"You seem to care a lot about Sayako-chan, huh?"
The cable car glided downward at an angle, and Mount Fuji at dusk was breathtaking, its snow-capped peak piercing the clouds. Filming hadn't started yet. Asuka Tsukitake propped her chin on one hand by the window, her big eyes gazing at the snowy beauty of Fuji outside, but her words carried a teasing edge.
After months of working together, she and Tetsu Fuyukawa had grown closer. Tetsu shrugged. "You're one to talk. You always act all chummy with me in front of her. Are women always this complicated? You clearly want to help her, but now your relationship's all distant and awkward."
"What else am I supposed to do? Tell her I'm super into her guy and ask to share?" Asuka's bold quip came with a playful glint in her eye.
Tetsu had gotten used to her personality by now. If Sayako was like dodder—a delicate vine that clings to a sturdy tree to thrive—Asuka was true to her name, like a free-spirited bird. She did whatever she wanted, unbound by obligations or expectations. In Japanese culture, where social harmony and restraint often dominate, her carefree attitude was refreshing but rare.
Knowing her well enough, Tetsu didn't take the bait. He crossed his legs elegantly, glanced at the snow outside, and smirked. "You talk like you're so sure you could win me over if you tried. Sayako's way more charming than you."
"More charming than me?" Asuka raised an eyebrow, sizing him up with a provocative look. "Sure, Sayako's the soft, curvy type you can scoop up and play with—perfect for a domineering guy like you. But… seems like you two haven't hit a home run yet, huh?"
"Cough—who told you that?!" Tetsu sputtered, shooting her a glare.
Score one for Asuka. Her eyes sparkled with amusement as she shrugged nonchalantly. "Oh, please. You think I haven't noticed what you two get up to in the bathroom? I gotta say, I'm impressed you're so considerate of her feelings that you're holding back."
"You—" Tetsu was floored. He hadn't expected anyone to eavesdrop on them.
Asuka's grin widened, clearly enjoying herself. "And honestly, you should thank me. If I hadn't been riling her up lately, you wouldn't be having such a good time. Her traditional, conservative streak is deep in her bones. Sure, once she lets loose, she'll be wild—but good luck getting her to try anything bold. You'd be waiting till the end of the world."
"…" Tetsu felt a headache coming on, but just then, Kojiro Honda's voice crackled through his earpiece.
"Team leader, can you hear me? The drone's in position. We're ready to shoot!"
---
"Phew! This is all your fault—I'm late!"
High above in the cable car, down on the ground, Kojiro Honda was piloting the drone, eyes glued to the screen. Just then, a snowmobile roared up, skidding to a stylish stop near the crew. Under the gaze of Nogi and the others, Sayako hopped off, her face flushed red from the cold wind, and rushed over.
"Sorry, sorry! I flipped the snowmobile on the way here!" Panting white puffs of breath, her fair face tinged pink, Sayako bowed in apology while brushing snow off her white puffy jacket. Her head swiveled, searching for Tetsu.
Nogi handed her a thermos with a smile. "No rush. We don't have much to do tonight."
"Phew, that's a relief. I really didn't want to get scolded by the team leader." Sayako patted her chest—still impressively prominent even under the bulky jacket—and took a sip from Tetsu's thermos. Craning her neck, she peeked at the monitor in the crowd and gasped. "Oh! Have they already started filming?"
"Yup," Nogi said. "Kojiro says Asuka's killing it in this scene. She's really into it."
Really into it? What's she so invested for?!
Sayako's eyes narrowed. Under Nogi's sly grin, she squeezed through the crowd to the monitor, where Asuka's blushing face filled the screen, looking shyly at the camera. Sayako's small fists clenched, and her cheeks puffed out in a jealous pout.
Why's she blushing like that?!
Sure, it was just acting, but she was not happy about it!
"Ohohoho," teased Mei, one of the crew. "That look in her eyes doesn't seem like acting. Bet she's gonna pull a fast one and steal a kiss from someone's favorite guy up there in the cable car."
"Mei, don't joke like that," Keiko chimed in. "Tetsu's like a monk reincarnated—totally unshakable. Even if someone hasn't… satisfied him, he'd never—"
"You two!" Sayako, already fuming, exploded like a little kid, waving her fists and chasing Mei and Keiko around. But then—click!
A sharp sound of a power cutoff rang out. In Sayako's stunned gaze, the cable cars dangling high above came to a sudden halt, their lights flickering off one by one.
"What's going on?!" Sayako froze, and she wasn't the only one—everyone on the ground was caught off guard, then erupted into chaos.
"A power outage? Is this an accident?!"
"No way! The team leader's still up there!"
"Quick, contact the resort staff!"
"It's gonna get windy tonight!"
The crew descended into pandemonium. Kawaguchi was freaking out, clutching his head and running in circles, while Nogi whipped out her phone to call for help.
It wasn't just the crew—dusk had settled, and the darkening sky made the stalled cable cars a striking sight. Skiers and tourists nearby started murmuring among themselves.
A cable car power outage wasn't exactly terrifying; it was a tourist hotspot like Mount Fuji, after all, with emergency protocols in place. The resort had handled these issues for years without major incidents. But the timing was bad—winds often picked up in the mountains at night. And more than that, worry wasn't just about the severity of the situation—it was about who was involved.
Amid the crowd's chatter, Sayako stood frozen, clutching the thermos, staring up at the cable cars with fear in her big, watery eyes.
"Tetsu-kun…"
A terrifying possibility flashed through her mind, and her body trembled. Without a word, she spun around and bolted for the snowmobile.
"Hey, where are you going?!" Mei called after her.
"To the transfer station!" Sayako shouted back, twisting the throttle and speeding off, leaving Mei and Keiko behind.
Watching her zoom away on the snowmobile, Mei's mouth twitched. "Does she even know how to drive that thing?"
"Forget driving—she's never even ridden a bicycle because she's scared of hitting someone," Keiko replied.
"…"
---