Gusts of winds blew through our ears, it was hard to hear anything, but in these conditions and at this altitude, we wouldn't have been able to hear anything, even if we wanted to.

But we kept on marching inside of this voracious storm of snow and ice. The circumstances were really bad, we could barely see our own feet... But between all the snowflakes, I was able to see the back of the person who has been with me during all this trip, always by my side, without looking or even thinking about what we left behind, what we have lost.

“Oi, Tsu! Are you sure that we'll be able to see something from the top?!”

The voice from the girl in front of me was shaking, but somehow I was able to hear it loud and clear, maybe because it's the only voice I have been hearing since it all started?

“I don't know Mai, but if we can't see something from there, there would hardly be anyone near us, it's the highest mountain after all!”

We haven't thought about it so much, but what if we are the only ones left? What are we doing next? All this search has been useless? It's something hard to believe, but since we haven't seen a single person... Deep inside, we really hope we’ll be able to see some signal or something from the top of this mountain. But I know the answer to all these questions…

“The storm is growing! We should find shelter and stop for today!”

“Let's hope we’ll find something soon Mai!”

The storm was growing stronger with every second. Besides, the fresh snow and the low visibility made every step harder than the previous one. At this pace, we won't be able to reach the top... No, even if we find some shelter, we still have to survive the storm in this deadly mountain.

But we were lucky, and after a few minutes (that felt like years) we found a cave and went inside.

“Hey Tsu, what if…?”

“Before you start talking, come here Mai, you are shaking. We need to get warm.”

The girl in front of me was Mai, we haven't known each other for so long, but we became close really fast, maybe due our differences or maybe because we are pretty similar at the same time. Even our birthdays are alike, hers being on May 4th and mine on April 5th, making me just a fews days older than her.

Her lips had shades of purple on them and her skin was really pale due to the cold. But her chestnut hair and orange eyes that resembled autumn made this place warmer, even if her hair and eyelashes had snowflakes on them. And her smile… her smile can melt even the coldest heart, she has a bright personality after all.

We went to a nearby rock and sat on the top of it after cleaning the snow a little. I started hugging Mai, not really because of the cold, but because I wanted to do that.

“Do you really like hugging me, right Tsu? Even if we are covered in all these clothes. Hahaha~”

“There isn't much that we can do about it, we need to keep ourselves warm after all.”

We used the last of our firewood on an improvised bonfire. It was really weak, we have next to nothing of firewood left, so the fire could hardly be used as a source of light.

“That thing won't last long…”

Mai said with a sad voice while clinging to me, she had one of her cheeks laid on mine, it was as cold as ice.

“Yeah, I know… I really hope the storm ends sooner this time, but it seems unlikely…”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“N-Nothing! Let's eat something, can we? I think I still have some chocolate left.”

“Yay! I love choco!”

Even with her trembling body and voice, even with her purple lips and pale skin, Mai gave me a big bright smile. It seems like even in the worst case scenarios, she is still able to smile with all of her spirit. No, at this point I know that’s true, that's why I fell for her even more after it all started.

“Oh…”

“Huh? It’s something wrong, Tsu?”

I was so surprised that I almost let out my thoughts, so right now Mai is looking at me with an inquisitive expression. While I was searching in my cluttered backpack for food, I found out that we only had one last chocolate bar. Of course I gave it to Mai without thinking.

“Mhmm~! I really like choco~!”

Mai cried out with her mouth full of chocolate. She even has chocolate on her cheeks! Seeing her act like that, can heal your ill heart, you know?

“Mhmm!? You are not eating Tsu! W-Why is that…? Don't tell me...!”

“Ha ha ha. Did you notice, that's bad… But don't bother about that Mai, you need to keep yourself warm, and that chocolate will help you with that.”

I said while giving her my best smile, that turned out to be a really bitter one. It's not that I’m lying, she needs to eat. Sadly, we haven't eaten well in days, so I’m really hungry too… But I can't say that to her.

Inconveniently, it was my own body who told her the truth with a loud stomach growl.

“Tsh!”

“You dummy! No, wait… I’m the one who didn't notice, that makes me even dumber than you!? What's worse, I’ve almost eaten all of the choco...”

