1
00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,320
Some winters don't arrive with 
memory. 

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00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:07,480
They arrive with change. 
A shift in the air, a new warmth

3
00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:11,240
in an ordinary day, a color you 
didn't expect to see. 

4
00:00:11,760 --> 00:00:14,520
They say life turns slowly in 
your mid 20s. 

5
00:00:15,240 --> 00:00:20,040
Quiet mornings, familiar 
routines, days blending into the

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00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:23,200
next. 
But sometimes, without warning, 

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00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:27,680
someone steps into the stillness
and the world feels different. 

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00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:32,560
It wasn't a moment meant to stay
just the winter afternoon, a 

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00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:35,200
thrift store and the stranger 
who carried. 

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00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:38,920
The kind of brightness you 
notice before you understand why

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00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:43,280
this is winter's last melody. 
The colors that found me. 

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00:00:44,480 --> 00:00:47,960
After graduation, Harrow split 
his days between his 

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00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:51,400
grandfather's farm in BA and 
home in Ataro. 

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00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:56,280
The work was steady, familiar, 
the kind of life everyone 

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00:00:56,280 --> 00:01:01,280
assumed he would settle into. 
But that winter, Mr. feels quiet

16
00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:05,560
and covered in snow. 
Something in him felt restless. 

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00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:10,080
He began taking the train into 
Sapporo on his free days, just 

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to see more of the world than 
the 1 he grown up inside. 

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That was when he spotted it. 
A small thrift shop on the side 

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street, warm light spilling onto
the snow, a hiring flyer taped 

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00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:25,920
to the window. 
Haru paused without knowing why.

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00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:31,000
Maybe it was the worms, maybe 
the colours inside, maybe 

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00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:35,200
something else entirely. 
He stepped inside, Warmeyer 

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00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:40,440
wrapped around him immediately, 
old wood, worn fabric and the 

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00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:43,840
clean, calming scent of Hinoki 
drifting from the small diffuser

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00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:46,520
behind the counter. 
The man behind the counter 

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00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:51,400
looked up, I Sprite expressive, 
already assessing him. 

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00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:56,920
I saw the hiring flyer outside. 
Oh, you're here for the job? 

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00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:00,000
He leaned in, elbows on the 
counter. 

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00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:05,640
Great, we actually need someone.
Let's see, you're wearing a lot 

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00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:08,199
of Brown. 
Harold blinked back. 

32
00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:12,320
Is that a problem? 
The man pointed at him like he 

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00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:16,720
was highlighting evidence. 
Brown coat, brown sweater, brown

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00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:21,160
scarf, and brown back. 
Did you do that on purpose, or 

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00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:22,960
did Brown win the fight this 
morning? 

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00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:26,440
Harold flushed slightly, caught 
between amusement and 

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00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:28,920
embarrassment. 
I wasn't trying to match 

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00:02:28,920 --> 00:02:31,680
anything. 
The man nodded in a mock serious

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00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:35,240
way. 
By the way, I'm Mitsuki, coat 

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00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:37,440
off. 
I have to make sure you can 

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00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:40,760
reach shelves. 
Harrow hesitated briefly, then 

42
00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:45,160
took off his coat. 
Isuki watched him, not rudely, 

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00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:47,800
just observant. 
Then he nodded. 

44
00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:51,360
Perfect, you'll do. 
Harrow blinked. 

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00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:55,760
Wait, you're hiring me? 
Isuki laughed. 

46
00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:59,440
Absolutely not. 
I have 0 authority. 

47
00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:03,240
He tapped the counter twice. 
But I can put in a very 

48
00:03:03,240 --> 00:03:07,120
confident good word. 
Haru didn't know why, but that 

49
00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:10,800
was the moment the shop felt a 
little warmer, the moment 

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00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:14,840
something shifted, and the 
moment color began inching into 

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00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:19,000
the edges of his winter. 
Isuki pulled out a deep green 

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00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:21,640
net. 
This hold still. 

53
00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:26,600
Before Haru could react, Itzuki 
stepped right into his space and

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00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:30,120
lifted the sweater against 
Haru's chest, tilting his head 

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00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:34,000
to study it. 
Haru felt his breast catch, not 

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00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:38,040
dramatically, just enough that 
he hoped Itzuki didn't notice. 

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00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:41,160
Itzuki definitely noticed. 
Hmm. 

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00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:44,240
He murmured. 
Green wakes you up. 

