December is ski season.
Don't worry about the reason. Anyway, today, Shinichi and the two Tachibana sisters came to a hotel with a ski resort in Hokkaido.
"Hurry, hurry, put down your luggage and get ready to go~"
Hina hurried into the room, threw down her suitcase, grabbed her tote bag, and looked back at the two following behind her with bright eyes.
"How can you say you put it away... It's obvious you just tossed it aside."
Rui walked up and kicked her suitcase lying on the floor against the wall. She leaned her suitcase next to the bed, then opened it and took out the ski equipment.
Although jackets and ski goggles could be rented from the service center, Hina, too, planned to rent them.
However, under someone's influence, Rui now made it a habit to prepare everything in advance even though she only skied once a year, she still bought the ski clothes a week ago;
"By the way, I have something weird."
Shinichi laid his suitcase beside Rui's, and like her, pulled out the ski equipment he had packed.
At the same time, he looked at Hina at the door with confusion.
"Why is Hina-san here? Didn't Rui and I go on our honeymoon to Hokkaido today?"
Rui turned around angrily, covering her mouth to suppress a smile.
Hina stared at her blankly for a few seconds, then jumped and shouted angrily.
"Ingrate! Asada-kun, you're so ungrateful! This is clearly the ski trip for three that I arranged. When did it become a honeymoon trip for you and Rui!"
Shinichi grabbed Rui's shoulder and said proudly.
"Right now."
"Kakakaka..."
The sound of broken teeth echoed in her mouth, and Hina was so angry her face turned red and she was furious.
"You dare! You dare show affection in front of me! Rui, quickly catch him. If you don't throw him out the window today, I'll stop being human!"
Rui nodded, curling up in his arms like a kitten, leaning against his chest, and gently pulling his collar, her face tinged with a blush from the excitement.
Then, she looked towards Hina and said with a serious expression.
"Caught."
After speaking, she rubbed her head against his chest, took a deep breath, and showed a smile.
Hina looked at the two of them sadly.
"Y-You're just teasing me because I'm single! That's enough! I want to request a room change. I don't want to stay with you couples!"
After saying these words while crying, she ran out with tears streaming down her face. The two still hugging in the room looked at each other.
"Did we go too far? It's rare for three people to go out and play together..."
Worry appeared in his eyes, and Rui unconsciously brushed the hair from her forehead, revealing a pair of eyes underneath.
Shinichi reached out, his palm penetrating the soft blue-purple hair, and caressed her smooth and gentle face with his thumb.
"Isn't it usually like this? Hina-san is used to it, don't worry."
"Did you learn that from O?" Rui raised her eyebrows as if implying something.
Shinichi rubbed his nose.
"You are the main force in adapting to O." Facing Rui's jealous gaze, he skillfully changed the subject.
"I checked beforehand and there are no vacant rooms in this hotel. Although I don't know if there will be guests checking out temporarily, but most likely even if Hina-san really asks the counter if she can allocate a room, she will ultimately just have to come back obediently."
"So that's it..." Rui nodded and stood up from his embrace.
"Anyway, let's have fun skiing together today, and try not to make her angry again... Woah!"
Before she could stand up, Shinichi pulled her back and sat her on his lap.
Shinichi glanced at the open door, and after making sure that no one had passed by, a grin appeared on his lips, and he pressed his slightly open mouth due to surprise.
The sounds of moans and weak sighs continued.
"Mhm..."
Hina dragged her feet sadly into their room.
"No more rooms..." She suddenly stopped, and muttered, "Wait, I'm the one who got the travel voucher, right? Why should I move rooms? This is too weird!"
Then, she found something, clenched her fists, looked up arrogantly, and swept her stunning "elder sister aura" radially towards the two in the room.
"Rui, Asada-kun, listen to me! You're not allowed to show your affection in front of me today. We must be healthy and polite—"
Seeing the scene inside, she stopped for a moment and became confused.
"Rui, what's wrong with you?"
