Icy Breath Of Winter
氷のような息

"Haru No Yuki," Yuta read the title out loud with his lips curved upwards. He checked the book out by upturning it. His fingers grazed over the bold kanji letters. Yuta hummed, getting under his duvet with the book in his hand. "Let's see, what's in it."

He supported his head with his palm, keeping awake the whole night. After reading a certain part of the novel, he rummaged on his desk for a notebook and a pen. Opening it, Yuta wrote as he muttered the line, he found the most impressive,

"Separation is painful, but so is it's opposite. And if being together brings joy, then it is only proper that separation should do the same in its own way."

Staring at his excellent penmanship, he suddenly remembered about the day, Sei had transferred to their school. Her legible calligraphy-like handwriting had everyone's eyes glued to it.

"I don't think I will lose to her with this," Yuta complimented his own handwriting while staring at the words again. Will being close to someone always bring separation from them?

"Oi," Sei turned around to see someone calling her—wearing a blue jersey and shorts. Being relieved, she opened her bag pack to take out a paper bag of folded, washed clothes. "What are you doing so early in the morning?"

She handed Yuta his clothes that she borrowed the previous day. "Practicing," Yuta smiled widely, peeking in the bag. "It's really early to sweat like that, you know?" Sei motioned her hand at his slicked back hair with sweat.

"There is not much time left before interhigh," Yuta took out a petal of peony which was stuck in Sei's hair. The slight physical interaction did not fail to make her heart flutter.

"You are going to get busy from today too. Sports day is next week. Yosen High celebrates the biggest school festival in town and you are in the band as well." He let out a chuckle. "You are in for one hell of a ride."

Yuta was not lying at all. Studying in Yosen middle school and being forced to participate in volunteery work for the seniors every year sure made this fact known to him.

He was more than elated that he could use the excuse of his soccer club and the upcoming inter high to avoid any kind of responsibility this year.

Sei rubbed her arms up and down to calm the goosebumps caused by the biting wind. She halted in front of the music room and caught a whiff of air. She looked around before leaning her back on the door.

Don't wanna go inside―wanna smell this winter air more.

Suddenly someone opened the door from inside, causing Sei to stumble back. Luckily he caught her in time. "Did you plan this?" Ryo muttered with a snicker. Sei looked up at his eyes, being in that position.

Umi smacked the back of his head. "More like you planned it." She caught a hold of Sei's wrist and made her stand upright. Pulling his ear, Umi interrogated, "You saw her coming through the window, didn't you?"

"It hurts, you pig!" Sei avoided eye contact with them and quickly made her way inside, not wanting to be a part of this conversation at all. "I am a pig? Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror?"

None of you look like a pig. Sei shook her head while placing her guitar down. "Come on, you guys!" Yashiro called them. "We have such less time left and you are going to waste it like that?" Also Hayashi," he turned his attention to Sei.

"Yesterday I did not say anything when you bunked practice because you were new but just so you know, I am not going to let you do that anymore."

Sei nodded―shrugging afterwards as soon as he turned around.

Why is everyone so hyped up with school festival?