Winter surprised everyone and arrived suddenly.

The first snow fell onto the town, turning the whole place in white.

Buildings of the University, busy city streets, and peaceful parks were covered in it.

Students hurried from one lecture to another wrapped in scarves and thick coats, leaving marks of their steps on the freshly fallen snow.

---

Kuro got out of the lecture hall of the University and looked up.

Flakes of snow were falling lazily from the gray sky.

"...The first snow."

His phone vibrated.

Yui: Are you free after class?

He smiled.

Kuro: Yes.

A minute passed, and the next message was sent to him.

Yui: Could you walk with me after class?

Such a simple request.

However, for some reason, this request seemed different for Kuro.

Kuro: Yes.

---

That day, Kuro waited for Yui near the entrance of the university hospital, as usual.

Old security guard waved at him.

"You are here again."

"Yes."

"I guessed it."

The old man chuckled and returned to his duties.

---

In ten minutes, the doors of the hospital opened, and Yui walked out of it.

Her face was covered by a long blue coat, her head was wrapped by the knitted scarf.

Small snowflakes were resting in her dark hair.

Yui seemed tired.

However, when she saw Kuro...

...her tired look changed into a soft smile.

"...You are here."

"I told you that I would be."

"I know."

For some unknown reason, this phrase caused her smile to become softer and warmer.

---

And they started to walk together.

The town seemed quieter.

Snow was absorbing all sounds of traffic and talking.

Only steps of the people were echoing in the snow.

Several minutes passed without any talking.

This silence seemed comfortable for both of them.

---

After a while, Yui stopped.

"Kuro."

"Hm?"

"...Could we make a little detour?"

He looked at her questioningly.

"To which?"

She pointed to a familiar road.

"...To the park."

---

Kuro recognized this place.

It was a small park, where they used to talk many years ago.

Then...

He was still a schoolboy.

While Yui was an adult girl, standing in the beginning of her adult life.

This place was the place, where they learned to trust each other.

This place was the place, where Yui listened to his concerns.

This place was the place, where Kuro understood who he is and who he wants to become.

---

Winter park looked differently.

Benches were covered by snow.

Trees stood naked under the evening sky.

Pond in this small park began to freeze.

But this place didn’t change.

---

They sat down on the same wood bench, where they used to sit countless times.

They didn’t hurry to talk.

On the contrary, they just watched how snow falls around them.

---

Yui smiled faintly.

"...Do you remember?"

"What?"

"The first time we talked here."

Kuro nodded.

"I remember."

"You were so serious."

"You were."

"And you were apologizing for anything."

He chuckled.

"I was."

"You have changed."

"So have you."

She looked down to her gloves.

"...Really?"

"You smile more now."

"...Only because some people appear near hospitals."

Kuro smiled.

"I think, yes."

---

Gentle wind carried snowflakes in this park again.

Yui watched how snow falls through the air and listened to how loudly beats her heart.

She had imagined this conversation many times.

And had practiced saying it many times.

Failed to say these words countless times.

But now...

She doesn’t want to wait anymore.

---

"Kuro."

Her voice shook a little.

"I need to tell you something."

He looked at her.

"I’m listening."

---

She laughed nervously.

"Of course you are."

"You always listen."

She took a slow breath.

Then took another breath.

And finally...

Gathered all her courage.

---

"...I love you."

These words left almost in a whisper.

"For years."

Snow was falling between them.

"I don’t even know when."

"Maybe when you were still a schoolboy."

"Maybe after the graduation."

"Maybe during our lunch meetings."

"Maybe during those moments when you were waiting outside the hospital."

"I just..."

She lowered her eyes.

"...I understand that each difficult day becomes easier with you."

"My happiest moments somehow always contain you."

"And..."

Small tear ran down her cheeks.

"...I don’t want to imagine my future without you anymore."

---

Silence surrounded them.

Yui laughed weakly.

"...There."

"I finally said it."

"You don’t have to answer now."

"I just..."

But before she could finish...

Kuro gently put his hand onto hers.

She looked at him.

His face was calm.

Warm.

Honest.

---

"I was thinking," he said quietly.

"When did I start to eagerly wait for Tuesdays?"

"When did waiting outside of the hospital stopped being something that I should do..."

"...and became something I really want to do?"

He smiled.

"I don’t know when I fell in love either."

"But somewhere..."

