First Day Of Ski Trip- Just The Two Of Us

Since I had come here with Honoka yesterday, I had a decent idea of how to find my way around. However, the wind was picking up significantly. It felt like we were just a single step away from a full-blown blizzard. Unsurprisingly, given how horrific the weather had become, absolutely no one else was skiing along the forest trail. I made my way forward down the path slowly.

Eventually, I reached a fork where the trail split into a gentle downward path to the right and a slight upward incline to the left. If someone were to glide through without paying close attention, they would easily drift toward the right. However, a small mound of snow right before the junction caught my eye. I brushed the accumulated snow off the top.

Left: Forest Trail / Right: Adjacent 〇〇 Ski Resort

So the signpost had been completely buried by the snow. If that was the case, there was a high probability she had headed to the right. In fact, a single, distinct set of ski tracks led directly down that path. I pushed forward onto the connector trail leading to the adjacent resort.

Because the connector trail was tightly flanked by trees on both sides, it seemed relatively shielded from the wind. Thanks to that, the ski tracks remained perfectly clear and un-erased, which was a massive relief. As I pressed further down the connector trail, the width of the path suddenly narrowed.

Regardless… it was freezing. Even though the trees blocked a portion of the wind, the shelter was far from absolute. On top of that, the temperature was plummeting rapidly.

…If Touko-san stays stranded out here without moving, could she actually freeze to death?…

An intense wave of anxiety swelled inside my chest. Even if it didn’t come to that extreme, allowing nightfall to catch her in a situation like this was incredibly dangerous.

…I have to find her quickly…

The exact moment the thought crossed my mind, I spotted a dark object directly ahead. Although the blinding snow obscured my vision, it looked precisely like a cabin. I accelerated toward it. It was indeed a cabin, with a neat pile of firewood stacked against the side. It appeared to be a work shed utilized for forestry or power line inspections.

…Touko-san might be taking shelter inside…

Clutching a desperate prayer in my heart, I threw open the cabin door.

“W-Who is it…?”

A frail, threadbare voice echoed through the dark. But there was absolutely no way I could mistake that voice. It was Touko-san!

“Touko-san! It’s me, it’s Yuu. Yuu Isshiki!”

“Yuu-kun…?”

Touko-senpai’s face peeked out from behind a massive, cylindrical stove. However, she instantly retreated back into the shadows.

“What exactly did you come here for?”

Though she was desperately trying to project a firm tone, her voice was already trembling weakly with a bitter chill.

“Kazumi-san told me you were completely nowhere to be found… so I came to look for you.”

As I stepped closer to her, Touko-san suddenly shouted at the top of her lungs: “Don’t come near me!”

“It’s really no big deal,” she continued hastily. “I simply dropped one of my skis down the slope… and I couldn’t make my way back, that’s all. Once the weather clears up, I can easily walk back on my own.”

Yet, her voice was shivering uncontrollably. Ignoring her warning, I closed the distance and stepped right up to Touko-san. She was curled into a tight ball, hugging her knees to her chest as her entire body shuddered in small, rapid intervals.

“You say that, yet you’re shivering uncontrollably. Aren’t you actually freezing right now?”

Touko-san remained entirely silent, her face completely pale. Good grief… she truly is an stubborn person, no matter the circumstances.

“Can we not use this stove?”

The stove sat completely cold without a single spark. Looking closely, it appeared to be a classic wood-burning stove.

“I don’t have anything to light a fire with…” Touko-san murmured under her breath.

I thoroughly searched the interior of the cabin once more. Normally, you would expect to find a box of matches or a lighter lying around in a place like this. However, the cabin completely lacked any proper furniture. There was nothing but a crude set of wooden planks serving as shelves and a single, flimsy chest of drawers. I rummaged through the drawers, but they contained absolutely no matches or lighters either. The only items I managed to salvage were a bundle of old newspapers and a roll of duct tape. Since the firewood was stacked right outside, we could easily get the stove running if we could just find a way to strike a spark, but…

“I’ve searched every nook and cranny myself. There are absolutely no matches or lighters here,” Touko-san noted, her face still completely drained of color.

The way she was shuddering was alarming. While the ambient temperature was undeniably low, I wasn’t shivering nearly as violently as she was.

“Don’t tell me… Touko-san, are your clothes soaked?”

Touko-san peeked up at me through her eyelashes. “A moment ago… while I was searching for my missing ski… it was raining sleet…”

Hearing that, I blurted out a quick “Excuse me,” and slid my fingers straight past the collar of Touko-senpai’s ski jacket.

“You’re completely soaked inside! To be stuck in a freezing temperature like this in this condition…”

Touko-san remained silent.

“Regardless, you need to strip off those wet clothes and change into something dry immediately.”

“Change into what exactly?”

While she was questioning me, I was already peeling off my own outer ski jacket.

“I’ll give you my thermal undergarments. Change into those.”

“Eh?”

“This is absolutely no time to be modest!”

Faced with my firm tone, Touko-senpai reluctantly unzipped and shed her ski jacket. Sure enough, the inner layer she wore beneath it was thoroughly drenched.

“D-Don’t you dare look this way,” Touko-senpai commanded, turning her back completely toward me. I handed over the dry thermal wear I had just stripped off.

“Before you pull those on, let’s dry your skin off first.”

