Big White Rabbit Milk Candy

Time flies, and another winter has arrived.

The sky over Chiba Prefecture is shrouded in gray clouds, and fine snowflakes drift down in a rustle; a pair of fair hands happens to catch one of them.

The snowflake lingers on a cool palm for a brief moment before melting into a tiny droplet of water.

"It's that time of year again," Hoshida No whispers while gazing at the swirling snow, tucking his exposed hand back into his coat pocket.

He raises his hand to open a black umbrella, the sound of snow pellets tapping against the fabric echoing as he walks with steady steps across the lightly snow-covered road toward the distance.

Hoshida No has been boarding at Kenichi's house for over two years now, and thanks to the physical advantage of his height, he successfully landed a job at a general store.

His tall, upright frame and handsome features have made that store the most frequented shop by young girls in the area.

Hoshida No pushes open the door to a bookstore, the wind chimes tinkling softly. The owner glances up at him and nods familiarly, chin tilted upward: "Here to pick up your sister again today?"

"Yes," he replies with a nod. His gaze sweeps over the tidy shelves as he strolls casually to the literature section and pulls out a book with a simple, elegant cover.

He walks straight to the single chair by the window, setting his umbrella in the corner as he sits, the hem of his black coat sweeping across the seat.

Outside the window lies the middle school gate, the playground within the fence covered in a thin layer of snow.

He opens the book, his fingertips tracing the clear, printed text, though his eyes drift toward the silver watch on his wrist from time to time.

The bookstore is very quiet, with only the sound of turning pages echoing through the space.

The hands of the watch point to 4—four in the afternoon. Only then does Hoshida No stand up, retrieve his umbrella from the corner, and return the book to its place.

The moment he pushes open the shop door, a biting cold wind carrying flurries of snow rushes toward him.

The snow outside is falling in earnest, and a few students with hunched shoulders appear sporadically at the school gate.

Among the crowd, Karuizawa Kei's golden hair is particularly striking; her fluffy blonde locks are tied high into a ponytail, adorned with a light blue ribbon.

Even wrapped in a dark winter blazer, paired with a navy pleated skirt and white stockings, she cannot hide her slender, graceful figure.

The female classmates surrounding her are chattering about something. One of them notices the figure at the school gate, her eyes lighting up as she nudges Karuizawa Kei with her elbow and points toward Hoshida No.

Karuizawa Kei immediately turns to look.

Upon seeing that tall, upright figure standing in the snow under a black umbrella, she waves goodbye to her classmates and runs, almost at a sprint, toward Hoshida No.

Her leather shoes make a crisp, crunching sound as they tread on the accumulated snow.

Hoshida No takes half a step forward, his wrist lifting slightly to tilt the umbrella steadily forward, perfectly shielding the girl who has run up to him and blocking the falling snowflakes.

He naturally reaches out with his other free hand, his fingertips gently brushing the snow from the top of her hair.

The movement isn't particularly tender, but it is meticulous.

Karuizawa Kei stands there with her head tilted slightly, waiting quietly. Her amethyst-like eyes reflect the snowlight and his silhouette, her smile never fading.

"How was school?" Hoshida No asks, his voice sounding exceptionally clear in the snow. "You weren't bullied, were you?"

This has become the fixed opening line for their every meeting.

Karuizawa Kei shakes her head vigorously, her ponytail swaying along with her. "No, everyone is very nice." Her voice is light and airy, tinged with reliance.

As soon as she finishes speaking, she reaches out with practiced ease to hook her arm through Hoshida No's free one, pressing half her body against the warmth radiating from his coat.

The two walk side by side, their steps in perfect unison as they head home, leaving two sets of footprints—one large, one small—on the thickening snow.

This habitual greeting and confirmation stems from an afternoon two years ago, shortly after Hoshida No began boarding at the uncle's house.

He had discovered Kei returning home soaked, having been bullied. He quickly got to the bottom of the situation.

The next day during lunch break, he waited alone at the school gate.

He blocked the students who had been bullying Kei; without a word, he dragged them to the entrance of a small alley and beat them up.

In the end, he stood before the bruised and battered group, his voice as cold as ice, demanding they apologize to Karuizawa Kei in public.

Karuizawa Kei was indeed terrified when she saw the state of those students, especially one who was missing a front tooth.

The school and local police intervened quickly. Facing questioning, Hoshida No remained exceptionally calm, stating only the facts of the bullying.

Under the weight of Hoshida No's warning gaze, those students eventually swallowed all their excuses and resentment, stammering out their willingness to reconcile.

Later, those individuals transferred schools one after another. Still later, rumors began to circulate around the school that the handsome older brother who always came to pick up Karuizawa Kei was not only protective but also possessed incredible fighting skills.

Many girls who had previously ignored Karuizawa Kei began to approach her, hoping to meet Hoshida No through her.

The bolder ones would even hand over love letters or confess directly at the school gate, but without exception, Hoshida No rejected them in the most concise and direct manner.

Karuizawa Kei's situation at school changed quietly. With her already exquisite features, bolstered by her gradually recovering confidence and Hoshida No's occasional advice, the "Karuizawa Kei" of old returned.

Before she knew it, she had become the school's recognized beauty, surrounded by sincere friends.

But one thing remained unchanged: rain or shine, every day after school, Karuizawa Kei could always see that figure waiting for her at the gate.

At this moment, walking on the way home.

Karuizawa Kei turns her head slightly, her gaze fixed on Hoshida No's perfect profile illuminated by the snowlight—the straight bridge of his nose, the sharp line of his jaw, and those deep eyes whose emotions are always difficult to discern.

The strength of her grip on his arm tightens unconsciously.

Back at home, Karuizawa Kei finally releases her hold on Hoshida No's arm with visible reluctance.

She stops on the mat at the entrance, stands on tiptoe, and stomps her feet a few times to shake off the snow, then raises her hands to tidy her golden ponytail, which had been slightly ruffled by the wind, before looking up at Hoshida No, who is standing on the step below the entryway.

Her tone carried a hint of coquettishness and dissatisfaction: "Brother No, are you... still going to the shop today?"

Hoshida No met her gaze and gave a soft "mm," confirming it.

Upon hearing this, the slight gloom in Karuizawa Kei's heart became even more pronounced.

She knew the shop where Hoshida No worked; the proprietress was a woman who still possessed a lingering charm.

There had been a few times when she stopped by to wait for Hoshida No to get off work, and she had seen that woman intentionally or unintentionally leaning toward him, her body tilting forward as she spoke, her eyes always glued to him.

Thinking about how heavily it was snowing today, and how the two of them would be spending more time together, she felt even more stifled.

Hoshida No caught the change in her expression. He immediately moved his hand toward the inside pocket of his overcoat, pulled out a handful of White Rabbit Creamy Candies, and held them out to her.

"Hmph." Karuizawa Kei let out a soft snort through her nose and turned her face away, though she decisively took the small handful of candies and clutched them tightly in her palm.

Her tone had already softened: "...I'll let it slide for the sake of these candies. But you have to come back early today. I'm making oden."

He nodded. "Alright."

Watching that figure holding a black umbrella blend into the snow until he was completely out of sight, Karuizawa Kei finally withdrew her gaze.

She lowered her head, unwrapped a candy, and popped the milky-white piece into her mouth.

--So sweet.