''Excuse me, it's a little chilly out there. May I enter so I can catch my breath before continuing my travel?'' Ichiro asked and patted the snow off his shoulders.
He didn't receive a reply, instead received something else.
A cold and soft hand touched his cheeks, which made him narrow his eyes, but then he felt the strength of the hands increasing, and his head was forcefully pulled forwards.
*Smooch*
His eyes widened in shock as his lips were locked with soft and cold lips.
The first reaction Ichiro had, was anger.
His fist clenched, and he was about to unleash his mighty punch at the person who forcefully kissed him.
He reeled in his fist, and when he was about to punch, his eyes widened in shock.
The person that was kissing him had tears gushing out of her eyes while she wrapped her slender arms around his waist.
His body froze as his clenched fist loosened.
He only kept looking at the young woman before him while he had a slight difficulty breathing as her lips kept suffocating him.
Ichiro's hands trembled as he grabbed the young woman's cheeks. They were dirtied, caused by a lack of hygiene and care.
He used his thumbs and slowly got rid of the dirt from her face; the previous smooth skin made its reappearance.
The young woman in front of him had a fatigued look on her face, with untidy hair and thick winter clothing that had changed shades from winter to slight brownish color.
One can only imagine what she had to suffer.
Soon, her eyes slowly opened, and her beautiful blue eyes appeared.
The eyes that had lost their beauty only a moment ago, but now, they were bright, like the ocean itself.
She slowly separated their lips, and she breathed deeply with tears still pouring down.
Her legs started trembling, and Ichiro had to help her stand; otherwise, she would have fallen down on the floor.
They moved closer to the wooden chair, and the young woman sat down on it, her beautiful blue eyes still looking at Ichiro.
''Am I hallucinating?'' She murmured, ''I-I think… My exhaustion is tricking me…''
Ichiro crouched in front of her and asked, ''Azura… What are you doing here?''
Azura, immediately after hearing his voice, she closed her eyes and started murmuring, ''Don't be a dream… Don't… Don't…''
She pinched her left hand and felt a pain that woke her up from her exhaustion.
Her eyes slowly opened, and she came face to face with a youth that had been haunting her thoughts for weeks.
''Ichiro..?'' She rubbed her eyes, and once she opened them again, her eyes widened in shock, and her mouth opened, but no words came out.
''Azura, why are you here?'' Ichiro asked and gritted his teeth after seeing the condition she was in.
''I-I thought you *Sob* died…'' Her tears fell like a waterfall as she managed to utter her words in the midsts of sobs.
''I…'' Ichiro didn't want to reveal that she was partially correct, ''I survived…''
''I-I am so happy…'' She wrapped her arms around his head and hugged him tightly, with her tears pouring down from Ichiro's shoulders.
He patted her head for close to five minutes until she managed to calm down her tears but still didn't move an inch.
''Is Abyss..?'' Ichiro asked softly.
Azura did a slight nod and buried her face in Ichiro's chest.
Ichiro closed his eyes and hugged Azura's petite body.
''H-How did he die?'' She asked with a shaky tone, and she had many nightmares about her father's death, but she wanted to know how he died.
And did he die in honor?
''We were… Attacked.'' Ichiro started telling the story, ''They were called The Ones Who Are Hiding In The Dark, and their leader was someone powerful, he managed to fight against Abyss in equal standings, and was even slightly stronger.''
Azura gasped and, with horror, looked at Ichiro's face.
If there was someone like that around, no one could be safe.
''They fought back and forth, but then Abyss had to make a decision, which ended up saving mine and Aether's lives… But, he got gravely injured.''
Azura listened closely, with a pained look painted on her beautiful face.
''I don't know how he died…'' Ichiro took a deep breath and said, ''But, I know that the person who managed to kill Abyss… Must have died as well— there is no way he survived!''
''B-But, what if he survived? N-No one would be safe.''
Ichiro didn't know the answer to his question, but he knew one thing, ''If that bastard really survived… He has to be stopped.''
''Anyway… Didn't Aether tell you about what happened?'' He decided to ask and saw Azura's face having a tinge of pain.
He had a sinking feeling that something unspeakable had happened.
''Did he… Die?'' Ichiro asked with a racing heartbeat but sighed a relief after seeing Azura shaking her head.
''He is in a coma.'' Azura replied and then remembered, ''Two government guys arrived at the hospital, and they seemed desperate to get the answers.''
''Alright… Listen to me.'' Ichiro raised her chin until she was looking straight at him.
Her cheeks were pink; she was finally about to look like Azura, he remembered.
''Don't tell anything to the people from government,'' Ichiro said seriously and trailed his finger on Azura's chin, which earned him a giggle from her.
''Say that you don't know anything.'' He finished and did a quick peck on her lips.
Azura nodded vigorously and then asked, ''But, why?''
''They don't need to know.'' Ichiro said and then changed the topic, ''We need to return to Coldland.''
She nodded and then sighed, ''Mother… She has not been feeling well— I am afraid that her illness might come to haunt her because of all the stress.''
''She will be fine,'' Ichiro said and glanced outside the window, where the snowstorm was raging.
It was clear that they won't be able to leave any time, and soon, it was also clear that the temperature was decreasing, making them feel colder with each passing minute.