Rui curled up on the bed, wrapped in a blanket, she glared at Shinichi with closed teeth.
"It's nothing, just bitten by a big bug."
Hina's expression turned serious. She took her sandals out of her suitcase and looked around sharply.
"Where?! I didn't expect there to be bugs in a top-class hotel like this... Rui, tell me its location and see if I don't kill it!"
Rui puffed up her red cheeks and stared straight at a certain large bug.
Besides, the door had just been wide open, so Hina didn't care. Who knows if another guest will pass by and see...
"Yes yes yes~"
Shinichi happily packed up his belongings as if he had never done anything.
△
After bringing their belongings, the three of them left the hotel and headed to the ski center.
After borrowing various equipment at the counter, Shinichi and Rui went to the ski resort first to wait because Hina had to rent ski clothes.
Walking out of the glass door, there was a vast plain and hills outside, and distant ice-colored pine forests. Whether it was a natural formation or man-made construction.
Although it was still early, many people were skiing on the snow and winding around the bends. The cable cars swayed in the air, and the busy winter sky began.
"It's kind of difficult to walk..."
Wearing snowshoes felt like walking on stage. Rui walked towards Shinichi to help him adjust his ski goggles.
Shinichi bowed his head and let her do what she did.
After a moment, Rui withdrew her hand and smiled satisfactorily.
"It looks much better now. You were just putting it on randomly."
Shinichi smiled, he wouldn't admit that he deliberately put it on randomly.
"Then, it's my turn."
Rui was led to a corner by him for no apparent reason. She watched him lean against the wall and hold his face with his hand.
Rui snapped back to awareness and suddenly got a bad feeling.
"Uh, you're going to help me adjust my ski goggles, right?"
Shinichi smiled, his tone very cheerful.
"Your ski goggles look fine, no need to adjust them."
Rui's face suddenly turned red, clearly guessing what he wanted to do, her eyes darting around in panic, and she whispered incredulously.
"Don't fool around, there are a lot of people here! Hina Nee-san will be back soon, what are you doing today..."
When asked by her, Shinichi pondered.
"Well, why am I so eager to have fun today... Is it because this is a side story?"
Rui was astonished: "What nonsense are you talking about..."
Shinichi sighed softly.
"Anyway, we're getting married in two months. Let's take advantage of today to feel the remaining warmth of a couple in love."
"Even if you say so..." Though not much resistance, Rui was embarrassed. After hesitating for a moment, she took the initiative to tiptoe and kiss him, even sticking out her tongue.
After doing this, she turned her panicked red face away and snorted softly.
"Are you satisfied with this? Really, it makes me so embarrassed in public..."
Initially feeling a little chilly, but after being teased by him like this, she had warmed up her whole body, and her whole body felt warm...
Shinichi looked surprised, then rubbed his cheek.
"Okay, since the bridegroom has said so, reluctantly I'll do it."
"It's the first time your mouth has been sweet..." Rui felt disgusted for a moment, then turned her gaze, seeing Hina walking from a distance, and quickly pushed his shoulder, trying to distance herself.
"Quick, if Hina Nee-san sees us so close, she'll scream like a dog again..."
Shinichi shrugged.
"What you say is merciless."
This time, he didn't unintentionally hurt her, he just released his hand and stepped back.
Hina also saw the two of them at this time, waving and smiling, and was about to walk closer wearing heavy ski clothes.
At the moment they relaxed their guard and thought nothing else would happen.
In front of Hina, Shinichi held Rui's head, covering the place where their faces touched with his palm, and bowed his head so blatantly.
"!?" Rui's body tensed.
"Wow!" Hina screamed, her face turning red, and she covered her eyes with her hand, but the gap between her fingers was wide enough.
Then she accused with a somewhat excited tone.
"Didn't I tell you not to be affectionate? How dare you, in front of everyone..."
Shinichi put down handkerchief, and immediately, the people passing by and Hina watching opened their mouths slightly in surprise.
