A few days had passed since the festival. The city was slowly returning to its normal rhythm: streets were once again crowded with people, shop windows replaced festive decorations with their usual displays, and the sky, still illuminated by the soft winter sun, seemed especially clear. For Haruki, these days had been a time of reflection.
He sat on the terrace of a small café, enjoying a cup of hot coffee. The air was crisp, and his breath turned into little clouds of mist. Memories swirled in his mind: moments with Emi, the smiles of his friends, the atmosphere of the festival. Those days felt as if they had brought him closer to something real.
Yet, an inner restlessness lingered. Emi... Her face, her words, her kiss at the festival. All of it felt so vivid and, at the same time, so fragile. Their confession had been an important step, but what now? Haruki knew their lives wouldn't become easier. He knew the past could still catch up to them both.
"You're lost in thought again," a familiar voice called out.
Haruki turned and saw Emi. She stood there in her long coat, a red scarf wrapped elegantly around her neck. Her cheeks were flushed from the cold, but her gaze was so warm that the chill immediately seemed to vanish.
"Emi..." He smiled, standing up to greet her.
She sat across from him, carefully placing her gloves on the table.
"So, what are you thinking about this time? Our walk? Or how you almost lost at darts during the festival?"
Haruki laughed. Her lightheartedness always had a way of making him relax.
"No, I was just thinking about the future. About what comes next."
Emi looked at him thoughtfully, her smile softening.
"The future isn't something to worry about, Haruki. It'll come on its own. What matters is that we're ready for it together."
Her words were exactly what he needed to hear. He exhaled, feeling the weight on his shoulders slowly lift.
"You're right. Together."
They continued their conversation, discussing plans for the coming days. Emi shared that she had been offered a new project — a documentary film about the lives of young actors. She wanted to interview Haruki for it, and though he was hesitant at first, he eventually agreed.
As they left the café, the sky had already started to fill with gray clouds. The scent of snow was in the air.
"Let's hurry," Emi said, taking Haruki's hand.
He looked at her, feeling the warmth of her palm, and nodded.
"Yeah, let's go."
Snow began to fall, covering the city streets with a white blanket. They walked along the sidewalk, talking and laughing, oblivious to the passersby around them. In that moment, they both knew that no matter what lay ahead, the most important thing was that they'd face it together.
But elsewhere, in another part of the city, a shadow of the past was beginning to stir. A hidden threat slowly loomed closer, a reminder that peaceful days never last forever.