Part 1

We went outside, but there was a little trouble waiting for us.

Apparently, the bus was caught in traffic, and would arrive around 10 minutes late.

There are a lot of students waiting for a bus to go to the ski resort, and if you look back, there are people flooding back into the entrance.

"It's cold, so it's hard to wait outside."

Watanabe looked up at the sky with melancholy, exhaling a white breath.

I regret that we got out a little earlier than the other students, but there's nothing to do about it now.

Even if we go back to our room, we can't relax with 5 minutes left. As group 6, we decided to wait near the building for the bus to come.

"Hey, we're out here, so why don't we make a snowman?"

In order to use this waiting time effectively, Amikura suggested so to the group.

"That sounds like fun. Nishino-san, Yamamura-san, won't you join us?"

"... well, okay?"

It was Nishino who I thought would refuse, but she replied lightly with an okay.

"Yamamura-san?"

"No, I... I don't want to."

As expected, she said no, although it was somewhat modest.

The three girls moved to an unobstructed position and started piling up the snow.

Apparently, they're not going to make one of a small size, but rather a big one.

"Hey, Ryuuen-kun, why don't you come over here and make a snowman with us? I think it's fun!"

Knowing that he would never take her up on her proposal, Kushida, showing her good heart, invited Ryuuen to join him.

The students around the school were also watching the developments with concern, perhaps because they couldn't imagine Ryuen working to build a snowman.

This statement is definitely yesterday's revenge. Showing that if you make a careless statement, you will be resolutely challenged.

"I thought it would be nice to keep a little restraint, but did I read things wrong?" Ryuuen muttered, as if talking to himself.

Certainly, if it was Kushida before her true nature was known to her classmates, she might have endured. She would have felt uncomfortable, but here he could not unravel the mystery.

Because she can't give them information that the rest of the classes doesn't know, such as the exchange in the Unanimous Special Exam.

Needless to say, Kushida's invitation was not likely to be accepted by Ryuuen.

Without reacting to the snowman, he looked in another direction.

On the other hand, some people continued to gaze quietly at the snowman which was being made.

It was Yamamura who took a little distance from us before I noticed.

"Haa..."

While watching the production of Kushida's snowman, she was exhaling coldly.

"Haa..!"

Kushida and the others making the snowman are naturally wearing gloves.

When I looked around, other than Yamamura, there were no students outside with bare hands.

Of course. In this cold weather, unless there is a special reason, you can't stay with bare hands for long.

I remember Yamamura wearing gloves before taking the ski class yesterday.

Even if she can rent ski gloves, why didn't she take her gloves with her when going to a ski resort? If she's forgotten, she can just go back and get them, so maybe there's a reason.

She looks dizzy, staring outward as she exhales repeatedly.

Although I was concerned about Yamamura, more and more students were beginning to come outside while waiting for the bus.

"It's snow all around, huh?"

The familiar voice belongs to Sakayanagi Arisu.

Someone from group 4. It should be Hondou and Onodera elected from the Horikita Class.

As I remembered that, she kept standing there, as if waiting for an answer.

Sakayanagi can't ski, so she'll probably go to sightseeing spots.

Without really involving themselves with the members of group 6, Sakayanagi and the others had all gathered together.

Eventually, before the bus to the ski resort, the bus heading downtown arrived.

When the leading teacher instructed them to get in, the students began to embark one after the other.

Sakayanagi, walking along the unfamiliar snow trail with her cane. As I watched, I wondered if my prediction of the future had come true, and Sakayanagi slipped and fell lightly on her buttocks.

Fortunately, the snow cushion seems to have protected her from the impact and she is not in pain.

"Are you alright..?"

Shortly after, a C-Class member of the same 4th group rushes over. He hesitated for a moment, but then reached out.

"Thank you very much, Tokitou-kun."

While shyly thanking him, she grabbed the hand that she had been offered.

It is easy to forcefully pull up the smaller Sakayanagi, but Tokitou did so carefully and slowly.

Despite his stern face, he is a surprisingly sensitive and caring helper.

"Don't force yourself. You've got a bad leg, right..?"

"Sorry. But fortunately, the snow was soft and it didn't hurt. "

"That's not really the problem..."

Although Sakayanagi usually wields relentless strategies as the class leader, group members from other classes may feel that the impression is very different.

Sakayanagi, who stood up while grabbing her staff, thanked him again.

"Thank you."

"It was nothing... I'm just glad it wasn't anything big."

Embarrassed, he let his gaze away, unable to look directly at Sakayanagi.

"I thought you were a scary person, Tokitou-kun."

"Huh? Me? ...no, well..."

Sakayanagi stopped and started talking.

It's as if the exchange is a showcase of the changing nature of the relationship.

"Because you usually walk across the corridor with a scary look on your face."

"Hey, how do you even know that?"

Asked this question, Sakayanagi answered without pause and with a smile on her face.

"We're both second years. I know a lot about you, Tokitou-kun."

If they were an ordinary boy and girl in an ordinary high school, it would be a scene that would give rise to misunderstandings.

Behind that smile, however, there is always the possibility that Sakayanagi's wits and tricks are at play.

Even falling down may have been a calculated event.

The only students present who were thinking about such a thing were probably me and Ryuen, who was ostensibly looking at them with disinterest.

Sakayanagi and Tokitou lined up and proceeded to the bus to board it, with Sakayanagi getting on first.

Tokitou probably wanted to support her in case she fell behind.

Whether or not there is another side to this, it is clear that those who normally have no contact with each other are gradually beginning to close the distance between them.

After a delay, the buses to the ski resort also arrived, replacing the buses to the city center.