“Eh?”

“I’m sorry, but please bear with me for a moment. You don’t have to remove your undergarments. Just keep your back turned to me.”

I took off my t-shirt as well to use as a makeshift towel. Once Touko-san pulled off her soaked thermal top, she kept her back turned toward me bashfully. Even in the dim, shadowed cabin, her skin possessed a radiant, striking whiteness. It felt undeniably awkward, but if I didn’t dry her off quickly, her body temperature would continue to plummet. I rubbed her back briskly with the t-shirt, working up some friction warmth.

“Do you feel a little warmer now?” I asked.

“Yes, a little. Thank you,” Touko-senpai replied in a soft, quiet voice.

“Please… handle the front yourself.” I averted my gaze entirely as I handed the t-shirt over to her.

While Touko-san dried herself off and changed into my thermal top, I tore open the bundle of old newspapers and began methodically taping several sheets together using the duct tape.

“What on earth are you building?” Touko-san asked, now fully clad in my dry thermal gear.

“I’m crafting a makeshift poncho out of the newspaper sheets.”

If you layer newspaper sheets together, they become entirely windproof and possess a surprisingly high degree of thermal insulation. Wrapping several layers completely around our bodies should provide a significant amount of warmth. In no time at all, I managed to construct three large newspaper ponchos capable of shielding both of us simultaneously.

“Touko-san, you might dislike the idea… but please bear with it just for now.”

I pulled her tight against me, wrapping the newspaper poncho completely around the two of us, covering us all the way over our heads. I secured the final edges firmly with duct tape, ensuring it wouldn’t slip off even if we shifted around a bit.

Touko-san’s body was still trembling slightly. I locked my arms around her from behind, pulling her close against my chest to share my body heat. Since the interior lining of her ski jacket was damp, I hung it up across the room to dry. In its place, I had her drape my dry ski jacket over her front.

“Are you still freezing?” I whispered.

Touko-san shook her head gently from side to side. “No. I’m fine now. Your chest pressed against my back feels remarkably warm…”

As for me, the back of Touko-san’s body pressed flush against mine still felt ice-cold to the touch, but her body temperature was undoubtedly returning step by step. Within the dimly lit cabin, a heavy silence enveloped the two of us.

“Um…” / “Listen…”

The two of us spoke up at the exact same fraction of a second. Touko-san tilted her head back to look up at me. I kept my eyes locked onto hers as well.

“What is it?”

“Please, go ahead.”

Touko-san let out a soft, sudden chuckle. “You go first, Yuu-kun.”

After hesitating for quite a significant chunk of time, I finally forced my mouth open.

“Regarding what happened last night… I am so incredibly sorry. I completely failed to consider your feelings and recklessly barged into your room… To top it all off, I completely mistook her for you and pulled a horrific stunt like that on Honoka-san…”

Touko-san remained silent.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if you completely detest me now. I know it’s only natural if you decide to dump me. But I desperately wanted to ensure I delivered a proper, sincere apology to you face-to-face.”

Touko-san let out a massive, deep sigh, her breath swirling into the cold air.

“If only I could actually bring myself to detest you…”

“Eh?”

Touko-san turned her head to look straight into my eyes once more.

“If I could truly bring myself to hate you, Yuu-kun, I would be able to handle this with a hundred times more clarity. But because I simply cannot hate you, my feelings are left in this absolute tangled mess, don’t you see?”

“…”

“I’ve already heard that the entire incident happened because Mina and the others completely egged you on. Furthermore, I am fully aware that you were single-mindedly intending to make a move on me.”

“…”

“But you know, a situation like that can’t just be easily rationalized away emotionally, can it? After all, I physically witnessed the entire scene with my own two eyes.”

“…Yes…”

“Therefore, I have absolutely no intention of forgiving you easily. I refuse to let you off the hook just like this.”

…As I thought…

It really is completely over between us… The thought crashed over me. The girl locked within my embrace was preparing to drift away from me forever.

“Consequently, Yuu-kun, you are hereby ordered to render absolute obedience to me from now on! Until the exact moment I declare that you are officially ‘forgiven’!”

“Eh?”

“Needless to say, I will absolutely never permit you to bring up breaking up or anything of the sort from your end. You are stuck by my side until I am completely satisfied!”

Hearing her formal decree, I felt as if every single ounce of tense strength instantly evaporated from my entire body.

…I still get to stay by Touko-san’s side…

That realization alone was enough to bring me to the absolute brink of tears.

“Do you comprehend?” Touko-san turned her head back to check my face once more. Her cheeks looked a tiny bit flushed.

“Yes, I completely understand.”

Touko-san promptly snapped her head back to face forward. She was likely feeling a bit embarrassed.

“I want to stay by your side forever, Touko-san.”

“Naturally!”

“And I must make absolutely certain to deliver a proper apology to Honoka-san as well.”

The exact fraction of a second the words left my lips, a sharp, searing flash of pain shot through my right hand.

“Ow!!!”

A loud shriek escaped my throat before I could stop it. Touko-san had dug her teeth firmly into my right hand.

“Do not dare mention another woman’s name while you are standing right in front of me!”

“Y-Yes, ma’am!”

I frantically massaged my bitten right hand. Good grief, Touko-san truly acts precisely like a thoroughly agitated cat sometimes…