Chapter 6: When the Earth Begins to Snow

Chapter 6: When the Earth Begins to Snow

✿———✦———✿

“I’m really scared, you know, of your snowstorm. When everything turns cold and white, and I can’t hold onto anything except that frozen wind.”

I used to think that after everything I’d been through, my life would just stay the same. But I’m really grateful for Kazuaki’s presence. The days with him have given me a comfort and safety that I hadn’t felt in so long. Every morning when I wake up and see his peaceful face as he sleeps, it feels like I’ve finally found a place I can call home.

But that comfort suddenly felt fragile when that day came.

It all started like usual. I was sitting in the living room, reading a book while waiting for Kazuaki to come home from work. Since we’ve been together, this routine became a part of my life. In the mornings, we go to work together, and at night we spend time together—whether talking, looking at the stars and moon through his telescope, or just sitting on the couch watching TV.

But that day, Kazuaki came home later than usual.

The apartment door creaked softly as Kazuaki entered. I turned and smiled, but my smile faded when I saw his face. He looked tired, but not just from work. There was something different in his eyes, like a new burden had entered his life.

“Kazu, are you okay?” I asked gently.

“Aye, ’tis but a day long and wearisome,” he replied, setting his work bag on the table. But I knew there was more to it than that. Kazuaki has never been good at hiding his feelings from me.

“That’s not like you. Did something happen at work?”

He sat beside me and took a deep breath before finally speaking.
“We have taken in a new apprentice at the company. Her name is Hayashi Yukifuyu, from the Kobe State University—mine alma mater.”

I nodded slowly, trying to process the information.
“That’s a good thing, right? Must be fun having someone new and enthusiastic around.”

“Aye, it should be so…” his voice trailed off, as if there was more he wanted to say but couldn’t.

I tried not to overthink it. Maybe it was just the pressure of his role as CTO. It’s a heavy responsibility, especially now that he has to mentor a new intern. But still, I couldn’t shake the feeling.

✿———✦———✿

A few days later, I decided to visit Kazuaki at the office and bring him lunch, just like I used to. He always looked happy when I came, even if he was busy.

But this time was different. When I arrived, the atmosphere felt... awkward.

I saw Kazuaki talking to a young girl at his desk. Her long hair was dyed bluish-white, cascading softly over her shoulders. She was smiling brightly—a smile that looked far too familiar with Kazuaki.

They seemed to be chatting casually, occasionally laughing. I stopped at the doorway, watching them from a distance. That girl—who I assumed was Yukifuyu—looked very comfortable around him. Too comfortable, maybe.

“Kazu?” I called out softly, trying to stay calm.

Kazuaki turned and looked surprised to see me.
“Chinatsu! I did not know thou wouldst cometh. Verily, I am famished—thou art most kind!”

“I brought you lunch,” I said with a smile, even though something uneasy was crawling up inside me. I tried to smile, but even my teeth were trembling a little.

“Oh, by the by, this is Hayashi Yukifuyu—the apprentice I spake of afore.”

Yukifuyu smiled and bowed politely.
“Nice to meet you, Oozora-san. Kazuaki often talks about you,” she said with a tone that felt just a bit too friendly.

I gave a faint smile and returned her greeting, but inside, something felt off. The way she looked at Kazuaki made my chest tighten.

✿———✦———✿

For the next few days, I tried to ignore the feeling, convincing myself it was just irrational fear. Kazuaki is a kind and faithful man. He would never hurt me like Miharu did. But every time I asked him about work, Yukifuyu’s name kept coming up in conversation.

They worked together a lot—even stayed late to finish urgent projects.

One night, when Kazuaki came home later than usual, I finally decided to talk to him. We sat at the dining table after he’d finished dinner.

“Kazu, can I ask you something?” My voice sounded more hesitant than I expected.

“Aye, what troubles thee, Chinatsu?” He looked tired, but still gave me his full attention.

“That intern... Yukifuyu. I know maybe it’s just my feelings, but... is there something going on between you two?”
My heart was pounding, waiting for his answer.

He looked genuinely surprised at my question. He set down his fork and let out a long breath.
“Nay, Chinatsu. There is naught between me and Yukifuyu. She is but an apprentice under mine wing. Nothing more. We doth labour on a project, that is all.”

“But I see how she looks at you, Kazu. And you’ve been coming home late more often lately. I’m not accusing you—I just want to make sure. Because something feels off.”

