[Winter had turned water into ice. You walked her to the entrance of Tokyo University, offering no grand words of encouragement, only silently reaching out to brush the snow from her pink hair.]
[She, too, said nothing. She only gazed at you for a long moment with those soft pink eyes, before quietly adjusting the scarf you had ruffled when bringing her here.]
—
White snowflakes fell from the pale sky, blanketing everything in sight.
The trees lining the path beyond Tokyo University's gate were coated in frost, their branches crystallized like something out of a chemistry experiment.
Minami gently brushed the snow from Satou's hair.
Satou, in turn, stood on her tiptoes to carefully fix the scarf around his neck.
Around them, other students arrived for their exams, accompanied by their parents.
Normally, in such a bustling crowd, one would expect to hear noise—
Yet this time, the atmosphere remained hushed.
Instead of the usual cries of "You must get into Tokyo University!" or "Do your best!"—
There were only quiet, murmured confirmations:
"Did you bring your mechanical pencil? Your answer sheet pencil?"
Once everything was in order, the parents simply let go, watching as their children stepped forward into the school.
In this snow-covered world, the soft rustling of clothes and footsteps blended in seamlessly.
It was all so silent.
Minami had no intention of giving an emotional speech either.
Instead, he simply turned his head and looked at Satou for a long time before asking quietly—
"Not going in?"
"No rush."
She raised her wrist slightly, revealing the watch he had given her.
The pale skin of her wrist was even whiter than the falling snow, so delicate that it almost hurt to look at.
"There's still twenty minutes before the exam starts."
"Wouldn't it be better to go in early and prepare?"
"No."
She shook her head lightly.
And then—
A soft blush spread across her fair skin.
"I want to stay with Minami-senpai just a little longer."
—
In this world of pure white, that faint shade of pink bloomed like a delicate flower.
For just a moment, Minami found his gaze captured by that color.
Without another word, he took her hand, leading her to stand beneath a nearby tree for shelter from the falling snow.
They stood there quietly, watching as students continued to enter the university.
Satou also remained silent.
If Minami had been entranced by the soft pink of her cheeks—
Then she, too, found her gaze locked onto something.
His lips.
Against the backdrop of falling snow—
That faint redness was the only color that truly caught her eye.
Her gaze lingered, drawn in like a moth to a flame.
Her cheeks deepened in color.
She remembered.
The intensity of their last kiss.
The way it had made her dizzy, breathless—
She wanted that again.
Especially now, in this moment of crushing pressure.
She wanted to feel his warmth.
She wanted the heat of his lips to melt the ice inside her chest, to give her the courage to face what lay ahead.
But…
She was too embarrassed to ask.
She was still a girl, after all.
And even though she had learned to feel emotions, she was far more shy than the average girl.
Asking outright, initiating a kiss—
That was far too difficult for her.
So instead—
She let her gaze linger.
She stared at his lips, her eyes swirling with emotion, head tilting up just slightly in invitation.
It was a clear, undeniable signal.
—
Any guy would be able to tell exactly what their girlfriend wanted at a glance.
And yet—
Today, Minami, usually so perceptive, was completely oblivious.
Like a clueless NPC, he remained still, making no move.
—
"Minami-senpai… um…"
Satou parted her lips slightly.
"Hm? What is it?"
Minami finally seemed to snap out of his thoughts, smiling down at her.
"No… it's nothing."
Her lips parted—
Then slowly closed again.
Finally, in a small voice, she spoke.
"I should go in now."
"Ah… yeah. Alright."
Minami nodded.
"I'm really going in to take the exam now."
Satou dropped another hint.
"Hm? I know."
Minami gave her a slightly puzzled look before nodding again.
"I'm really going in."
Still unwilling to give up, she made one last attempt.
"So… um… Minami-senpai, are you sure… you're not going to do anything?"
"Do something?"
Minami feigned innocence.
His response made Satou's entire face flush red.
But since she had already come this far—
There was no turning back.
Her soft pink lips parted slightly, and her voice came out in a whisper.
"...Like… maybe… a good-luck kiss… or something like that."
After speaking, she cautiously lifted her gaze to check Minami's reaction.
And what she saw—
Was him tilting his head, smiling at her teasingly.
Damn it—
He tricked me again!
Satou felt frustrated.
She had known Minami for so long—so why did she always fall for his tricks?!
She was annoyed.
Embarrassed.
But what made it worse—
Was that he still wasn't making a move.
That just made her even more frustrated.
She was about to complain—
But before she could—
A soft sound slipped from her lips.
"Mmm—"
And in the next instant, their lips parted.
A quick, fleeting kiss.
A faint layer of moisture coated Satou's pink lips.
The speed of it all left her momentarily dazed, her damp eyes staring up at Minami as she instinctively murmured—
"…And after that?"
There was a quiet sense of expectation in her voice.
"Satou-san, you're way too bold."
Minami chuckled, gently patting her shoulder and brushing off the snow. His gaze was warm.
"As for what comes next, we'll save that for after you finish your exam."
He smiled as he spoke.
Hearing the implication in his words—
Satou's cheeks turned an even brighter shade of red, warmer than the rising morning sun.
She took a deep breath—
Then nodded.
"Alright."
With that, she took a step forward.
"I'm going."
"Okay."
Minami nodded, watching her.
Feeling his gaze behind her—
Satou suddenly felt a rush of courage.
Her footsteps pressed into the snow, leaving behind a trail of soft crunch, crunch sounds.