"You became the one I want to see at the end of each day."

"You became the one, whom I want to think about at the first moment of happiness."

"And the one..."

He squeezed her hand.

"...whom I want to be with when life becomes difficult."

I love you too, Yui.

---

For a moment...

They didn’t say anything.

They didn’t need to say anything.

The answer, which they both had inside for years, was said aloud at last.

---

Tears were falling from Yui’s eyes now.

Not because of sorrow.

Because of relief.

She laughed through the tears.

"...You are making me cry."

"I know."

"It’s your fault."

"I will accept your responsibility."

She laughed again.

"So unfair..."

---

Gradually...

Kuro raised his free hand and gently cleared the snowflake from her hair.

Their eyes met.

Distance between them quietly disappeared.

He leaned towards her.

She closed her eyes.

Their first kiss was soft.

Gentle.

Brief.

Just like the first snowfall.

When they broke the kiss, both of them smiled.

---

Snow was falling around them.

The world seemed strangely motionless.

As if winter itself has stopped to watch this moment.

---

Yui entwined her fingers with his.

"...So..."

She smiled shyly.

"What are we now?"

Kuro looked at their entwined hands.

Then looked at her.

"I think..."

He smiled.

"...Now we are officially dating."

Yui laughed louder than Kuro had ever heard it.

"Good."

"Because I waited years to hear it."

Hand in hand, they rose from the old bench.

The park, where their story started silently became the place, where the new Chapter of this story began.

Hand in hand, they walked into snowy evening.

Not as friends.

As two people, who finally found the courage to say what their hearts told them for years.

Their relationship started officially.

No sooner had they gotten out of the park than neither of them felt like going back home.

Without any word, they started walking in the snowfall.

The lights of the city made the street look brighter than ever.

Yui looked down at their entwined hands.

"...This is... strange."

Kuro looked at her.

"Strange in a bad way?"

She quickly shook her head.

"No."

She giggled.

"Strange in a good way."

---

They went to a small convenience store.

Kuro bought two cups of hot cocoa.

As he gave it to Yui, she took it with both hands.

"Thanks."

She drank from it and sighed.

"This is delicious."

"I think it’s because you’re freezing."

"I am."

"You forgot to take your gloves, didn’t you?"

Yui looked at her bare hands.

"...I did."

Without anything more, Kuro took off one of his gloves and put it on her right hand.

She blinked.

"And you?"

"I’ve got one."

"But you’ll freeze."

"I’ll live."

Yui looked at the big glove that covered her hand.

And then she looked at Kuro.

Her cheeks got flushed.

"...Are you spoiling me?"

"I didn’t plan it."

"It’s too late."

---

As they kept walking, they saw a small bakery that was going to close soon.

The baker came out of the shop and smiled at them.

"Last customers of the evening?"

Yui looked at Kuro.

He nodded.

"Why not?"

They bought two melon breads and sat at a small table by the window.

For some minutes, nobody said a word.

Instead, they just spent those few minutes silently together.

Finally, Yui burst out laughing.

"...Does this count?"

"For what?"

"Our first date."

Kuro looked around.

The snow outside.

The hot cocoa.

The fresh bread.

His beloved girl sitting in front of him.

He smiled.

"I think it does."

Yui hid her smile behind her hand.

"I thought that my first date would happen in some fancy place."

"Disappointed?"

She shook her head immediately.

"Not at all."

She looked into Kuro’s eyes.

"I don’t think I’d remember a fancy restaurant."

"But..."

She stretched her arm across the table and took Kuro’s hand.

"I’ll remember this night for the rest of my life."

---

When they finally left the bakery, the snowfall became thinner.

They arrived at the crossroads where they always parted from each other.

For the first time ever since they met years ago...

They didn’t simply wave their hands.

Instead, Yui moved a bit closer.

"...Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

After a brief hesitation, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed Kuro on the cheek.

Before Kuro managed to react, Yui turned around and started running away.

In less than three steps she had her hands covering her blazing cheeks.

"I-I actually did it..."

she muttered to herself.

Behind her back, Kuro couldn’t stop smiling.

Putting his hand on the spot where she had kissed him, he quietly chuckled.

Their relationship was only just started.

Everything was still new.

A bit awkward.

A bit embarrassing.

But none of them wished it to change.

Because every new moment of their relationship was becoming another precious memory for them.