The morning sun spilled over the snow-capped ridges of Yamazaki Mountain, casting golden hues across the lodge's wooden veranda. The steam from the hot springs curled lazily into the crisp winter air, mixing with the laughter and sleepy murmurs of students emerging for breakfast.
Yuki was already wide awake.
She was never a morning person, but today, she'd beaten the sunrise.
Bundled in a wool scarf and fuzzy gloves, she sat alone on the bench outside the girls' dorm wing, clutching a thermos of hot cocoa. Her breath came out in soft puffs. Her gaze, however, was distant.
She hadn't slept well.
Not because of the excitement, but because of the silence.
The kind of silence that follows a loud moment—like an unanswered kiss.
---
Rin hadn't said anything. Hana hadn't said anything. And Leo… well, Leo hadn't avoided her, but he hadn't brought it up either.
That moment on the school steps—the kiss—had felt so natural at the time.
But now it echoed. Constantly. Quietly.
What did it mean to him?
Yuki didn't do uncertainty. She was a broadcast club anchor, a theater star, a walking whirlwind.
But Leo made her hesitate.
And that was new.
---
Inside, the girls' room was a flurry of motion.
Hana pulled her hoodie over her head and yawned. "You're up early."
Yuki didn't respond.
"You okay?"
"…Just cold."
Hana narrowed her eyes, recognizing the lie but not pushing.
She was used to reading people through movement. That was how she survived the track—predicting pace, direction, tension.
And right now, Yuki's posture read 'anxious.'
Rin, still tying her hair back, glanced over. "We should head to the morning meeting."
The three nodded in sync, the quiet between them unusually stiff.
---
Leo, meanwhile, had found himself partnered with Kai for the day's first activity: snow relay obstacle course.
"I refuse to lose," Kai declared, donning ski goggles like a war mask.
Leo blinked. "It's just for fun."
"Everything's for fun until you win. Then it's legacy."
Despite the absurdity, the activity served its purpose: it broke tension.
Laughter. Snowballs. Cheering.
Even Rin cracked a smile when Hana face-planted into a snowbank and came up with icicles in her hair.
---
But as lunch neared, so did another event: the group story circle.
Students would sit in a ring, sharing a small story, memory, or wish. "For bonding," the teacher said. "And to practice vulnerability."
Leo sat near the edge of the circle, hands in his lap, gaze flickering between Hana, Yuki, and Rin.
Rin sat quietly, fingers on her sketchbook.
Hana crossed her arms, skeptical but present.
Yuki twirled her scarf nervously.
Stories began. Some were funny. Some were awkward. Some were surprisingly honest.
Then it was Leo's turn.
He hesitated.
"My name's Leo. I transferred here this year."
Silence.
"I didn't think anyone would notice me. I figured I'd finish the year quietly, keep my head down. But… things didn't go that way."
He glanced across the circle.
"I met people who challenged that. Made me speak. Made me feel. Made me want to stay."
Rin's fingers stilled.
Hana looked up.
Yuki's eyes widened slightly.
Leo continued, his voice softer. "I'm still figuring things out. I don't always know what to say. But I'm glad I came here. I'm glad I met all of you."
The teacher clapped gently. "Thank you, Leo."
Yuki was next.
She smiled—small, not her usual blazing grin.
"I like loud things. Music, radio, applause. But lately, I've realized… sometimes, quiet moments are the ones that stick."
She glanced at Leo.
"And sometimes, silence says more than anything."
Rin closed her eyes.
Hana let out a soft exhale.
---
That evening, the hot springs felt different.
The girls soaked in peaceful quiet. Rin drew shapes in the fog. Hana leaned against the stones, watching stars. Yuki floated, hair undone, a soft smile on her face.
"Do you regret kissing him?" Rin asked, without turning.
Yuki opened her eyes. "No. But I'm scared."
Hana spoke next. "You're not the only one."
The three girls sat in silence again, the steam around them thick but the space between them… clearer.
Some battles weren't against each other.
Some were internal.
And in the warmth of the spring, among old pines and rising steam, the echoes of their feelings began to finally settle.
---
Leo sat by the veranda later, alone.
Kai joined him, carrying two cans of hot tea.
"You're in deep now," he said.
Leo nodded. "Yeah."
"Still don't know what you want?"
Leo stared at the stars. "No. But I think… I'm starting to understand what they mean to me. All three of them."
Kai grinned. "Well, don't take too long. This isn't a long-running anime."
Leo smiled faintly. "No promises."