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The Winter that Burned

The Winter that Burned

rfaeljrmiah_
7
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The average realized release rate over the past 30 days is 7 chs / week.
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Synopsis
Winter drapes the city of Sapporo in silence—snow on rooftops, frost on windows, and secrets beneath every breath of cold air. It is in this frozen landscape that two lives on opposite ends of the city begin to move toward each other. Ichika Komori lives a life built on elegance and expectations. Surrounded by luxury and perfection, she is admired like a snow sculpture—beautiful, delicate, and cold to the touch. Her heart, long protected by ice, has forgotten what warmth feels like. Across the city, Rikuu Arakawa survives a world far less forgiving. Raised by hardship and night fights in back alleys, his emotions burn hot—anger, loyalty, fear, and a past that left its mark. The fire inside him keeps him alive, yet also threatens to consume him. When their paths cross, something impossible begins: Rikuu becomes the spark that melts the frost around Ichika’s guarded heart—and Ichika becomes the snow that cools the burning storms inside Rikuu. Their worlds should never have met. Yet winter has a way of changing everything. The Winter That Burned is a story of unlikely connection, slow and inevitable as falling snow, where fire learns to soften, and ice discovers how to feel again. In a city of silence and secrets, they will learn that some hearts freeze to survive… and some flames burn not to destroy, but to heal. Additional Notes: • No need to worry about errors on this novel (except for plot errors), each chapter is checked thrice by the author and by another person (a friend) before being uploaded. • Upload time: Monday–Friday: 11:00PM/23:00 GMT+8
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Chapter 1 - A Morning Made of Routines

VOLUME 1: WHEN SNOW MEETS FLAME

-

-ICHIKA KOMORI POINT OF VIEW-

-KOMORI RESIDENCE, SAPPORO, HOKKAIDO, JAPAN-

-7:00 AM, NOVEMBER 1, 2017-

The first light of November drifted softly through my bedroom window, brushing the walls with pale gold and pink. I opened my eyes and stretched, my long pink hair falling over my shoulders and tickling the bedspread. My light pink eyes caught the reflection of the rising sun, and for a moment, I allowed myself to linger in its calm warmth.

I am Ichika Komori, sixteen years old, daughter of Yoshi Komori and Ikumi Komori, both CEOs of a five-star luxury hotel chain in Sapporo. My life is one of order, refinement, and careful appearances. From the outside, it seems flawless. But living up to the Komori name has taught me discipline, poise, and how to hide any tremor of uncertainty behind a serene expression.

My morning began the same as always. A shower. Carefully brushing my long hair. Choosing the perfect winter uniform. Breakfast served on a polished dining table by our staff, the aroma of fresh bread and fruit filling the room. My mother, Ikumi, moved gracefully around the table, ensuring every detail was perfect. My father, Yoshi, read the morning reports in silence, but his occasional glance at me carried the quiet warmth only he could show.

By 7:45, I had finished breakfast, slipping on my coat and scarf. Snow had dusted the garden outside in thin layers of white. Sapporo's winter was already beginning, and with it, a quiet kind of beauty that I had always adored.

-AURORA ACADEMY OF EXCELLENCE, SAPPORO, HOKKAIDO, JAPAN-

-8:00 AM, NOVEMBER 1, 2017-

Classes passed predictably, following the official school schedule. Homeroom. Literature. Mathematics. By 2:00 PM, the last period ended. I gathered my belongings and left the school grounds, returning home before meeting my friends.

At home, I took a moment to relax—removing my coat, having a quick tea, and letting my hair fall freely over my shoulders. The walk to downtown would take a little time, but I liked these moments of solitude, walking through the quiet streets dusted with snow.

Earlier, at lunch, my two best friends, Kiyomi Mizuhara and Misuzu Kanzaki, had asked if I was free after school.

"Ichika, are you free this afternoon?" Kiyomi asked, twirling a strand of her hair.

Misuzu smiled, calm and deliberate as always. "There's a new dessert shop at Stellar Place. We thought we could go check it out together."

I blinked in mild surprise. "Stellar Place?"

"Yes!" Kiyomi clapped her hands. "Let's meet at the downtown alley at 4:00 PM. You'll love it!"

I smiled. "Alright. I'll be there."

-DOWNTOWN ALLEY, SAPPORO, HOKKAIDO, JAPAN-

-3:45 PM, NOVEMBER 1, 2017-

By mid-afternoon, I left home and walked toward the downtown alley where my friends and I had agreed to meet. It was slightly early—3:45 PM—but I enjoyed the quiet before the crowd arrived. The alley was narrow, flanked by brick buildings and faintly dusted with snow.

The air was sharper here, clearer, and the distant sounds of cars and footsteps echoed against the walls. I adjusted my gloves and scarf, watching my breath curl into tiny clouds. Standing here, waiting, the city felt like it was holding its breath along with me.

I didn't know why, but the cold didn't feel empty. Something subtle, almost intangible, pressed against the edges of the quiet.

And so I waited.

At the end of a snow-dusted alley downtown, just minutes before the clock struck four, I waited for Misuzu and Kiyomi, unaware that this afternoon would begin something entirely unexpected.

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