He reached out and gently took my hand.
“Chinatsu, I would never do such a thing to thee. Thou knowest this in thine heart. Mayhap she seems too familiar, but to me she is naught but a fellow in toil.”

I sighed, trying to calm myself down. Maybe he was right. Maybe it really was just my old fears rising again from past wounds. I wanted to believe, to be certain there was nothing to worry about. Maybe I was just being paranoid.

Still, that anxiety didn’t just go away. Day after day, the more I paid attention, the more I felt that something wasn’t right. Yukifuyu kept coming up in Kazuaki’s stories. He spoke about how talented she was, how fast she learned, and how fun she was to work with.

It felt like every time I asked about his day, she was always a part of it.

The following night, as I sat alone in the living room, dark thoughts began to creep in. Could it be that Kazuaki was really starting to fall for that girl? I knew Kazuaki loved me, but he was human too. Yukifuyu was young, beautiful, and had a promising career. Meanwhile, I... was a woman in her thirties who had already experienced a failed marriage.

I tried to shake the thoughts away, but they kept coming back. I stood up from the sofa and walked to the window, gazing out at the sparkling city lights of Kobe at night. My relationship with Kazuaki had been going well, but with Yukifuyu’s presence, it felt like everything was changing. And for the first time, I was afraid of losing him. I was afraid of this coldness.

After staring at the glittering cityscape for a while, the uneasiness in my heart only deepened. I turned around and opened my laptop, determined to find out more about Yukifuyu. Maybe I was just overreacting, but I needed to make sure everything was okay.

With my fingers typing quickly, I started searching for her social media accounts. Unfortunately, most of them were locked. But one platform caught my attention: Stylebook. When I opened her profile, my heart lifted a little. Although many of her posts were private, there were a few I could see.

“Hmm, she doesn’t share many pictures of her face,” I muttered, slightly frustrated. “But let’s see what she’s got.”

As I kept scrolling, I found a few literary quotes that were deep and poetic—words about beauty, melancholy, and hope—all of which felt so far from my own self, someone who was more narcissistic and liked to show off my life on social media, even though I wasn’t exactly "successful" either. I continued browsing her profile.

“Wow, look at this! She also has some posts about fables and fairy tales, and even photos of bass guitars—must be one of her hobbies or interests.”

I was a little impressed. “She must be really deep,” I said to myself, picturing Kazuaki being captivated by her intellect and emotional depth. “So different from me, who only posts selfies in the same pose.”

As I explored her profile further, my jealousy and uncertainty only grew. Why would Kazuaki be interested in someone like me, when Yukifuyu clearly wasn’t just some random intern? She had this artistic side that could easily enchant him.

Then I stumbled upon one quote that stopped me cold:
“From every ending, there’s a new beginning. And sometimes, we must be brave enough to lose something in order to find ourselves again.”

“So poetic,” I whispered, biting my lip. “But what would she know about loss?”

As I scrolled further, I found a photo of a library, taken from a beautifully artistic angle, with tall shelves of books. Seeing that, I felt a pang of envy. Where were my cool photos in beautiful places? Where were the precious moments I had captured? In the end, I found myself feeling left behind in the world that Yukifuyu seemed to be building.

Kazuaki, with all his grace and depth of thought, would surely be more attracted to someone like her than someone like me—trapped in this feeling of inadequacy.
“Come on, Chinatsu, don’t get lost in negative feelings,” I told myself. “You have to keep trusting Kazuaki.”

But that jealousy kept eating away at me. No matter how much I tried to stay calm, everything just felt more and more complicated. With my heart pounding, I closed my laptop and tried to quiet my thoughts, hoping Kazuaki would pull me back to a better reality.

The next day, my curiosity about Yukifuyu went into overdrive. I couldn’t stop myself from checking every update she posted on Stylebook. With a bit of courage—and a lot of nosiness—I decided to make a fake account under the name Fatty Capybara. And to my surprise, she accepted my friend request instantly without hesitation!

My excitement was mixed with jealousy that started to burn. Using my new account, I began to stalk Yukifuyu thoroughly. She was super active in sharing blog posts, and every time I read the titles, I felt like I was being stabbed. One of them read:
“Ticket to the Future: Are We Trapped in a Time Loop?”

“What is this nonsense?” I muttered with a laugh. “Where are you going? The future, or just to the cafeteria?”

