As the Snow Melts

Christmas Day arrived quietly. Akari was awaken by the fresh smell of coffee drifting through Jun's apartment. She slipped out of bed and made her way to the kitchen, where the comforting sight of Jun greeted her.

She slipped behind him, sliding her arms around his waist and resting her cheek lightly against his back.

Jun covered her hands with his own, warmth spreading through the simple touch. "Morning."

"Morning." She echoed; her voice was still sleepy.

When Akari eventually pulled away, she joined Jun in cooking, helping where she could. Soon, the two of them moved around the kitchen together with an easy rhythm - passing ingredients, making small comments, sharing laughter. 

They then spent the rest of the morning sitting side by side, warm mugs of coffee in hand, reading in comfortable silence. At some point, Akari rested her head against Jun's shoulder as they both enjoyed their own book.

They might have stayed there all day if Jun hadn't finally broken the silence. "Do you want to bake cookies?"

Akari blinked. "Where did that come from?"

"It is the holidays." He put his book down. "And you didn't get to make a mess in the kitchen today yet."

She narrowed her eyes playfully. "You say that like I do it on purpose."

Jun chuckled as he stood. "Come on. Let's see how your baking skills fair against your cooking skills."

As they stirred and measured, small accidents happened - a slip of too much sugar, a baking sheet was dropped, and the electrical whisk got away from Akari, which coated the counter and each other in dough.

"Oops." She embarrassingly giggled.

Jun laughed. "Oops indeed." He leaned forward and wiped the dough from her cheek. Before she could react, he licked it off his finger with a mischievous grin. "Careful, your pretty face is making it hard to focus on the cookies."

Akari's cheeks heated. "You don't exactly make it easy either..."

"Oh?" He smiled. "I guess we're even then."

Once the cookies went into the oven, they cleaned the kitchen together. The apartment filled with the soothing scents of vanilla and soap.

When the cookies finally came out, slightly misshaped but cooked perfectly golden, Jun offered her the first bite. "Not too salty, I hope?" He teased, recalling her previous cooking attempts.

Akari rolled her eyes as she took it, smile widening at the taste. "It's really good." She hummed.

Once the cookies cooled, they moved on to decorating.

Akari carefully piped icing and added sprinkles with precision, her cookies looking almost professional.

Jun, on the other hand, had a more interesting approach. His icing came out wobbly, sprinkles clumped together, his designs uninterpretable.

Akari couldn't help but laugh. "Jun, what even is that supposed to be?"

Jun held it up proudly. "It's... abstract art. You wouldn't understand the creative genius for this." He mocked with seriousness, which made her laugh more.

"With how good you are at cooking, I thought you'd be just as good at decorating." She teased.

Jun shrugged. "Art was never my thing." He smiled at her. "I guess that's why you complete me."

Akari's smile softened. "I feel the same way."

Jun closed the space between them. "Do you want to go out tonight?"

"I'd like that."

-

Before they left for the evening, Jun wrapped a thick scarf around Akari's neck. "It's gotten really cold lately. Don't want you getting sick."

Jun led Akari to a nearby park, where a massive Christmas tree stood at its center, twinkling with countless lights. Strings of colorful bulbs wrapped around lamp posts and trees, casting a whimsical glow over the crisp winter evening.

Akari's eyes widened as she took in the sight. "It's beautiful..."

Jun smiled, taking her hand and slipping both their hands into his coat pocket. "Not as beautiful as you."

Her cheeks warmed behind the thick scarf. "You flatter me too much..."

"It's not flattery if I mean it."

As they strolled through the park, soft snowflakes began to drift down, settling on their shoulders and hair. The delicate snowflakes sparkled in the Christmas lights reflection, turning the park into a magical dream.

Akari held her hands out to catch the falling snow, blissfully watching as the tiny flakes melted in her hands.

Jun's eyes softened on her. "You look really happy."

"I am... Today..." She shook her head. "No. Not just today. Ever since I met you Jun, I feel like I'm free to be happy. Everyday feels precious now, just as precious as the melting snow..."

Jun moved slightly closer. "Then I'll make sure you always feel that way."

Akari met Jun's gaze as the snow settled into a gentle hush. "Being with you... That alone already makes me happy."

"Then you'll never be unhappy. I don't plan to leave your side." Jun smiled as he leaned forward, his thumb brushing the snow from her cheek. Akari leaned into his touch as she took a step closer, closing the space between them.

For a moment, neither of them spoke or moved. They simply held the moment between them. It felt as though the world had stilled, as if time had paused just for the two of them to enjoy each other's presence.

Jun's hand gently lingered on her cheek, warm against the cold of the snow delicately floating around them. He hesitantly searched Akari's face. When she didn't look away, he leaned in slowly, giving her enough time to react if she wanted to. But Akari didn't pull away, she leaned in to meet him, her breath catching before their lips touched.

The kiss was soft at first - tender and tentative, as if they were both afraid of breaking something fragile. Jun's thumb lightly caressed her cheek while Akari's hands rested against his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath.

Then the kiss deepened with the emotions and affection that had been building up between them over the past few months. Jun's other hand held her waist, pulling her in closer. As the snow melted on their skin, neither of them felt the cold of the world around them - just the quiet warmth of being together in each other's steady presence.

When they finally pulled back, their foreheads rested against each other, breaths mingling and hearts racing. Akari's cheeks burned as her gaze faltered, unsure of where to look. Jun's thumb still brushed lightly against her cheek - a gentle reassurance. "I wouldn't mind doing that more often..." He murmured with a small smile as his own ears started to warm.

Akari's lips curved into a shy smile. "Neither would I..."