"Hey, why——!?"

Sami couldn't accept it and said: "We finally won the championship, wouldn't it be strange if Kato-kun, as the protagonist, doesn't go?"

"Zamei, don't embarrass others."

Ryoko Nakano said this first, and then turned to look at Yusuke Kato.

"Then where do you plan to go next? Yu-kun."

"I should go home first."

"I see, then I will arrange for someone to take you back."

"……What?"

Ignoring Kato Yusuke's dazed reaction, Nakano Ryoko couldn't help but said: "After all, I asked you to participate in the competition. Anyway, Yuu-kun, come with me."

After greeting everyone, the girl led him outside the venue.

Before I knew it, the sky had turned completely dark.

Bright street lights dotted both sides of the road, lighting up the night.

White snow covers the streets, dyeing the city white.

Ryoko Nakano made a phone call.

The two chatted and waited.

Almost five minutes passed.

A black car drove slowly from the corner of the intersection and finally stopped in front of them.

"Miss."

The driver in a crisp suit stepped out of the driver's seat and walked quickly to them holding an umbrella, "Sorry to keep you waiting."

Nakano Ryoko didn't say anything, tightened the silk jacket tightly, and then introduced to Kato Yusuke:

"Well, Yu-kun, you can get in the car. This is my driver. He will be responsible for taking you home."

"..."

Kato Yusuke first looked at the middle-aged man holding the umbrella for them, then looked at the S600 in front of him, and couldn't help but smile helplessly.

"Isn't this too grand? Senior sister."

Ryoko Nakano smiled and said nothing, stretched out her hand to open the rear door, and joked: "As a national champion, I think this is a very reasonable treatment, so please get in the car~"

Kato Yusuke suddenly felt even more helpless.

However, rather than rejecting it, he felt that it was better for him to accept the other party's kindness honestly.

Just when he was about to say thanks...

"——Iwanami-san!"

A nervous voice suddenly came from behind.

Kato Yusuke's expression froze and he suddenly looked back.

In the wind and snow, the girl standing there was as illusory and beautiful as the mirror image on the ice, occupying his field of vision.

The night breeze ruffled her hair slightly, and the familiar eyes under her long eyelashes were fixedly staring at him.

Kato Yusuke's pupils trembled violently, and his heart suddenly shrank.

Just by looking into each other's eyes, his mind will be completely taken away.

The surrounding sounds suddenly became quieter, as if they were coming from a very far away place.

"Iwanami-san..."

Sayu walked over with her legs spread wide, her tight little face looming in the hazy white air, with a touch of redness due to the cold temperature in her white skin, and she revealed a slightly forced smile.

"I want to talk to you, can I...?"

The girl declared this, her amber eyes full of sincerity.

"Huh……"

Ryoko Nakano let out a light sigh and whispered: "You are the one in the audience..."

"?"

After hearing this, Sayu glanced at her doubtfully, his eyes wandering between her and Kato Yusuke, hesitation appeared on his face for a moment, and he pursed his lips slightly.

'The girl next to him has changed again...'

She couldn't help but think about it, then took a deep breath and explained:

"...I don't mean anything else. I just want to talk to you, Iwanami-san. It only takes five...ten minutes! I will leave after that, okay?"

There was a hint of apprehension in his clear eyes.

'Iwanami-san...?'

Ryoko Nakano looked at this scene thoughtfully and asked the boy beside her: "Yu-kun?"

"..."

Kato Yusuke was silent, his dark eyes flickering like candlelight, and his throat seemed to be blocked, unable to make a sound.

He stared at the girl in front of him quietly, his eyes seemed to be traveling in the long river of time. Finally, he closed his eyes, exhaled heavily from his chest, and then opened his eyes again.

"……Who are you?"

Frightened by his indifferent and distant tone, Sayu's weak body trembled, and he frowned and bit his lips and said:

"You know who I am... If you don't know, I am Sayu... Sayu from Asahikawa High School in Hokkaido."

There was a touch of stubbornness in his voice.

The young man remained silent, and the things in his eyes silently extinguished and dimmed.

He turned around and faced the senior sister beside him.

"...I'm sorry, Nakano-senpai. Thank you for your kindness. Can I go back by myself next?"

Nakano Ryoko's eyes stayed on their faces for a few seconds, and then she smiled and nodded gently.

"I see."

Without asking any questions, she took the umbrella from the driver and handed it into his hands.

"Then please be careful on the road, Youjun. I'll give you this umbrella. It doesn't matter if you don't need to return it to me."

"..."

Kato Yusuke said nothing, nodded solemnly, and then stepped forward in the opposite direction to the car.

As he passed by, Sayu suddenly heard "Follow me."

This made her slightly startled, and then she suddenly woke up and quickly turned her body to follow his footsteps.

Two people, one in front and one in back.

Just slowly walked towards the depths of the night.

Behind them, the driver took out an umbrella from the car and held it for his young lady.

The girl wearing a silk coat was always looking at them.

◇

On both sides of the straight road, street trees are neatly arranged.

Snow was hanging on the bare branches, and it was about to fall with a heavy weight.

The whole journey was silent.

The heavy and light footsteps echoed in the quiet night, leaving deep and shallow footprints.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, the young man in front of him suddenly stopped.

"...Just here."

He whispered, and then walked towards a store across the street.

"Ah, okay."

Sayu quickly followed the footsteps and instinctively looked around.

A rather fashionable-looking coffee shop comes into view.

The two of them entered the store one by one, and were led by the waiter to sit on the sofa area by the window.

It's brightly lit here.

Although Christmas has passed, the store still retains its festive decorations.

Soft bossa nova jazz fills your ears.

Bright soft lights fill the entire interior, creating a unique atmosphere of the coffee shop.
To be continued...