59
00:03:44,440 --> 00:03:48,120
You have good skin, but the 
brown is killing it softly. 

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00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:51,720
Haru stared at the sweater 
instead of Itzuki's face. 

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00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:56,200
Is this part of the interview? 
You could say that. 

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00:03:56,640 --> 00:04:00,880
Izuki replied, swapping the 
sweater for an olive turtleneck.

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00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:06,440
And also our customer service. 
We need to look approachable. 

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00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:09,280
His eyes flicked back to Haro's 
brown sweater. 

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00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:12,880
Not like we're blending into a 
wooden floor. 

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00:04:13,040 --> 00:04:16,120
Haro couldn't help it, he let 
out a small laugh. 

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00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:21,600
Izuki froze for half a second, 
then he smiled, slow and 

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00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:24,480
satisfied. 
The way someone smiles when a 

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00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:26,800
puzzle piece clicks. 
There it is. 

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00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:28,880
He said. 
Much better. 

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00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:33,080
Haru blinked. 
What is your laugh? 

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00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:36,000
I just needed to see what colour
it was. 

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00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:39,320
Haru stared at him, unsure how 
to respond. 

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00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:44,360
Isuki didn't wait for an answer.
He held up a maroon cardigan. 

75
00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:46,880
Next. 
No, this is too heavy. 

76
00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:49,680
All right, try that green one I 
gave you. 

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00:04:50,320 --> 00:04:52,880
You mean change right here? 
Why not? 

78
00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:56,080
Sookie cut in. 
Are you afraid I'll judge your 

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00:04:56,080 --> 00:04:58,200
fashion choices? 
He smirked. 

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00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:01,800
Don't worry, I already did that 
at the door. 

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00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:05,360
Harrow sighed. 
I'll use the fitting room. 

82
00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:08,800
He said firmly. 
Come on, I need to see the color

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00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:11,400
on you. 
Harrow hesitated. 

84
00:05:12,080 --> 00:05:14,600
He excelled softly. 
Fine. 

85
00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:18,640
He pulled his brown sweater over
his head, folding it neatly in 

86
00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:21,680
his hands. 
Isuki eye sprouts lifted. 

87
00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:24,080
Oh wow. 
He murmured. 

88
00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:27,120
You actually have a body under 
all that brown. 

89
00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:31,080
That's good to know. 
Haru ignored that, slipping the 

90
00:05:31,080 --> 00:05:35,280
green net over his head. 
When he looked up, Isuki was 

91
00:05:35,280 --> 00:05:37,760
watching him with a surprising 
seriousness. 

92
00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:41,760
That is your color. 
Isuki said quietly. 

93
00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:47,040
Haru blinked, thrown off by the 
sincerity, smiling before he 

94
00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:50,920
realized he was doing it. 
Isuki pointed at Haru with a 

95
00:05:50,920 --> 00:05:55,280
quick, triumphant gesture. 
There it is again, that smile. 

96
00:05:55,800 --> 00:05:59,240
That's the second time today. 
Haru stiffened slightly. 

97
00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:04,280
I smile all the time. 
No, you smile politely all the 

98
00:06:04,280 --> 00:06:07,760
time. 
This one, you're not hiding it. 

99
00:06:08,320 --> 00:06:11,640
Before Haru could react, the 
shop doorbell chimed at the 

100
00:06:11,640 --> 00:06:14,080
entrance. 
A customer walked in. 

101
00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:18,000
Isuki leaned close enough that 
Haru felt a brush of warm air 

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00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:20,360
near his cheek. 
Watch and learn. 

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00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:24,520
He whispered lightly. 
And just like that, Haru's 

104
00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:27,200
winter began to change color at 
home. 

105
00:06:27,440 --> 00:06:31,040
His grandfather called it 
irresponsible, and his parents 

106
00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:33,920
called it a face. 
But the warmth he found here, 

107
00:06:34,280 --> 00:06:37,240
the way Itsuki moved through 
winter like he could blend the 

108
00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:41,160
cold into something bright, made
Haru feel for the first time 

109
00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:45,560
that he wasn't running away from
his life, but towards something 

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00:06:45,560 --> 00:06:48,480
he hadn't known he was allowed 
to want. 

111
00:06:49,680 --> 00:06:53,360
Winter settle into rhythm before
Haru even notice it happening. 