Showing a wicked smile, Shinichi rubbed Rui's nose with his, releasing her who was also dazed, putting one hand in his pocket, and touching Rui's head with the other hand.
He looked around at the crowd watching them, including Hina, and said word by word with a sneer.
"You have dirty minds!"
Everyone: "😐"
Great...
They really wanted to beat him!
Rui squatted near his feet, covering her face, her ears red, and her whole body trembling with embarrassment.
Agree, she really wanted to hit him now...
△
"For the harmony of our trip, both real and fake affection is prohibited!"
"Be patient for one day. There will be no limit to how you can be intimate with anyone when you get back, but today you can't!"
Whether because she was excited or because she was really bored, but Hina raised her index finger towards Shinichi seriously.
"Do you want to ask why? Because I said so!
"I'm the big sister, the eldest sister!"
"I didn't ask why..." Shinichi lazily put his hand behind his head, and replied casually, "You just don't want me to be affectionate with Rui in front of you, right? I heard you, okay?"
Both Rui and Hina looked at him suspiciously: "You answered so simply... Is that true?"
"Really, I'm not a lustful person. I've been dating Rui for five years. Why wouldn't I be able to do something as small as this?"
Shinichi said sincerely: "Trust me, I will definitely adhere to my moral integrity and not move any hands or feet."
"Because you said so..." Hina crossed her arms, nodded earnestly, then smiled, "Then I trust you!"
Turning around, she raised her skis high and shouted at the snow with great interest.
"Ski resort, here I come~"
Seeing her excited like a child seeing snow for the first time, Rui chuckled, then turned to Shinichi, her tone still hesitant.
"You really won't play around?"
After Shinichi graduated from high school, his integrity became increasingly unreliable.
Shinichi looked at Rui with a wicked smile.
"What, do you want me to play around with you? Or do you want to play around with me?"
A blood vessel appeared on Rui's forehead, and she raised her hand to pull her cheek from side to side, making her bad expression look funny.
"Done! You're shameless and I want to be shameless too, so leave me alone until tomorrow!"
Shinichi raised his hand, pinching his her randomly, and spoke softly.
"You're panicking."
"Ha?"
Rui's cheek was pulled so she couldn't understand his words. As she opened her mouth again in doubt, Shinichi suddenly released his hand from her face and bowed his head forcibly.
Hina just turned around at this moment.
"You two, it's time to go... Damn it!"
Hina stomped her foot hard and said angrily, "It's not even a minute yet! Are you wild animals in the snow?!"
Shinichi raised his head and stared at this unprofessional referee without any clear reason.
"What's all the fuss about? My girlfriend got snow in her eyes, can't I help her?"
As he spoke, he pretended to blow a few breaths into Rui's eyes, causing her to scrunch up her face and close her eyes.
Hina looked at Rui's lips. There was no saliva left on them, as if it were true.
Realizing that she might have misunderstood, although very reluctantly, Hina still bowed her head and apologized obediently.
"I was too judgmental, forgive me... Rui, are your eyes okay?"
"...No, it's fine." Rui gritted her teeth and tried to keep her voice calm.
She clenched her fists, and while Hina wasn't looking, she punched her childish college graduate boyfriend several times, venting her anger, or perhaps a little joy.
This guy even wanted to kiss her forehead if there was a chance.
And Hina was the same. She stood in her place now. The wind wasn't strong now. How could snow get into her eyes for no reason?
This is really... Wait!
Rui was surprised and looked at Shinichi with disbelief.
Wasn't it supposed to be like this all day, constantly testing the boundaries of discovery? !
Was there a need to have fun?
"...Huh?" Shinichi looked at her and tilted his head in confusion.
After a few seconds, he opened his eyes wide, and for some reason, licked his lips first, then showed a bright smile.
That look seemed to say—
"I was originally planning to stop, but because you wanted it so much, I won't stop~☆"
"..."
Rui didn't know what to say, and her shoulders slumped weakly.
Suddenly, she missed him being a little quiet in high school. Once this guy matured... No, once she started dating him, he was like a husky in heat.
