Of Snow and Ice

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Kou absentmindedly flicked his pencil against the open notebook in front of him. Nearby, a science textbook lay untouched. He was supposed to be studying in preparation for the upcoming school term with Futaba, but the latter was conspicuously missing from the table.

They agreed to meet at his house earlier this afternoon, though Kou had his doubts considering the forecast called for several centimeters of snow. Indeed, judging by the amount of accumulation on his windowsill, he suspected that their plans would inevitably have to be postponed sooner rather than later. At least, that was what he assumed would have happened.

Glancing at his cell phone, Kou didn't see any news from his girlfriend since they last exchanged messages. With a sigh, he flipped open the device and once again checked the he didn't miss anything. No luck; their last few messages were the only thing displayed on the tiny screen.

Weather's looking bad. Should we meet up tomorrow?

No! I'll make some lunch and be right there.

Are you sure…?

Of course! Just wait! 3

Although he read this several times already, the corner of his lips still curved upwards when he did. There was something about her optimism and and stubbornness that resonated within him.

After another hour of silence, Kou was starting to get worried. It wouldn't be the first time Futaba either forgot something or lost track of time and arrived fashionably late to a gathering, but this time something felt different. Unable to resist, he reached out once again for his phone and quickly dialed her number.

Upon hearing the robotic voicemail recording, his apprehension started to get the better of him. He wasn't one to generally worry more than he needed to at times like these, but for some reason, the doubts started to creep in and a plethora of questions floated through his mind. Maybe she was outside, shoveling the snow? Perhaps her lunch preparations were taking longer than anticipated? Or maybe she took a nap and overslept? Or maybe…?

Kou grunted and stood up, grabbing his coat and scarf from the nearby hanger. Futaba's house wasn't all that far away, and even with the snow he should be able to make it there in a reasonable amount of time. He suspected that Futaba would tease him for finally turning into the doting boyfriend type he so loathed; that was something he'd gladly let her indulge in once he saw her in person.

Just as he put on his boots and was about to open the front door, Kou heard the muffled jingle of his ringtone. Fishing the phone out of his coat pocket, he felt his nerves relax when he saw his girlfriend's name on the incoming call. Releasing a breath he didn't know he was holding, Kou gingerly answered.

"Hey, where are you? Is everything all right?"

A brief silence. "Is this Tanaka-san?"

Kou's body stiffened. It was a female voice, but it sounded more mature than his girlfriend's.

"Y-yes, speaking," Kou replied, in a more professional tone than he would've liked. "Um, who is this?"

"This is Futaba's mother," came the answer. "I wanted to let you know that Futaba's in the hospital…"

…

The rest of the conversation and the ensuing moments were somewhat of a blur to him. Kou ran outside into the crisp, January air. The work he did earlier to clear the pathways to his house was outdone by the newly fallen snow. Under normal circumstances, reaching the hospital would be fastest by car. However, given the condition of the roads, and the fact that Kou was in no state to wait for anything more at this stage, he instead took off on foot. Luckily, the snowfall wasn't to the point where walking was impossible, but it still took Kou some effort to maneuver the uneven and slippery pavement.

Looking back at it, he knew he was overreacting. Futaba's mother mentioned that her daughter was safe and doing well, and that he should do the same by not coming out into the weather. Be it his pride, his past memories, or just simple, teenage hormones, Kou refused to sit back and do nothing.

After what seemed like an eternity, Kou finally saw the illuminated sign of the hospital, contrasting sharply against the overcast and grey skies above him. Quickening his pace, he stormed into the lobby, startling the few patrons and staff that were in the building. As if on autopilot, he asked the receptionist nurse for Futaba's room, even though her mother already communicated that bit of information to him, and proceeded through the corridors until he was just outside her door.

Swallowing the knot that had formed in his now dry throat, Kou slid the door open and stepped inside, unsure of what to expect.

"Did they have strawberry milk, mom?"

As the room came into view, a slightly confused Futaba was staring him. She had some bandages wrapped around the crown of her head, causing parts of her hair to stick out in various directions, but otherwise he noted that she seemed to be in one piece.

"K-Kou? What are you doing here?"

Ignoring her question, Kou sat down in an empty chair next to her bed, slipping off his coat and launching into his own interrogation in one, swift motion. "Are you okay? What happened, are you hurt?"

Futaba just started at him blankly, until he got his emotions under control and ran out of things to ask. With a giggle that could warm him up in the dead of winter, Futaba reached out and flicked him on the forehead. "Didn't my mom tell you on the phone?" She smiled, still unable to suppress her giggling. "I'm fine. Some ice or snow or something fell on my head when I left my house."

Kou blinked incredulously. "What?"

Her face growing embarrassed, she defended her circumstances. "Y-yeah, there was snow on the roof, I guess it fell when I rushed out and closed the door too hard. Why are you looking at me like that?"

Eyeing her suspiciously, Kou pressed on. "Didn't I say to—"

"It wasn't my fault!" Futaba jumped in, her cheeks now flush with crimson. "I didn't want to be late."

"I'd rather you be late than get hurt and not show up at all."

"Says the guy who stood me up twice!"

"Huh? That has nothing to do with this! I ran out as soon as I got the call."

"Wait, you ran here?!"

Exhaling a long sigh, Kou slumped in his chair as the stress of the day and their little feud finally caught up with him. Looking at his now thoroughly flustered girlfriend, however, those negative emotions quickly got replaced with a strong sensation of relief, happiness and tranquility. This brought back memories from just a few weeks ago, when their roles were reversed and it was her bursting into his hospital room in a similar, spectacular manner. He understood how she must have been feeling, given his position now, and in that moment of appreciation, he felt a strong feeling well up inside him.

To Futaba's surprise, Kou simply smiled at her. "Ba-ka," he muttered, purposefully drawing out each syllable.

Before she could react to his teasing, Kou leaned over the bed and wrapped her in a snug embrace. Careful not to aggravate her injuries, he gently rubbed circles into her back with one hand, while the other rested ever so softly on the back of her head. Nestling his face into the crook of her neck, he relished the subtle, muted scent of her perfume. She was here, she was safe, and that's all that mattered to him.

Reciprocating his actions, Futaba closed her eyes as his arms held her securely. Typical Kou, she thought. She'd have to reprimand him later for his less than ceremonious appearance, and the fact that he didn't even take his own advice before charging headlong into the wintry weather himself. Not to mention if her parents were in the room, it would have made for one awkward situation.

"You smell like snow and sweat, and your shirt is cold," she whispered into his chest, nuzzling closer to him as she spoke. "And I still can't believe you went outside in this weather. You should have waited until tomorrow, and taken a bus or a cab, at least."

Futaba gently released herself from his embrace, as Kou looked down to see her expression, expecting one of disapproval. What he got instead blew him away. The way her eyes shown, and the smile that accompanied them could light up even the darkest of nights. It was her way of saying that everything would be just fine.

Chuckling softly, he admitted defeat. "I guess I made you mad, huh?"

Shaking her head, Futaba placed a hand to his cheek. "I'll be mad if you get sick because of this," she whispered, leaning up to meet his lips.

"But, I'm happy you're here."

Hope you enjoyed it! I recently finished this series, and I have to say that I really enjoyed it. In any case, this story idea was a plot bunny that hung around long enough for me to finally write it out, so here it is!

Cheers!