The more I dug, the more I realized she was obsessed with the moon. Meanwhile, I was a true admirer of the sun and the moon! Confidently, I told myself that anyone who talked about the moon would still pale in comparison to the sunlight. What does she even know about cosmology? I thought. She often wrote things about Earth faithfully orbiting the moon or the moon circling the Earth.

I let out a bitter laugh, “Looks like she’s done way more research than I have!” Meanwhile, I was stuck relying on the leftover knowledge from books I hadn’t even finished. “Maybe she’s planning a trip to the moon. In that case, I’m coming along as Fatty Capybara, the space traveler who brings snacks!”

Every time Yukifuyu shared her thoughts about the moon, my heart stirred. Didn’t everyone know the sun was the king of celestial bodies?
“Oh, so you want to talk about the moon? But who lights up the moon, huh? Answer that, Yukifuyu!”

There was one post that really caught my attention:
“Earth is the Moon’s companion, faithfully walking beside it every step of the way.”

I frowned. “Ugh, she’s just writing poetic fluff to get attention. Without the sun, the moon has no light! The moon and Earth don’t joke around with each other! Meanwhile, I can joke around with Kazuaki!”

My jealousy kept piling up like a never-ending load of laundry. Every time I saw Yukifuyu post something about the moon, it felt like watching a friend take the last piece of cake at a party. Seriously, who is she? I cried inwardly.
“Is she planning to watch the moon with Kazuaki or something?”

Finally, after hours of stalking, I decided it was time for a smarter revenge strategy. I had to show that Fatty Capybara could talk about the moon in an even cooler way! I quickly typed a comment:
“Hey, I heard the moon only shines because the sun lights it up. So, are you going to write a poem about the gallant sun too?”

A few seconds later, Yukifuyu replied:
“Haha, that’s an interesting thought! But what if the sun also feels lonely when night falls?”

My heart raced. “Wait—she responded? Fatty Capybara did it! Ugh. Meanwhile, here I am, drowning in buried jealousy!”

In the end, I realized this was only making a mess of my life. Maybe it was time to come up with a clever plan to keep Yukifuyu from becoming a threat to my relationship with Kazuaki. In the midst of all this jealousy, I made up my mind to move forward—with more confidence!
If there’s going to be a cosmic discussion, then I’m the one who knows the most! Ha!

✿———✦———✿

A few days after I became “fatty Capybara,” my life somehow spiraled into chaos. Every time I dropped by the café—whether to work or just chill—I’d find myself obsessively commenting on Yukifuyu’s posts. When I got home, I’d reply again. Back at the café? I’d check to see if she’d responded. Over and over, like clockwork.
My daily routine was now devoted to one sacred mission: defeating Yukifuyu in every cosmic-themed discussion.

And the strangest thing? I started to feel... close to her.
Ridiculous, right? I mean, all my replies were laced with sarcasm, full of smug astrophysics facts or complicated theories meant to confuse her. But weirdly, she never got annoyed. She always responded with this calm, kind—what’s the word—wise tone.

"Ugh, no way she’s really this nice. It’s gotta be an act," I muttered.
I swore to myself, Fatty Capybara would not be deceived.
Like a true digital detective, I would uncover the truth behind Yukifuyu.

But then... we kept chatting. Every day.
Our talks flowed—stars, galaxies, theories that bent my brain backwards.
Now and then I’d throw in some know-it-all lines, just to remind her who was the real space master here.
“Oh yeah? The Earth is faithful? But you do know the Sun emits energy so intense it makes every planet submit—including Earth,” I typed smugly, hoping to provoke her.

She replied, “That’s true. The Sun really is incredible. Do you think that means it’s constantly sacrificing itself for others?”

I blinked at the screen. Wait, what kind of reply is that?!

Sometimes I got suspicious.
Was she really this into cosmology? Or just faking it for internet clout?
But... as Kazuaki once said, her insight was impressive.
Her blog posts were always structured like academic essays—stiff, formal, and kind of elegant in that annoying way.
“Heh. Show-off,” I muttered, grinning.

On one hand, I still didn’t trust her—maybe all this kindness was part of some elaborate manipulation scheme.
But on the other hand... I was kinda enjoying our chats.
Well, it’s not like she’ll ever find out who Fatty Capybara really is.
And even if she does, I’ve got emergency backup excuses ready.

✿———✦———✿

Now, every reply from her brings a small smile to my face.
Her presence in my day has somehow become... entertaining.
But let’s be clear—this isn’t friendship.
This is war.
And only one can emerge victorious: me, the undisputed master of astrophysics.