112
00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:57,760
Days in the shop pass quietly 
stitched together by small 

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00:06:57,760 --> 00:07:00,440
routines. 
The sound of hangers sliding 

114
00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:04,600
across wrecks, the soft scrape 
of Izuki scissors trimming loose

115
00:07:04,600 --> 00:07:08,640
threats, the slow, steady warms 
rising from the old heater by 

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00:07:08,640 --> 00:07:11,360
the window. 
Some afternoons, Haru would 

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00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:16,000
glance up from a book and find 
Itzuki hunched over a worn coat.

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00:07:16,280 --> 00:07:20,120
Hatching fabric was the kind of 
intensity that made the whole 

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00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:24,400
room seem to pause. 
Other days, portfolio pages lay 

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00:07:24,400 --> 00:07:28,000
open across the counter, bright 
colors layered without 

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00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:31,320
confidence Haru never would have
imagined for himself. 

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00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:36,560
It was easy, somehow, falling 
into step beside him, working in

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00:07:36,560 --> 00:07:41,280
comfortable silence, sharing 
warm tea during breaks, watching

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00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:45,880
snow drift down the glass as the
days folded quietly into one 

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00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:48,960
another. 
And every night, when the lamps 

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00:07:48,960 --> 00:07:52,880
dimmed and the shop finally 
closed, they walked together 

127
00:07:52,880 --> 00:07:56,200
toward the station. 
Haro waited at the Otaro bound 

128
00:07:56,200 --> 00:08:01,080
platform while Itsuki stood a 
step behind him, hands deep in 

129
00:08:01,080 --> 00:08:04,800
his pockets, as if deciding 
whether to say something he 

130
00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:07,800
never quite voiced. 
The train always arrived too 

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00:08:07,800 --> 00:08:10,360
soon. 
The doors always closed before 

132
00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:13,960
Haro could linger, and whenever 
he looked back through the 

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00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:18,680
window, Yizuki was still there. 
The season split itself in two 

134
00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:21,920
around him. 
Sapporo days filled with swarms 

135
00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:25,520
and noise, Otaro nights wrapped 
in quiet and cold. 

136
00:08:26,280 --> 00:08:31,240
Two different worlds. 
And slowly, quietly, Yitsuki 

137
00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:33,280
began to fill the space between 
them. 

138
00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:38,559
Snow pressed softly against the 
window, muffling the city beyond

139
00:08:38,559 --> 00:08:41,320
dead. 
Yizuki suddenly straightened, 

140
00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:45,960
untied his apron, and turned 
toward Haru with a brightness 

141
00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:47,840
that didn't match the grey 
outside. 

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00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:52,640
Haru blinked in surprise. 
Do you know what today is, Haru?

143
00:08:52,640 --> 00:08:55,720
Past mid fault. 
Isuki pointed at Haru with a 

144
00:08:55,720 --> 00:09:00,480
kind of theatrical urgency. 
Today makes one months exactly 

145
00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:04,160
since you started here. 
Haru opened his mouse, but 

146
00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:07,080
nothing came out. 
Isuki continued. 

147
00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:09,280
And because you haven't run away
yet. 

148
00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:12,600
And because you felt better than
my last three Co workers 

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00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:17,280
combined. 
And because his voice softened 

150
00:09:17,680 --> 00:09:20,600
just a touch. 
You make the shop nicer to walk 

151
00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:23,200
into every day. 
We need to celebrate. 

152
00:09:23,440 --> 00:09:26,920
Celebrate what? 
Izuki didn't miss a beat. 

153
00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:31,560
The fact you're still here, 
which means dinner tonight. 

154
00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:36,000
Haru blinked once, twice. 
He could feel the cold waiting 

155
00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:38,800
outside the door. 
He could picture the train 

156
00:09:38,800 --> 00:09:42,720
timetable he always checked. 
He could hear his own quiet 

157
00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:45,000
habits whispering the 
predictable choice. 

158
00:09:45,360 --> 00:09:48,520
But something about the way 
Yitsuki looked at him like he'd 

159
00:09:48,520 --> 00:09:53,920
been waiting for this day tilted
the moment Haru excel softly. 

160
00:09:54,280 --> 00:09:56,240
Dinner. 
Yitsuki grinned. 

161
00:09:56,840 --> 00:10:00,720
Yeah, dinner you're buying, and 
I'll buy the beer after. 

162
00:10:01,400 --> 00:10:04,280
And just like that, winter 
shifted again. 

163
00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:09,960
Dinner passed in blur. 
Warm dishes, low lights, the 

164
00:10:09,960 --> 00:10:13,040
kind of laughter Haru didn't 
realize he was capable of 

165
00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:15,880
sharing with someone he hadn't 
known for long. 