If it weren't for the fact that he was hot-blooded, he was only polite to other girls, Rui would be very worried that Shinichi would cheat, have sex all night, or something.
Besides, this guy was as popular as a mouse in an amusement park during high school!
Ah, it's so disgusting. If he dares to kiss her later, she will definitely teach him a lesson...
△
Such thoughts only occurred at this moment.
The three of them went skiing and started spinning around in the snow with the others. Shinichi wasn't a good skater, and his awkward habits hadn't changed even as an adult. He quickly lost his balance and fell into the snow.
Rui slid over to help him stand up, and he bowed his head in frustration. Just as she was about to console him with some words, she saw his face light up, with a successful smile.
"Ugh!"
Hina turned to see Shinichi standing with Rui's shoulder, and she scratched her head in embarrassment.
Hina waved to them, and skied away without suspicion. She didn't notice Rui gritting her teeth and shaking her collar, and her face turning red.
"Tell me, did you do that on purpose?"
Shinichi shook his head and smiled like a child.
"Ahhahahaha, just go with the flow, go with the flow~"
"Uh~~" Rui glared at him, but it didn't even penetrate his face.
△
Next, it was time to ride the ski lift.
Because the location was quite spacious, three people could ride the same ski lift together.
Rui was sitting in the middle. When she heard Shinichi say to Hina, who was looking around excitedly, "Look, there's a Yuki-Onna walking over there." and coaxing her to bow her head, she knew what would happen.
"Hmm..."
"Tsk, tsk." Shinichi looked at Rui, who looked desperate after being kissed, and said pityingly, "It feels more like salted fish... Be more proactive."
"How dare you call me a salted fish..."
Rui frowned, and a dangerous light appeared in her grape-red eyes.
△
Next was the snowball fight.
Initially, the three of them were peacefully throwing snowballs, feeling the cold on their faces, all filled with smiles, and the atmosphere was very harmonious.
And when Shinichi and Rui accidentally gathered together, their expressions suddenly froze, and the snowballs in their hands quickly passed their shadows, heading straight towards Hina.
"Ah?"
The smile on Hina's face was still bright. She looked at the two snowballs faster and stronger than before and rushed towards her.
So the next moment.
"Pfft!"
Her fall to the ground was like a signal. At the same time, Shinichi and Rui took advantage of this moment to pounce on each other, grabbing each other's collars, and kissing each other fiercely.
Before Shinichi could be surprised by the other party's initiative, he felt the coldness of their mouths and quickly stepped back, staring at Rui in astonishment.
"You... You actually... Have snow in your mouth?!"
Rui wiped her mouth, lifted her face, and smiled proudly.
"So, is this initiative enough?"
Shinichi: "...Remember to gargle when you get back, it's very dirty!"
They stared at each other for a few seconds, then laughed. At the same time, they bowed and laughed, leaning their shoulders against each other, and their fingers behind them intertwined as usual.
"Ouch!"
Hina jumped from the snow angrily, holding a big snowball in both hands, and shouted at the two with a stern face.
"Well done! How dare you laugh so happily after conspiring against me? Come on!"
The chaotic snowball fight started again, but this time the peace finally came to an end.
△
In the afternoon, the three of them went to the restaurant in the hotel for dinner.
In the midst of the peaceful dinner, Rui had a sullen expression, suddenly put down her chopsticks, and spoke.
"Hina Nee-san, your favorite content creator seems to have just passed behind you."
"Really?!" Hina turned around eagerly with chopsticks in her mouth, her eyes shining as she looked behind her.
"Where is he? I really like his muscle workout tutorials!"
"..."
As soon as Rui finished speaking, Shinichi didn't even bite into a piece of pork in his mouth. He knew he was in trouble, but he didn't have time to react.
Sure enough, when Hina looked away, Rui smiled coldly, forcibly pushed his face away, bowed her head, and kissed his neck.
