I'm not normally a claustrophobic person, but in this locked place I think I'm becoming one.

It doesn't help that Hino Kahoko is stuck in here with me.

Somehow, there was a huge snowstorm that has blocked Hino or myself from getting out. If you look at the windows, all you see is piles of snow. It's piled over our heads – we're blanketed by it.

I looked at Kahoko, holding herself and trying to keep warm. My eyes soften as I remember the time where she stayed with me while I was burning up, and I walk over to her.

She looks up at me.

"Are you cold?"

She shakes her head.

"I'm alright, Tsukimori-kun."

I looked at her. She didn't look alright to me. I sat down beside her.

She gasped.

"Tsu.. tsu.. tsukimori-kun?"

"Give me your hand."

She blinked, but gave it to me. I held it lightly, like I somehow did while I was asleep on Kahoko's shoulder.

She didn't gasp this time, but she seemed extremely alert.

As we held hands, it felt like a bond that we didn't have before was between us. We were here – together – blanketed by the snow with only each other to support.

And I was worried for her.

I think she noticed that, that's why she said that she was alright.

Over time, I managed to fall asleep – and so did she.

Resting in her warmth, the peace that fell over me amazed me.

I felt like I was at home.

|~-~|

During the night, I could hear her. She sounded like she was crying.

I lifted her head up to see. She was. There were tears on her face.

"Please, don't cry. We'll be out of here soon."

She nodded, but not with a lot of enthusiasm.

I let go of her hand, and embraced her.

"Will this make you feel better?"

I could hear her near-silent gasp. And a whisper in my ear.

"Yes."

|~-~|

When we woke up, the snow had begun to melt. It wasn't as high as before – it was only around neck height. However, that still meant that it was too high for either Hino or myself to get out.

She wasn't embracing me anymore, but she was still holding my hand.

We looked at each other.

"Tsukimori-kun... I... I never thought that this might happen if we stayed too late"

I looked at her anxious face. When I realised how close our faces were, I was shocked. I didn't realise how close we were until now.

I looked away from her eyes. Her face was too close for my liking, and it was getting uncomfortable.

"At least we had some food. Hopefully this snow will melt."

It felt like we had swapped roles. Kahoko was now apologizing for everything, and I was the one cheering her up. It was an odd feeling. Being optimistic didn't seem too bad. I don't know if I could do it forever, though. It seemed like there was a lot of willpower involved.

The day before, Kahoko had rung her parents and I rung mine, to tell them that we were stuck in the snowstorm in a room. Both said that they would come and rescue us as soon as they could.

I hope I can rely on that.

As I dared to look at Kahoko again, last night's events came back to me. How I was holding her. And how, I noticed, that she was soft, that she smelled nice, and that our hearts were beating so fast I didn't know which was faster.

I looked away again. This isn't like you, I scolded myself.

I thought about it carefully. This wasn't like either of us at all.