166
00:10:16,640 --> 00:10:21,160
Maybe it was the heater, maybe 
the food, maybe the beer Izuki 

167
00:10:21,160 --> 00:10:24,440
insisted on ordering. 
It wasn't until they stood to 

168
00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:27,280
leave that Haru realized the 
bill was already gone. 

169
00:10:27,760 --> 00:10:30,320
It's our anniversary, Izuki 
said. 

170
00:10:31,280 --> 00:10:35,400
There was something in the way 
he said it, Light but sincere. 

171
00:10:36,120 --> 00:10:39,640
Whatever the reason, Haru felt 
lighter as they stepped back 

172
00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:42,560
into the night. 
The cold hit instantly. 

173
00:10:42,920 --> 00:10:46,360
They walked. 
The city had quieted, snow 

174
00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:49,120
falling and thin silver lines 
under the streetlights. 

175
00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:53,640
Haru felt the warmth from dinner
fading too fast, slipping from 

176
00:10:53,640 --> 00:10:56,800
his hands first. 
Instinctively, he curled his 

177
00:10:56,800 --> 00:11:01,520
fingers into his sleeves. 
Isuki noticed, He always did. 

178
00:11:02,240 --> 00:11:05,160
Seriously. 
He bumped Haru's shoulder. 

179
00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:09,080
You didn't bring gloves. 
Yizuki stepped in front of him. 

180
00:11:09,720 --> 00:11:12,840
Give me your hands. 
Haru hesitated only for a second

181
00:11:12,920 --> 00:11:16,640
before offering them. 
Yizuki wrapped Haru's fingers in

182
00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:22,040
his own palms, warm and certain.
He didn't rush, didn't joke, 

183
00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:25,840
didn't smirk. 
He simply breezed against Haru's

184
00:11:25,840 --> 00:11:31,000
knuckles, slow and steady, until
warm spread into Haru's skin 

185
00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:35,200
like something intentional, 
something deliberate, something 

186
00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:38,040
meant. 
A quiet shift pulsed through 

187
00:11:38,040 --> 00:11:41,160
Haru's chest. 
Isuki didn't let go. 

188
00:11:41,640 --> 00:11:45,680
He guided 1 of Haru's hand into 
the pocket of his coat, slipping

189
00:11:45,680 --> 00:11:49,560
his own hand in after it. 
Their fingers curled naturally, 

190
00:11:50,040 --> 00:11:54,080
held securely in the small 
shared space there. 

191
00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:58,640
Isuki murmured, low from the 
beer and the cold and the 

192
00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:02,080
closeness. 
Haru's pulse stilled, then 

193
00:12:02,080 --> 00:12:04,200
rushed. 
In a quiet, dizzy hour, the 

194
00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:08,400
restaurant Swarms was gone. 
The city was silent around them.

195
00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:13,560
But here, in this pocket, in 
this borrowed heat, something 

196
00:12:13,560 --> 00:12:18,320
settled and flared all at once. 
Whatever it was, Harrow felt the

197
00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:22,440
spark move fast. 
They reached a narrow St. that 

198
00:12:22,440 --> 00:12:27,040
branched off toward the station.
The 1 Harrow always took, but 

199
00:12:27,040 --> 00:12:29,440
tonight he didn't turn 
immediately. 

200
00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:32,400
A soft glow spill from tiny bar 
nearby. 

201
00:12:32,840 --> 00:12:37,640
Haru passed just for a breath. 
Yizuki stopped beside him, 

202
00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:41,200
breasts rising in soft clouds. 
You OK? 

203
00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:45,200
He asked, voice low from the 
cold and the drinks. 

204
00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:50,640
Haru nodded, He meant it. 
He wasn't cold anymore, he 

205
00:12:50,640 --> 00:12:56,000
wasn't tired, just warm in 
places he hadn't felt warm in a 

206
00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:59,600
long time. 
Yizuki stepped a little closer, 

207
00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:03,800
not enough to startle, just 
enough that Haro felt the shift 

208
00:13:03,800 --> 00:13:06,440
in the air. 
You don't have to rush home. 

209
00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:10,760
Yizuki said softly. 
That sentence brushed something 

210
00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:13,880
loose inside Haru. 
Snow drifted between them, 

211
00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:18,120
catching in Haru's hair, melting
against Yizuki's coat. 

212
00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:23,080
For a moment, the city faded 
into a kind of winter hush. 