Chirping—
Shinichi involuntarily tightened his face and watched with wide eyes as she sucked on his neck.
After about three seconds, Rui breathed out satisfiedly, licked her lips, and provocatively raised the corner of her mouth towards him.
"Hmph."
When Hina turned back in confusion, Rui had already moved her chopsticks again, hiding her reddened ears with her hair, and continued eating with a calm expression.
"He's not here... Did you mistake him for someone else?"
"Perhaps someone who looks very similar to him, sorry Hina Nee-san."
"Such a shame~" Hina sighed, then looked at Shinichi oddly, "Asada-kun, what's wrong with you? Is your neck itching?"
Shinichi gently scratched his neck with one hand, took a piece of pork with the other hand, and continued chewing, giving a vague answer.
"It's nothing... I just got bitten by a daring mosquito."
"Huh?" Hina looked around in confusion.
It's winter, are there mosquitoes in the restaurant?
"..."
Rui lifted her bangs from her forehead and used her chopsticks to hide her laughter.
△
Night, in the hotel room.
Before going to bed, Hina, who had drunk several bottles of wine, still stared sharply at the two of them, although her consciousness was somewhat blurred.
"Now it's time to sleep. Rui will sleep with me, and Asada-kun will sleep alone. You better not secretly get intimate while I'm asleep. I'll wake up anytime to check!"
"Yes..." Rui pulled blanket, and after exchanging glances, Shinichi urged her to lie down on the bed, "I've been playing all day, who still has the energy for that. Of course... Sleep. Don't delay your trip if you can't wake up on your own tomorrow."
"Yeah, Hina Nee-san said we shouldn't be intimate. As siblings, of course, we can't break the promise. Do you think I violated the agreement after that? No, so don't worry."
Shinichi nodded at her, shrunk into the blanket, and turned over.
"Sleep."
"It's great that you have such self-awareness!"
Only then did Hina satisfactorily turn off the front light, leaving only a dim light to illuminate the small warm area.
She hugged her sister, closed her eyes, and soon fell asleep after getting drunk.
Shortly after, the sound of snoring began to sound continuously under the calm night sky.
The room remained peaceful for a moment.
Suddenly, under the blanket, the position next to Hina moved slightly, and a figure slowly slipped down from the edge of the blanket.
"She also said she would wake up anytime... She's clearly like a dead pig when she falls asleep. I really didn't notice..."
Rui sighed lightly, and the sound she made was still weak even in a room where the drop of a needle could be heard. Hina was not aware at all.
Rui tried hard to suppress all movements, but her heartbeat, which was getting faster, still couldn't slow down.
She moved towards Shinichi's bed.
"This is the first time I've done it with someone around me..."
It's normal to feel nervous, but today she has done a lot behind Hina's back like joking and teasing, and her inner urge has increased, and now it's almost unbearable.
No more shame or moral concepts. In this winter, she just wants to cuddle in Shinichi's arms.
So, Rui quietly climbed to the end of his bed and carefully groped inside, her breath becoming quick and hot without realizing it.
Then, she caught something soft.
"... Hm?"
Rui's expression changed, and she squeezed the object tightly. Despite the fact that the movement might wake up her sister sleeping next to her like a dead pig, she immediately opened the blanket and took the object from the bed.
Only from its outline in the dim light, she could clearly see the pillow that made the blanket look like someone was lying on it.
"Is this actually a pillow..."
This person is like a golden cricket escaping from its shell? !
As Rui hesitated to throw away the pillow, a figure slowly crawled out from under the bed next to her, and the dim light illuminated its shadow like a wild animal.
The wild animal took advantage of Rui's unpreparedness and used the slowest and fastest movement to throw her onto the bed, straddling her legs, and covering her mouth.
"Mhm--!"
"Catching the naughty girl, hehehehe..."
Hearing this evil laugh, Rui's initially tense body immediately relaxed and stopped struggling.
Her nails pinched the back of his hand, signaling him to release her.