Mai was talking to herself while holding her head with both of her hands, falling into a pit full void of darkness. It’s really weird to see her like that, so I couldn't help but laugh, she really cares about me, I know that pretty well.

“Oi, Tsu! Don't laugh, come here!”

She grabbed my cheeks with her cold hands and before I could react, she pressed her lips against mine. They were sweet, more sweet than all the previous times I’ve kissed her.

She opened her cold lips and pushed her tongue inside my mouth and I accepted it like a precious gift. I could feel one of her hands going to my waist and the other was playing close to my chest.

“Mhmp! I won't be able to feel you with all this clothes on!”

“I-It’s not like there's much to feel here…”

I said while looking at her own chest. Yeah, the difference is really clear, like a schoolgirl compared to her sexy teacher. I can't compete against her.

“Don’t say that, Tsu! It’s the body of the girl I love. The body of the perfect thin, tall girl with long black hair and cold gaze that no one dared to approach.”

Her words were just a whisper in my ear, but I knew that she was smiling while saying them, is she trying to turn me on? We have never gone that far before, and this doesn't feel like the right moment to do it, but maybe it’ll be our last chance.

“Now eat something!”

She said while putting a piece of the chocolate bar inside of my mouth. She really caught me off guard this time.

“But Mai, this is…!”

“Yeah, don’t think I’ll be giving it for free. You must share it. Hehe~”

She threw herself again against my lips. I could feel her breath and tongue inside my mouth. Both of them were warm. Not as warm as always, but warm compared to the low temperatures ruling this place.

Our tongues started playing together with the chocolate between them. It was like she was trying to steal it from me, but as soon as it was inside her mouth, she kindly gave it back to me. Inside our mouths was nothing more than a sweet and warm disaster of melted chocolate, breath, saliva, tongues and lust.

I could feel her hands desperately trying to crawl inside my clothes so she would be able to feel my body, and if it wasn't because we were inside of this cold mountain, I'll be doing the same to her.

“We should stop Mai, or I won't be able to hold back… We need to keep ourselves warm tonight. I promise you that as soon as we leave this mountain, I’ll give you everything you want… After all, I want you too…”

“Fufu~ That's a promise then!”

We hugged each other as hard as we could, then we slowly closed our eyes, trying to sleep into this raging storm.

The next day, warm rays of sun entered the cave and showered our faces. It was a beautiful morning, the perfect picture of the calm after the storm.

“Look, Tsu! We weren't as far as from the top, we should be able to reach it in one hour or so!”

“Let 's go then. Just be careful on your steps, the snow is really fresh.”

We climbed the mountain to the top, being careful with every step we made, until we finally reached our goal.

The landscape around us was beautiful. If a mountain covered in fresh snow wasn't beautiful enough, a river leading to a green field and woods was right at the mountain base. Next to the river, an abandoned wooden house with a water mill was waiting for us.

But we weren't able to see smoke, nor lights, fire or any signs of human life, nor in the house, nor in our visual field, no matter how far or which direction we looked.

After looking at every possible place for nearly four hours we finally gave up.

“It seems like there's no one else near, Tsu…”

“That seems to be the case, what do you wanna do? Do you want to keep on looking for people?”

Mai looked at the sky while thinking of an answer. We have traveled quite a lot, no one is going to question her choice at this point, there's no one left but me to do that, and I’m not going to question her.

“I don't know Tsu… Isn't it lonely to be the only ones left?”

“I would never feel lonely if I’m with you Mai, and that house over there looks like a nice place for us to live together.”

“But what if you get sick?! Will I be able to take care of you?”

Mai had a really worried expression while she was asking that, she really cares about me. But I don't want to see her worried, I just want to see her happy, so I just gave her a silly answer.

“Then I just don't get sick. Hahaha.”

“Fufu~ So you're telling me that you are fine living with me? Even if I’m useless?”

That's expresion suits her better, a big bright smile coming from her heart.

“I’m fine living with you, but you should do your part too!”

“Hahaha~”

Tears flowed from our eyes, maybe because we were happy, maybe because we were lonely. The future is really uncertain, but we'll be able to handle it if we work together. Braising those feelings, we went to the wooden house, to make it our new home.

The place was a mess, but we were lucky too. There were some bed clothes, and even some seeds and a low quality, abandoned vegetable patch along with some tools for it.