213
00:13:23,560 --> 00:13:27,480
Yizuki reached up, brushing A 
stray snowflake from Haru's 

214
00:13:27,480 --> 00:13:30,000
cheek was the back of his 
knuckle. 

215
00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:35,720
It was nothing, a tiny touch, 
barely anything at all, but it 

216
00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:38,360
was enough. 
Haru couldn't tell who leaned in

217
00:13:38,360 --> 00:13:42,040
the first, or how close they 
were before that moment. 

218
00:13:42,680 --> 00:13:47,040
All he remembered was the worms,
Isuki's breast mixing with his, 

219
00:13:47,680 --> 00:13:51,440
the faint taste of winter air 
between them, snow melting on 

220
00:13:51,440 --> 00:13:55,360
their lips as one heartbeat 
slipped quietly into another. 

221
00:13:55,800 --> 00:13:57,680
The kiss wasn't slower, 
hesitant. 

222
00:13:58,200 --> 00:14:00,840
It wasn't careful. 
It wasn't shy. 

223
00:14:01,280 --> 00:14:05,160
It was sudden, fast enough that 
Haru only caught the shape of 

224
00:14:05,160 --> 00:14:10,560
it, the Press of mouses, Izuki's
hands slipping behind his neck, 

225
00:14:11,160 --> 00:14:14,400
the way Haru's fingers curled 
instinctively into the front of 

226
00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:17,120
Izuki's coat. 
Haru's mind didn't capture the 

227
00:14:17,120 --> 00:14:21,080
details, just the impact. 
And when they finally pulled 

228
00:14:21,080 --> 00:14:25,240
apart, breezing lightly, the 
street felt different. 

229
00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:29,160
Isuki's eyes lingered on Haru. 
You're not going home. 

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00:14:29,720 --> 00:14:33,320
He murmured. 
It wasn't a question, not a 

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00:14:33,320 --> 00:14:35,960
comment, just a truce hanging in
the colt. 

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00:14:36,200 --> 00:14:40,120
Haru didn't answer. 
He didn't need to, because 

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00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:43,760
whatever had just sparked had 
already shifted his night in a 

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00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:47,960
direction that didn't include 
train tracks, timetables, or 

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00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:51,960
Otaru. 
Just snow warms, and the boy 

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00:14:51,960 --> 00:14:55,920
standing in front of him, and 
the door of whatever came next. 

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00:14:56,440 --> 00:14:59,880
Isuki unlocked the apartment 
door with one hand while the 

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00:14:59,880 --> 00:15:02,160
other stayed wrapped around 
Haru's wrist. 

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00:15:02,480 --> 00:15:06,000
The hurried click of the lock, 
the worms rushing out from the 

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00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:10,920
entryway, and then the moment 
the door shut behind them, 

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00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:13,120
everything changed. 
Speed. 

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00:15:13,400 --> 00:15:17,040
Isuki pressed him against it, 
the kind of kiss that stole the 

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00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:21,240
leftover cold from Haru's lips, 
the kind that didn't ask for 

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00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:24,280
permission because the 
permission was already in the 

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00:15:24,280 --> 00:15:25,920
way. 
Haru's melted into it. 

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00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:30,120
Haru tried to shrug off his 
coat, but Izuki caught the 

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00:15:30,120 --> 00:15:34,160
collar, pushing it back from his
shoulders in one smooth motion. 

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00:15:34,560 --> 00:15:38,080
The coat hit the floor, their 
breath tangled. 

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00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:42,000
Snow melted down the back of 
Haru's neck as Izuki kissed him 

250
00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:44,400
again. 
It felt like being pulled into 

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00:15:44,400 --> 00:15:48,520
worms too quickly, too 
completely, like stepping out of

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00:15:48,520 --> 00:15:50,480
a winter and straight into a 
blaze. 

253
00:15:50,800 --> 00:15:54,400
Itsuki murmured something Haru 
didn't fully hear, already 

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00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:56,720
tugging him forward by the front
of his sweater. 

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00:15:57,560 --> 00:15:59,760
They barely made it past the 
entryway. 

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00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:04,400
Haru stumbled a step, only to be
caught at the waist. 

