chest. She had cold eyes, as if ready to kill me to silence me. Cold sweat ran through my spine as I felt killing intent from her.

"O-o-ok, I admit, I may have seen you from afar, but I couldn't tell it was you or someone. You guys were too far, after all!"

"Tsk."

She clicked on her tongue while looking away. I then got slammed once again against the same wall, and it was becoming pretty much too painful. My wallet and keys fell on the floor, while my breathing got rougher.

"It hurts…please stop."

"Shut up."

I was frankly scared, but the person then went ahead and released me, before searching for something within her chest. I reflexively looked away while catching my breath to calm down.

"Drink this…!"

In her hand, she was holding a small bottle, small like a simple flask, seemingly in argile, with a wooden plug, and she was handing it to me.

"What's this?"

"A medicine that makes you forget everything from the last 24 hours. Drink it or I shall use violence…!"

Her killing intent went straight up and I really thought that I would be killed.

"Wait wait wait…I can't, I just can't! I finally had a good idea for a novel because I saw you guys. If I forget about it, I'll lose everything! I'm even close to my deadline!"

"I don't care, drink it!"

Unplugged by her, she forced me to swallow the medicine in one gulp. It was bitter, and obviously disgusting. But I choked from the sudden act, and ended up coughing savagely, before spitting it out. I think I swallowed some though.

"Dammit, I only had one flask since Haruka didn't have enough herbs, but you spit it out. No choice, i'll have to knock you out enough to forget everything."

"Puhah! Please! I beg you, anything but that! If I can't write my novel, I'll lose my apartment and my job!"

"..."

She went silent for a moment, but she kept that killing intent. She had her fist raised, ready to punch me.

"I swear I will keep it secret, but please, don't erase my memories…"

She looked a bit below, looking at my wallet and keys, and slowly lowered her fist, and sighed heavily.

"Fine. Then I have another idea."

"Exc-?!"

"You, you'll let us stay at your house!"

"Wha-?!"

"You said 'anything', right? Right!?"

"I…I did say that, but-."

Even though we were behind, it didn't mean we won't be discovered, and people started noticing us and approaching. Menacingly, she raised up her fist.

"Choose wisely!"

"Okay, okay! I'll let you guys stay at my house! Though it's not very spacious, since it's just a boarding house!"

"No rent?"

"I won't make you pay a rent, I swear!"

Finally, she stopped. She breathed lightly, before showing a simple smile that looked innocent, compared to her attitude just seconds ago.

"Thank you for your patronage."

She went back onto the main street, and I was just there, cold since the snow sipped into my pants who were not impermeable, and took back my keys and wallet. I looked at the store, and went back in there after looking left and right in the street. The girl wasn't there anymore, so I could enter the convenience store, slightly relieved, but stressed. While buying the usual bento, I thought about what I just promised.

"'Us'…?"

Back at my apartment, I couldn't stop walking in circles, thinking over what to do. I should also inform my landlord that there would be more people coming to live here, even if temporarily. How did it come to this?

While I was panicking, I heard the doorbell ring, and when I looked through the small peephole, and saw the girl I faced before, not wearing that santa suit, but a crimson tracksuit, with large orange stripes on the sleeves, but hers was open, leaving visible a black top that merely covered the torso, while the belly was left in the open. There were other girls with her. One with green hair, one with blonde hair curled at the end and a large pink ribbon at the top, and one with blonde hair, paler than the previous, but hers were longer. I unlocked the door, and opened slightly. Well, all of them had bags, but I noticed there was a fifth person, one with long black hair and an eyepatch. So all of them are girls, huh.

"Yo. I hope you'll keep onto your words and let us in."

"Yes…I will."

I opened the door wide, so they could enter, and each of them looked at me in a different manner. The green haired one looked at me with a sharp, but disinterested gaze. The blonde with a pink ribbon made a soft warm smile like an onee-san. The other blonde one didn't even look at me. The one with black hair looked up to me with an angry look, as if I did something to her, and finally the tanned girl entered. Anyways…that's how I ended up living with shinobis.