I was flashing my brightest customer-service smile at a patron in the café when my phone buzzed.
New notification.
That Yukifuyu had posted again.

“What now…” I muttered, sneaking a glance.

Sure enough, she’d written a long, poetic monologue about the seasons.
She wrote: “Autumn always waits for winter to arrive, so it can finally forget the reckless passion of summer.”

Hey, wait a sec!
Is that shade?
Was she talking about me?!
Calling me a reckless summer?!

Oh, it’s on.

Without missing a beat, I started furiously typing my reply right there in front of the customer.
Eventually, I noticed the poor customer giving me a weird look.

I waved over Hana—the new intern who started last week.
“Hana, can you handle the front for a sec? I’ve got… urgent business,” I said, already halfway across the café.
She blinked in confusion but nodded, probably unsure why I suddenly looked like I was going to war.

Meanwhile, I got back to typing in my secret corner.
“Oh, Yukifuyu-san,” I wrote, “So autumn’s just waiting for winter, huh? That’s kind of sad. You do know, don’t you, that none of the seasons mean anything without summer? It’s summer that makes everything warm, alive. Winter just gives people colds.”

She replied coolly,
“Summer is indeed full of fire, but isn’t winter a time for introspection? After summer’s frenzy and autumn’s weariness, we all need the calm of winter, don’t we?”

Ugh. Philosophical much?

Still, I couldn’t let it go.
“I mean, sure, winter’s calm and all, but let’s be real—it’s just a placeholder. People don’t wait for winter. They endure it, until summer returns and makes life worth living again.”

She answered,
“Hmmm, Fatty Capybara-san… but without winter, wouldn’t people stop appreciating spring and summer? Isn’t it precisely the silence of winter that helps us grow?”

I was shaking my head, smiling.
This girl. Always twisting things with poetic nonsense.

So I went all in.
“Yukifuyu-san, you’re overthinking it. Everyone loves the warmth of summer and the joy it brings. Winter? Meh. It just makes people lazy. And in the end, we all wait for summer to return. Admit it—it’s the star of the show.”

I hit send, full of pride.
It felt like a national debate and I was crushing it.

Just then, Hana returned, looking lost and a bit panicked.
“Um, senpai... the customer asked when they can pay. I don’t really know how to use the register yet…”

“Ah! Sorry, sorry!”
I scrambled back to the counter, suddenly feeling like the worst employee ever.

Still, even while helping Hana ring up orders, I was grinning to myself.
There’s no way Yukifuyu knew who she was up against.
And while she was busy spouting poetic metaphors about seasons, I—Chubby Capybara—was already winning the Battle of the Seasons!

That evening, I left the café practically skipping.
Kazuaki usually picked me up, but not today—and that was fine.
I was walking home with the glow of victory surrounding me.

On the bus, I checked Yukifuyu’s latest post again.
Still the same cryptic message about autumn and winter forgetting the fiery madness of summer.
What was that supposed to mean? A subtle jab at me?
Please. Like that would work.

I left my final blow in the comments, and for once, she didn’t reply.
Victory is mine, I whispered smugly.

Back at the apartment, I smiled wide as I prepped dinner and set the table.
Inside, I was gloating—me, the summer season incarnate, had triumphed.

But as I basked in my imagined glory, Kazuaki’s face suddenly drifted into my mind.
He was probably still at the office, working on his important projects…
Maybe… still with Yukifuyu.

I told myself it didn’t matter.
But the longer I sat there, the more that weird uneasiness crept in.

The truth was… Yukifuyu might not be just a poetic intern with a flair for metaphors.
She might be the real threat.

Not just some passing snowstorm.
But a blizzard—one that could wipe away all the warmth and peace between me and Kazuaki.

✿———✦———✿

In the days that followed, that feeling only got worse.
I tried everything to escape it—throwing myself into work, hanging out with friends, even visiting my parents just to clear my head.
But whenever I returned to the apartment… the thoughts came flooding back.

Were we really as strong as I believed?
Was our relationship solid enough to survive a storm like this?

Did Kazuaki still truly love me?
Or had his heart already frozen over somewhere inside one of those late-night “collaborations” with Yukifuyu?

And eventually… I faced the truth.
Hayashi Yukifuyu wasn’t just some poetic intern.

She was a real threat to what we had.
She was the snowstorm.
The one who could bury everything I held dear beneath a silent, endless winter.