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00:16:04,640 --> 00:16:09,120
Itsuki hands were warm, 
decisive, sliding on the fabric,

258
00:16:09,360 --> 00:16:12,400
pulling him closer. 
Haru caught the glow of a small 

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00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:16,640
lamp and the faint hollow off 
the heater, but even in the low 

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00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:20,440
light, Haru could feel the 
brightness in Itsuki, the 

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00:16:20,480 --> 00:16:24,760
urgency, the hunger, the 
certainty of someone who knew 

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00:16:24,760 --> 00:16:26,880
what he wanted the moment he 
touched it. 

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00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:33,000
Their mouths met again, 
stronger, deeper, no hesitation 

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00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:36,360
anywhere in it. 
Haru's back hit the wall softly.

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00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:41,640
He Suki's fingers tangled in his
hair, shirts lifted, half 

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00:16:41,680 --> 00:16:46,960
tugged, half pulled and 
searching, greedy and warm, the 

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00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:49,680
kind of closeness that didn't 
come in slow steps. 

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00:16:50,360 --> 00:16:54,880
It came in urges, in rushes, in 
heat that didn't want to wait 

269
00:16:54,880 --> 00:16:57,880
for understanding. 
Harut didn't remember the order 

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00:16:57,880 --> 00:17:01,720
of things, not the exact moment 
they made it to the mattress 

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00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:06,040
now, which kiss blurred into 
which touch, not when his breast

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00:17:06,040 --> 00:17:09,400
turned into something soft and 
unsteady in the dark. 

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00:17:10,160 --> 00:17:14,680
He remembered only the feelings,
Issuki above him, looking down 

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00:17:14,680 --> 00:17:18,920
with heat in his eyes, with the 
hunger that pulled at him with a

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00:17:18,920 --> 00:17:21,319
kind of gravity Haru couldn't 
resist. 

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00:17:21,599 --> 00:17:25,160
The night answered for him. 
All he knew was the heat of the 

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00:17:25,160 --> 00:17:29,760
moment, the rush of being 
wanted, the collapse of distance

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00:17:29,760 --> 00:17:33,760
between two bodies moving fast 
and without hesitation. 

279
00:17:34,080 --> 00:17:38,840
And somewhere, in the blur, in 
the rise and fall of forms, in 

280
00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:42,640
the urgency that didn't slow 
down, in the breathless Press of

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00:17:42,640 --> 00:17:46,800
skin, Haro felt something he 
hadn't felt in a very long time.

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00:17:47,360 --> 00:17:49,200
The word. 
The outside was winter. 

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00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:55,040
Inside, the night burnt. 
The weeks that followed slipped 

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00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:57,880
in quietly. 
A few nights blurred into 

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00:17:57,880 --> 00:18:03,120
several, several turn into most,
and before Haro realized it, 

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00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:06,560
their closeness had a woven 
itself into the rhythm of the 

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00:18:06,560 --> 00:18:09,640
season. 
Some evenings he stayed after 

288
00:18:09,640 --> 00:18:13,680
closing, sitting on the counter 
while Itsuki finished repairs, 

289
00:18:14,360 --> 00:18:18,880
the heater washing warm air over
them as supper darkened outside.

290
00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:22,880
Other nights they walked 
together without discussing 

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00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:27,000
plants, their bodies turning in 
the same direction, steps 

292
00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:31,200
falling into the same pace. 
Then one night, with the blinds 

293
00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:34,720
half drawn and snow pressed 
against the window like a second

294
00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:37,920
curtain, they slipped into the 
changing room. 

295
00:18:38,400 --> 00:18:41,920
He didn't remember how they 
ended up pressed together, just 

296
00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:46,520
the heat of being pulled close. 
The way Itsuki kissed him like 

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00:18:46,520 --> 00:18:50,200
the day had been waiting for it.
The way Winter stayed outside 

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00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:53,440
the door while something much 
harder filled the room. 

299
00:18:54,360 --> 00:18:57,840
After that, the shop became part
of their story too. 

300
00:18:58,480 --> 00:19:02,160
A kiss stolen behind the curtain
when the street outside was 

301
00:19:02,160 --> 00:19:05,240
empty. 
A breast shared in the dark seam

302
00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:09,120
of the repair table. 
The kind of intimacy that didn't

303
00:19:09,120 --> 00:19:12,120
fit into daylight, but found 
room anyway. 

304
00:19:12,520 --> 00:19:16,320
And as the weeks went on, how 
was world shifted around those 

305
00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:18,400
moments? 
But beneath the warmth, 

306
00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:21,640
something else stirred. 
A quiet ache. 

307
00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:26,400
A sense that closeness this fast
carries shadow he wasn't ready 

308
00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:28,880
to look at yet. 
Still, he stayed. 

