It was night. The moon finally peeked through the clouds, casting a soft glow over the quiet room. The snow had stopped falling, leaving the world still—almost like it was holding its breath.
Everyone was asleep.
Except Alya.
She lay there, staring at the ceiling, her mind tangled in a storm. Haruta's past. That voice recorder. The weight of everything he'd hidden. Her fingers tangled in her hair as she groaned softly.
"Ugh… what's wrong with me…"
"I can't sleep either," Haruta said quietly from across the room.
There was a pause.
"So much happened today. You heard everything about me… everything."
He chuckled—low and awkward—but beneath it was something fragile. Something scared.
"Yeah," Alya replied, her voice softer than usual. "And I somehow found out that a senior I love teasing actually likes me back."
"I WAS SAYING THAT I LIKE YOU IN A FRIENDLY WAY, YOU GOBLIN!" Haruta burst out, flustered beyond saving.
From across the room, Rei silently exchanged a look with Sera—his eyes sparkling with amusement. They were both pretending to be asleep. Keyword: pretending.
Alya's voice turned gentler, her gaze still on the ceiling.
"Your life's been hard. Even Rei… he's been through stuff too. No mom. Dad working abroad. His sister raised him.
And you... you're our broken softie boy.
Compared to you guys… my life feels too easy.
Not saying it's a bad thing, but… it's kinda unfair, isn't it?"
Haruta's reply came slow, but steady.
"Life doesn't owe you pain, y'know, Alya.
Just… keep smiling for yourself.
And smile my share too."
Then—
"We have school tomorrow, lovebirds," Sera mumbled with a sleepy smirk, her voice half-drowned in her pillow.
"YOU'VE BEEN LISTENING TO US?! YOU BLONDE WITCH!" Alya screamed, launching a pillow at her.
Sera dodged. The pillow nailed Haruta square in the face.
"…This world shall know pain," Haruta muttered, deadpan, before retaliating—his pillow smacking Alya right in the chest.
Alya fired back. Sera countered. One pillow smacked into Rei's face mid-sleep. He bolted upright, dazed.
"My lover… betrayed me," he said dramatically, eyes locked on Sera.
"LOOK, that was a mistake—"
Rei launched a pillow at her. Sera ducked again.
The pillow smacked Alya.
Again.
And just like that, a full-on chaotic pillow war broke out.
Laughs echoed through the room.
Flustered screams. Whispers. Smiles.
All while outside, beneath the freshly fallen snow, the night held its silence.
There were no grand declarations.
No perfect confessions.
Just the sound of hearts healing.
The warmth of found family.
And whispers beneath the snow—
Whispers of love blooming.
— to be continued
~Rei