She kept walking forward.
And just before she reached the end of the long path—
She couldn't resist looking back.
The boy was still standing under the tree at the entrance of Tokyo University.
And at that moment—
He was waving at her.
It could have meant good luck.
Or perhaps…
It was goodbye.
Satou felt reassured.
She turned back and continued walking.
In the snow-covered path—
Her footprints stretched forward, some deep, some shallow, winding into the distance.
—
[You sent her off to take the Tokyo University entrance exam.]
[Though you acted indifferent, deep down, you were nervous. You even bought a cup of hot coffee and stood under the tree, waiting.]
[The warmth of the coffee seeped into your hands as you listened to the chime of the exam bell—knowing that she was now fighting a battle that no one could help her with.]
[You checked the time on your phone, carefully pacing yourself, still holding onto your coffee as you waited.]
[A security officer from the university noticed you and invited you to wait inside their office.]
[You politely declined.]
[Your reasoning was simple—no matter what the outcome was, you wanted to be the first person she could rely on.]
[The snow continued to fall.]
[The snow seeped into your shoes, making you uncomfortable. The wind was biting, numbing your fingers as you clutched the coffee cup for warmth, occasionally glancing toward the exam building, hoping to see her emerge.]
[Perhaps your anticipation influenced time itself, or maybe it was just your perception, but it felt as if the exam bell had only just rung a second ago—only to chime again the next moment.]
[And then, under your watchful gaze, you saw her—
the pink-haired girl stepping out of the exam hall.]
[She noticed you immediately. Her walk turned into a jog—then into a full sprint, completely ignoring the curious stares of those around her.]
[Her soft pink hair fluttered as she ran.]
[She threw herself into your arms.]
[Feeling the weight of her embrace, your heart clenched.]
[Had she failed again, even after a year of preparation? The thought crossed your mind.]
[But the next second, she wrapped her arms around your neck, her nose touching yours, and as snowflakes landed on your nose bridge, she told you this time, she was absolutely confident in her answers.]
[At that moment, the heavy burden in your heart vanished completely. You smiled, reaching out to pat her head, wanting to feel the warmth of her presence.]
[But as soon as you lifted your hand, you realized something was wrong.]
[Standing in the snow for so long, your hands had become completely numb.]
[The coffee, which you had thought would keep you warm, had long since turned cold.]
—
[You returned home together.]
[She knelt before you, carefully removing your soaked socks. Her warm, fair hands gently grasped your freezing toes, massaging them to restore circulation while fetching a pair of slippers.]
[Feeling your cold skin, she softly scolded you—Why hadn't you waited somewhere warm?]
[She never expected someone as clever as you to be so foolish today, standing there in the snow like an idiot, waiting for her.]
[You only chuckled in response, watching as she washed her hands and bustled around, preparing hot soup to warm you up.]
[Once she sat back down, she rested her chin in her hands, smiling as she watched you drink.]
[You asked her what she was laughing at.]
[She only giggled, offering no explanation.]
[Because the answer was already clear to both of you.]
[This simple, everyday moment—felt like something you had been longing for, for far too long.]
[She had sacrificed so much for this exam.]
[You had waited for her for so long.]
[But none of that mattered anymore.]
[Feeling the warmth from the heated kotatsu, you pulled her into your embrace.]
[At that moment, nothing could separate you.]
—
[The days passed.]
[And soon, the long-awaited results day arrived.]
[Unlike last year, when she was filled with uncertainty—this time, she was completely confident. She even said it didn't matter if she checked or not.]
[You flicked her forehead lightly at that remark before pulling her into the crowded announcement area.]
[Around you, some students cheered in excitement.]
[Some anxiously double-checked the list, scanning for their names.]
[Some, unable to find theirs, stood in quiet disappointment, comforted by friends and family.]
[You lifted your head and in just one glance, you spotted her name.]
[Even among the sea of people, her name stood out.]
[Satou had officially been accepted.]
[At that moment, she couldn't hide her joy any longer.]
[Ignoring the stares around her, she hooked her arms around your neck.]
—
[That night, you celebrated until late.]
[She may have gotten into Tokyo University but her "skills" hadn't faded in the slightest.]
[Surprised by this, you curiously asked how she had managed to stay so adept.]
[Blushing furiously, she confessed that she had secretly been borrowing certain items from Sayuri Matsuzaka for… practice.]
[Her boldness left you stunned—yet her enthusiasm left you restless.]
[That night, you indulged in her completely—
and she, in turn, responded to you with equal passion, not holding back in the slightest.]
[When everything finally quieted down, you lay beside her.]
[She murmured, still half-dazed—
"Am I dreaming…? Maybe none of this is real…"
[Instead of answering, you leaned down and kissed her fair cheek, letting your actions reassure her.]
—
[Satou had been accepted into Tokyo University.]
[While she had spent the past year studying diligently, you hadn't been idle either.]
[Using your exceptional talent, you wrote a full-length novel titled Travel Chronicles With Her.]
[Upon release, it became a hit among camping and travel enthusiasts, selling over 400,000 copies to date.]
[In addition to the novel, you also wrote several essays and short stories.]
[Your romantic, vivid writing style, clean yet deeply moving, won the hearts of many readers.]
[Inspired by your success, she chose to major in literature and began seeking your guidance in writing.]
[You were surprised but didn't stop her.]
[Because just like her life—the path she chose to walk should be decided by her alone.]
[At that moment, the two of you quietly stepped onto the next stage of your lives.]
—