309
00:19:29,440 --> 00:19:33,200
Night after night, they planned 
their Otaro trip. 

310
00:19:33,680 --> 00:19:36,720
It began lightly, almost 
carelessly. 

311
00:19:37,320 --> 00:19:41,400
They took the afternoon train, 
windows fogging as the coastline

312
00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:43,720
blurred into long stretches of 
white. 

313
00:19:44,120 --> 00:19:48,280
Itsuki leaned into the glass, 
ice bright at each passing 

314
00:19:48,280 --> 00:19:51,640
harbour town, cheek swarming 
from the heater. 

315
00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:54,600
Harrow found himself watching 
the reflection of that 

316
00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:57,600
brightness more than the scenery
outside. 

317
00:19:58,360 --> 00:20:01,480
Otado was cold in a way Sapporo 
rarely was. 

318
00:20:01,880 --> 00:20:05,080
Sea, wind, cold. 
The kind that wrapped around the

319
00:20:05,080 --> 00:20:07,440
bones. 
They walked the canal first. 

320
00:20:07,920 --> 00:20:10,000
Lamplight brushed the water with
gold. 

321
00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:14,200
Snow drifted gently, collecting 
in folds of their scarves. 

322
00:20:14,360 --> 00:20:18,840
Itzuki slowed his pace, taking 
in the rows of warehouses, the 

323
00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:21,800
stone arches, the quiet 
afternoon hum. 

324
00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:26,160
Further down, a faint melody 
threaded through the street, a 

325
00:20:26,160 --> 00:20:29,680
row of music box stalls. 
Itzuki lingered there. 

326
00:20:30,280 --> 00:20:34,920
Haru watched him without asking.
They wandered a little longer by

327
00:20:34,920 --> 00:20:38,240
the time they reached the 
platform entrance and electronic

328
00:20:38,240 --> 00:20:41,720
chime sounded overhead. 
A scrolling notice lit the 

329
00:20:41,720 --> 00:20:46,080
signboard in harsh shred. 
All trains operation suspended 

330
00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:49,760
lines to supper temporarily 
halted due to the severe 

331
00:20:49,760 --> 00:20:52,920
weather. 
Itzuki stared at it, shoulders 

332
00:20:52,920 --> 00:20:55,960
lifting was a small excel he 
didn't fully release. 

333
00:20:56,160 --> 00:20:59,840
Harrow glance at the storm 
building across the tracks, snow

334
00:20:59,840 --> 00:21:03,520
swallowing the far end of the 
line, wind bending into long 

335
00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:06,000
arcs. 
There was no choice. 

336
00:21:06,560 --> 00:21:10,840
He turned gently toward Izuki. 
The decision didn't need words. 

337
00:21:11,640 --> 00:21:15,360
A short walk later, Haru 
unlocked the door to his home. 

338
00:21:16,080 --> 00:21:19,880
Warm air drifted out. 
Izuki stepped inside slowly, 

339
00:21:20,160 --> 00:21:24,600
brushing snow from his hair, his
gloves, the hem of his coat. 

340
00:21:25,800 --> 00:21:29,440
Haru's mother stepped out from 
the kitchen, surprised for only 

341
00:21:29,440 --> 00:21:32,520
a heartbeat before her gaze 
shifted to the storm outside the

342
00:21:32,520 --> 00:21:34,880
window. 
Issuki bowed quietly. 

343
00:21:35,160 --> 00:21:38,680
Harrow's mother hid a small 
smile and stepped aside so they 

344
00:21:38,680 --> 00:21:41,000
could pass. 
Her voice followed. 

345
00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:44,560
Tea will be ready. 
Harrow gave a small nod of 

346
00:21:44,560 --> 00:21:47,480
gratitude, then opened his 
bedroom door. 

347
00:21:48,320 --> 00:21:52,040
Issuki stepped in silently. 
Harrow's room held its usual 

348
00:21:52,040 --> 00:21:57,160
warmth, books lined neatly, 
heater humming gently, the faint

349
00:21:57,160 --> 00:21:59,440
scent of laundry still clinging 
to the air. 

350
00:21:59,840 --> 00:22:01,880
Izuki sat his back down and 
paused. 

351
00:22:02,160 --> 00:22:04,240
His eyes had caught something on
the shelf. 

352
00:22:04,840 --> 00:22:10,040
A small wooden box, soft edges 
gently worn, the carved 

353
00:22:10,040 --> 00:22:12,800
silhouette of two trees touching
at their branches. 

