By now, night had wrapped the town in a quiet, snowy hush. Gentle flakes danced outside the window like tiny, drifting stars. Inside Sera's home, it was warm—filled with the sound of laughter and the comfort of friendship.
Haruta and Rei were staying the night. The table still held empty plates and faint traces of a shared meal. Alya was still teasing Haruta endlessly, but he didn't mind—in fact, it looked like he'd gotten used to it… maybe even liked it.
Rei and Sera sat close. Not too close, but enough to feel the quiet buzz between them. Not anything loud or dramatic—just a feeling they both understood without needing to say a word.
"I gotta take a bath," Haruta said, slipping off his glasses with a yawn.
"It's freezing out there, genius," Alya smirked.
"I've got habits," he replied with a soft chuckle.
"I'll turn the water heater on," Sera said gently, already walking toward the panel.
Rei stayed behind, sitting on the balcony, letting the cold nip at his cheeks. He liked the silence. It gave him space to breathe.
Sera stepped out beside him, brushing a bit of snow off the chair before sitting next to him.
"The moon's beautiful tonight, isn't it?" Rei said softly, his voice calm.
Sera smiled, her eyes glinting. "The moon's covered in clouds, you know."
Rei looked at her, lips curling into a small smile. "It's not about the moon... or the clouds."
Sera turned to him, confused but curious. "Then what is it about?"
Rei shook his head slowly. "Nothing... Let's go set the beds," he said with a smile, standing up.
While Haruta went to bathe, the house grew quiet again—peaceful.
Alya, curled up on the couch, slipped her hand into her pocket and pulled out the tiny voice recorder. She stared at it for a second, biting her lip.
"Sorry, Haru," she whispered. "I gotta know…"
She pressed play.
The quiet hum of Haruta's voice filled the room. Every word… every thought… every truth he'd shared with Rei and Sera while she was gone. His past. His pain. The way he saw her.
Her eyes widened slightly. Her cheeks flushed red—not from the cold.
"Oh… that's why he didn't want me to hear it…" she whispered, holding the recorder close to her chest.
She glanced out the window. The moon was still hiding behind the clouds.
But for some reason… it felt like the sky was glowing just a little brighter.
Her face was pink. Was it from the cold?
Or something else?
And she smiled.
---
--to be continued
-~Rei