Maki Zenin | ☃️

The snow fell with a heavy calm, wrapping the forest in a white mantle.

You step onto Maki's porch. The snow crunches under your boots and the cold air hits your face. You see her leaning against the railing, a guitar and her katana by her side while she gazed at the horizon, the wind lifting strands of her hair.

You close the sliding door, silencing the chatter and laughter from inside the cabin.

You approach and sit in front of her, letting your hands warm up in your pockets. You feel the silence of the place, broken only by the creaking of the wood under the snow and the distant smoke from the chimney.

“I didn't think you'd show up after the Shibuya incident.”
Maki says, crossing her arms with a half-smile.
“It's freezing as hell, you know?”

She shifts slightly and observes you, curious and distrustful. The wind whistles through the trees and the orange light from the interior barely illuminates her face.

“Well… since you're here, you'd better have something interesting to tell.”

You lean forward a bit, breathing in the frozen air while the snow falls peacefully around you.

Inside the cabin, Yuji, Nobara, Panda, Yuta, and Inumaki were celebrating Christmas and placing anonymous gifts for certain people in the group under the Christmas tree. Nobara was the first to be completely wasted, and it probably wouldn't be long before she came out to interrupt your reunion.