354
00:22:13,040 --> 00:22:14,920
Without asking, he reached for 
it. 

355
00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:19,600
He turned the key once. 
A quiet melody filled into the 

356
00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:23,280
room. 
Haru stood still, watching the 

357
00:22:23,280 --> 00:22:27,120
way Itzuki expression shifted. 
Then came a faint knock. 

358
00:22:27,880 --> 00:22:32,240
The door slid open just enough 
for Haru's mother to slip inside

359
00:22:32,920 --> 00:22:34,840
and steady around the tray of 
tea. 

360
00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:39,520
She set the tray on Haru's desk 
when she left, closing the door 

361
00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:42,840
softly behind her. 
The room grew still again. 

362
00:22:43,600 --> 00:22:47,240
Just the music. 
Haru watched him, something 

363
00:22:47,240 --> 00:22:51,120
tightening gently in his chest. 
Before he could stop himself, 

364
00:22:51,440 --> 00:22:54,040
the word slipped out. 
Do you want it? 

365
00:22:54,600 --> 00:22:59,680
Isuki looked up, surprised. 
He lifted the box fully into his

366
00:22:59,680 --> 00:23:01,920
hands. 
He didn't know what the box 

367
00:23:01,920 --> 00:23:06,520
meant, He didn't know what 
winter lived inside it, but he 

368
00:23:06,520 --> 00:23:11,440
accepted it, and Haru let him. 
Isuki looked at the music box 

369
00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:16,080
again, then at Haru. 
Thank you, I like it. 

370
00:23:16,640 --> 00:23:20,480
When the last note faded, Isuki 
finally excelled. 

371
00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:22,400
There's something I need to tell
you. 

372
00:23:23,200 --> 00:23:27,040
I got a job offer in Tokyo. 
The words landed quietly, 

373
00:23:27,520 --> 00:23:30,120
without decoration. 
Haru blinked. 

374
00:23:30,320 --> 00:23:34,160
Tokyo designer position. 
Yizuki said. 

375
00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:38,480
Silence moved between them. 
When a week. 

376
00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:42,040
The heater hummed. 
Snow pressed harder against the 

377
00:23:42,040 --> 00:23:45,360
siding. 
Haru, step forward, come here. 

378
00:23:45,920 --> 00:23:49,560
Yizuki didn't smirk this time. 
He simply moved. 

379
00:23:49,840 --> 00:23:54,360
Haru wrapped his arm around him,
holding him fully, steadily. 

380
00:23:54,840 --> 00:24:00,080
A careful, anchoring embrace. 
Isuki leaned in, exhaling 

381
00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:03,840
against Haru's shoulder, 
fingertips curling into the back

382
00:24:03,840 --> 00:24:06,120
of Haru's sweater as if steady 
himself. 

383
00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:11,040
Haru held him a little tighter, 
and Itzuki let himself be held. 

384
00:24:13,120 --> 00:24:18,160
Some winters stay with you. 
Not for their storms, but for 

385
00:24:18,160 --> 00:24:21,360
the worms. 
No one expects to find the quiet

386
00:24:21,360 --> 00:24:24,680
moments, the softness that 
pulled you forward. 

387
00:24:25,480 --> 00:24:28,800
Oh, Haru, this was a winter he 
never forgot. 

388
00:24:29,040 --> 00:24:31,560
The days that found him and 
stayed. 

389
00:24:31,880 --> 00:24:36,840
This was winter's last melody. 
Chapter 2, The colors that found

390
00:24:36,840 --> 00:24:39,240
me. 
And if you'd like to walk deeper

391
00:24:39,240 --> 00:24:42,480
into the memories Haru kept, 
there's more waiting. 

392
00:24:42,760 --> 00:24:46,880
Don't forget to like the video, 
subscribe to gay Audio books, 

393
00:24:47,480 --> 00:24:50,360
and leave a comment so you never
miss the next part. 

394
00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:54,800
Before we end, I want to share 
something quietly. 

395
00:24:55,480 --> 00:24:59,520
My short novel Men Being Too 
Intimate, beginning with the 

396
00:24:59,520 --> 00:25:02,960
Time We Had, is now available on
Kindle. 

397
00:25:03,800 --> 00:25:07,200
You'll find the link in the 
description, and if you have 

398
00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:10,120
Kindle Unlimited, you can read 
it there. 

399
00:25:11,080 --> 00:25:11,600
Thank you.