We managed to make the place our home. We organized the daily chores, and we explored the beauty of the surroundings and the youth love.

 

But this is not that kind of story, so one night while we were sleeping on the bed... It came, the talk I didn't want to hear, no matter what.

“Hey, Tsu…”

“Is there something wrong Mai?”

She hugged me with all of her strength. Her hands were cold and she looked a little bit pale, her body was shaking and so was her voice. Even her breath was cold.

“Would you believe me if I told you that I love you?”

“I already know that, and just for you to know, I love you too.”

“Fufu~ I already know that…”

“Then, what's wrong?”

A cold, deep, dense silence fell upon us. Mai was burying her worried expression into the bed sheets. Finally, she managed to gather her strengths and broke the silence.

“Do you remember what happened that night...?”

“Huh? What night? What do you mean, Mai?”

But I already know the answer, I just don't want to hear it from her. I don't want this perfect life to end. But at this point, there's nothing I can do to stop this disaster.

“That night, in the mountain… Did the storm really end? I’m feeling really cold…”

“D-Don't think about it Mai! Just hug me, hug me with all your strength! Don't leave me!”

“I really liked living here with you… Dreams are so cruel, don't you think? Hehe~”

Her voice was turning weaker with every word she said, turning into just a lonely whisper at the end. A cold whisper that was cutting the thin line between this world and the other. The thin line between life and death.

“Don't leave me Mai! I-I can’t live without you!”

I hugged her even harder, like trying to keep the life inside of her body. But her grip turned weaker and weaker until her hands fell from my back. I closed my eyes as I felt my heart breaking. Tears were flowing from my eyes, but I was unable to speak, all the words that I wanted to say were stuck in my throat…

No, it wasn't just that. When I opened my eyes, I saw the white around us, we were still on the mountain.

I was hugging Mai’s frozen body, and the bonfire was gone long ago. I couldn't feel my own fingers, but somehow I could feel my insides burning.

<This is how it ends, huh?> I wanted to say, but my throat was frozen. This is so unreal, I could swear that I can still smell the diner we made that day in the wooden house next to the river, but it was just a dream. A dream full of hope, but more important, love. Dreams can be really cruel, just as Mai said.

I kissed Mai’s forehead and left her laying with her arms crossed. She had a smile on her face. I covered her with my jacket and walked to the deadly storm in the middle of the night. <This is really how it ends...?>

 

“Tsubasa, Tsubasa, Wake up!”

“Huh?”

I was sitting on one of the desks in the classroom of our last year of high school. Well not precisely sitting, because half of my body was over the table, I was sleeping just a moment ago.

The girl calling my name was sitting by my side. She is Mai, the happiest girl you'll ever see. Her chestnut hair and orange eyes that resembled autumn somehow made the place around her warmer. And her big bright smile was able to melt even the coldest hearts.

We haven't talked since long ago, but we have some kind of secret friendship… or maybe a little bit more than that.

“Are you alright, Tsu? You looked like you were having a bad dream…”

She asked me while holding my hand with a worried expression.

“Y-Yeah, I’m fine now Mai, thanks.”

“Mhmm, okay…”

Mai stood silent for a few seconds, she clearly wanted to say something more, but she was never able to find the right words to say the thing she wanted to say, so at the end she just ended looking at me with a blushing face while playing with her own fingers.

Finally, Mai managed to sort her thoughts and let them out while talking really fast.

“W-Want to go for something to eat after the class is over?!”

“S-Sure…”

If I hadn't had that weird dream, I could have answered her with more enthusiasm, but right now I'm feeling really weird, so I ended up giving her a really vague answer.

But that wasn't just a dream. I grabbed my phone looking for the date. At this point it is just some kind of reflex, because I already know what I’m going to find in it.

<May, 4th. 14:35>

Yeah, it's the same this time... This cursed day, this fateful day. The day when we were going to cross the line of just kisses and hugs. The day of Mai's 18th birthday. The day when it all started, the day when the world ends.

At this point I’m already used to this, but I’ll never be used to watch Mai die. Even if I’ve already seen it 73 times, it always hurts like the first time. I just want us to live happily…

I looked at Mai’s warm eyes. I promised her from the bottom of my heart, that this time we’ll make it, no matter what. I wonder what kind of path we'll be taking this time...