Shinichi nodded, first pulling the blanket he had pulled and covering them both, then moving his hand from her mouth to the side of her head.
In the darkness, he couldn't clearly see if her face was red, but he could feel that her temperature was slightly high.
"Silly, why did you scare me when you have nothing to do..."
Complaining softly, a hand touched her face, tracing the familiar lines with his fingertips.
Shinichi pulled his hand down, clasped it, and pressed it to the bed, slowly bowing his head and speaking into her ear.
"I have a surprise for you, are you happy?"
Rui turned her face away, feeling a bit disgusted: "I'm not happy... It's better to just be normal, and you're still playing so many tricks."
"Well~ How can I make my beloved Rui-chan happy?" Shinichi asked playfully, his hot breath touching her ear.
"..."
Rui didn't speak. After being silent for a long time, she suddenly straightened her neck.
Shouldn't that be her chin? Rui didn't pay attention and just fell back onto the bed, her chest rising and falling rapidly, and she mumbled meltingly.
"Lower your voice and don't disturb Hina Nee-san, I'll be happy..."
Shinichi touched her forehead with his and smiled gently.
"Then I'll get you some socks to bite on?"
Rui: "😐"
Ah, let's beat him up this time!
Under the silent winter night sky, white snow slowly descended from above.
In the warm room, beneath the cozy blankets, sounds of punches and kicks were heard slowly.
It seemed someone had been beaten painfully, suppressed breaths of pain sounded softly, the sheets were continuously rubbed, and the battle was quite tragic.
It wasn't something terrifying, it was just... a simple bed fight between prospective partners.
Hina lying in the adjacent bed, turned her body in a very awkward sleeping position, scratched her stomach, grinned, and emitted snoring sounds.
Although the movements next to her became louder, she continued to sleep soundly.
△
About 12 years later.
The petite girl with black bobbed hair, holding a book, walked towards the woman with purplish-blue hair watering flowers in the yard.
"Mom, have you read Dad's new novel?"
Her expression was not very clear, and she seemed a bit cold and unapproachable.
But her wine-red eyes were filled with emotions like her mother's.
The woman stopped watering the flowers, turned to look at her daughter, and took the book from her hands.
"[Hidden Love in the Snow]... I haven't read it. Although he said he wanted to review his manuscript for me, I declined. I plan to wait until the manuscript is bound into a book before reading it."
The woman smiled and caressed the book cover with her finger. The author's name, in a very soft voice, "What's the matter, Ruka?"
Asada Ruka took back the book, hugged it tightly to her chest, then raised her head and asked expressionlessly.
"The protagonists and heroine in it display their affection on the ski slope as if no one is watching, and even secretly make love under the covers when their friends who traveled with them are asleep..." The little girl said with a hint of wisdom in her eyes.
"Mom, I remember Dad saying he would write a story about you before you get married this time, so..."
The woman's expression tensed.
"Aunt Hina just called and said she'll come later. She also asked when Dad will be back... She wants you all to wait for her at home. Anyone who dares to run away first will be finished."
The corners of the woman's mouth twitched, and there were many black lines in her head.
"That fool..."
She covered her face with her palm, and after sighing helplessly, she smiled nostalgically, touched her daughter's hair, and gazed at the beautiful blooming flowers in the yard.
"Ruka, look at those flowers, aren't they blooming beautifully?"
Her tone was very gentle, and it seemed to make the flowers sway with joy.
"Beautiful, but..." The little girl frowned slightly as she wondered why her mother suddenly asked such a question, her whole body suddenly feeling cold, and she felt like there was a cold draft flowing directly from the top of her head to her body.
She stiffly looked up and saw black air starting to emerge from behind her mother, and her smile changed from nostalgic to eerie, like an evil ghost crawling from hell while grinning.
"When dad comes back, the flowers will bloom even more beautifully... So look forward to it."
Her other hand clenched. Asada Rui remembered what happened then and decided not to use any powers when punching her chest this time.
"..."
Ruka couldn't help but tremble, silently praying for her father in her heart.