-SAPPORO STELLAR PLACE, SAPPORO, HOKKAIDO, JAPAN-
-4:52 PM, NOVEMBER 1, 2017-
Warm air wrapped around the three girls as they moved deeper into Stellar Place, the mall lights casting soft reflections across the polished floor. Kiyomi walked beside Ichika with renewed energy, practically skipping as they exited the dessert shop — her cheeks full, her mood brighter than ever.
"Ichikaaa, that cheesecake was divine," Kiyomi announced dramatically. "If I suddenly disappear one day, it's because I moved in with the bakery."
Misuzu sighed. "You say that every week."
"But this time I mean it," Kiyomi insisted, clutching her shopping bag to her chest.
Ichika smiled gently at their banter, but her eyes drifted back toward the walkway… toward the place where she had seen him disappear.
The boy with the red eyes.
The bruised jaw.
The quiet, heavy presence.
Even now, the image stayed with her — sharper than she expected.
Misuzu noticed.
Of course she did.
"Ichika," she said softly, adjusting her glasses as she observed her friend's expression, "if your mind keeps wandering, you'll bump into someone."
Kiyomi immediately leaned forward, squinting at Ichika's face.
"Is it—"
She stopped, lowered her voice to a dramatic whisper.
"Is it that boy again?"
Ichika froze.
"I wasn't thinking about him," she replied quickly. Too quickly.
Misuzu raised a brow.
Kiyomi gasped loudly.
"I knew it."
Ichika flushed slightly, looking away.
"I just… wondered if he was okay. That's all."
Kiyomi softened, the teasing dropping for a moment.
"…He did look like he was hurt."
Misuzu nodded. "He also looked like he didn't want anyone to notice."
Ichika hesitated before speaking.
"I know. But… he seemed so alone."
The words came out quieter than she meant them to.
But they were honest.
Kiyomi looped her arm through Ichika's.
"Then we should cheer you up, okay? The snow festival booth is still open! Let's go!"
Ichika blinked, then let herself laugh softly — letting the warmth of her friends pull her back into the moment.
Together, the three of them explored the hallways — stopping at small vendor stalls, browsing accessories, trying sample snacks offered by friendly staff. Their laughter wove itself into the ambient sounds of the busy mall.
For a while, Ichika forgot the boy entirely.
-SAPPORO CENTRAL MALL DISTRICT-
-6:02 PM, NOVEMBER 1, 2017-
The sky had dimmed into a soft blue as the three girls stepped outside. Neon lights flickered to life along the streets, painting the sidewalks in vivid hues. Snow continued falling — tiny flecks catching on their hair and jackets.
"Let's take the long way back," Kiyomi suggested cheerfully, pointing toward the lively downtown alley. "There's still a street musician there! He plays the violin, remember?"
Misuzu nodded. "It's fine. It's not too late yet."
Ichika agreed with a quiet nod, and together they entered the narrow alley lit by warm lamps and scattered storefront signs. Crowds passed by, chatting, laughing, moving from one place to the next. The faint sound of a violin drifted through the air — soft, melancholic, beautiful.
They listened for a few minutes, the music filling the cold evening with a gentle calm.
Kiyomi sighed happily. "This is the best way to end a day."
Misuzu glanced at the time. "Ichika, you should head home soon. Your parents will worry."
"Right," Ichika said softly.
They walked with her until the alley opened into a quieter street — a familiar stretch near where they usually parted ways.
Kiyomi squeezed her hand dramatically. "Text us when you get home!"
Misuzu added, "And be careful. The snow's starting to thicken."
"I will," Ichika said with a small smile. "Goodnight."
The two girls waved and headed back toward the busier district, disappearing into the glow of streetlights and snow.
Ichika turned, exhaling a soft cloud of breath into the cold air.
She began walking down the quieter alleyway — the same one she had taken earlier today.
Her footsteps echoed.
The snow whispered.
And then—
She stopped.
Because someone else was walking at the opposite end of the alley.
Slow, steady steps.
A familiar silhouette.
Broad shoulders beneath an oversized shirt.
Gray hair slightly damp from the snowfall.
A white plastic pharmacy bag still in one hand.
The boy.
The same boy she had seen earlier today.
The same boy she had seen inside the mall.
The same boy whose eyes she couldn't forget.
He wasn't looking at her — his gaze fixed on the ground, as if lost in his own world.
But the moment they crossed paths in the narrow alley, he lifted his eyes.
Red.
Sharp.
Alive beneath the streetlight.
Ichika froze without meaning to.
His expression didn't change.
Not surprised.
Not curious.
Just… aware.
For a second, the world muted — footsteps, music, snow, everything fading into silence.
Ichika's breath caught in her throat.
The boy simply walked past her, boots crunching lightly against the thin layer of snow — calm, unfazed, as though their paths crossing was nothing more than coincidence.
But something inside her stirred again.
That same quiet ember.
Burning warmer than before.