The Cracks in the Ice

Frozen Petals – Episode 4

The Cracks in the Ice

The days felt heavier after the incident in the library. The whispers had become worse, and even the teachers seemed to look at Hana with pity in their eyes, as if they expected her to eventually fold under the pressure.

But Hana was still standing.

She wasn’t going to let them break her, even if every part of her wanted to. Every time she saw Mika smirk at her or heard another snide comment, something inside her snapped a little more. But she held it together—she had to.

And she wasn’t going to give Ren the satisfaction of seeing her fall apart.

It was another dreary afternoon when Hana found herself sitting at the edge of the courtyard during lunch, away from the crowds, with only her sandwich for company. She hated the silence that hung around her like a suffocating fog. Her classmates—rich, perfect, and indifferent—had made it clear that she wasn’t welcome.

But the loneliness didn’t bother her as much as it used to. She had learned to embrace it. After all, no one could hurt you if you didn’t let them get too close.

That’s when she saw Ren.

He was leaning against the brick wall of the courtyard, talking to a group of his friends. His expression was distant, like always—cold, unreadable. His usual air of arrogance was palpable as he made some remark that made his friends laugh.

Hana quickly turned her head, not wanting to be caught looking. It wasn’t like her to care, but there was something about his presence that felt like a weight pressing down on her chest.

She heard footsteps approaching, and her heart skipped a beat. She didn’t have to look up to know it was him.

Ren’s voice was low when he spoke. "You’re still sitting alone?"

Hana didn’t even look up from her book, keeping her tone sharp. "What do you care, Takahashi? You seem perfectly content ignoring me."

There was a long pause, and then Ren let out a quiet sigh. "Maybe you should stop running away from everyone else."

"Maybe I like being alone," Hana snapped, finally glancing up at him. "Maybe it’s the only way to survive in this place."

Ren’s expression was unreadable as he studied her for a moment, his eyes cold, but there was something else beneath them—something almost like… curiosity?

He crossed his arms, leaning casually against the table. "You’re not surviving, Moriyama. You’re just hiding."

Hana’s chest tightened, but she refused to let him see her flinch. "At least I’m not pretending to be something I’m not."

Ren raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching slightly, almost like he was about to smile. "Is that what you think I’m doing?"

Before she could respond, a loud voice interrupted them. "Hey, Ren!"

It was one of his friends, calling from the other side of the courtyard. Ren turned his head to look, the moment between him and Hana broken.

Without thinking, Hana stood up, gathering her things. She didn’t want to be caught lingering around him, not after everything that had happened. "I don’t need your pity," she muttered, walking away quickly, her heart racing.

But as she turned the corner, she heard him call after her—soft, almost hesitant.

"You’re not a joke, Moriyama."

It was a quiet confession, the words carried on the wind.

The rest of the week passed like a blur. The bullying didn’t stop, but Hana had begun to notice something strange—Ren didn’t seem to be as distant as before.

There were moments, brief ones, when their eyes would meet in the hallway or across the classroom, and for a split second, she saw something there—a flicker of something more than just cold indifference.

It was confusing. Frustrating.

One afternoon, as she walked out of class, trying to ignore the snickers and the sneers from her classmates, Ren caught up to her.

"You’re not walking away this time?"

Hana stopped, turning to face him. "What do you want, Takahashi? Another round of your little game?"

He stepped closer, his usual smirk no where to be seen, replaced by something close to a frown. "I’m not the one who’s playing games. You’re the one running away from everything."

Hana took a step back, not sure whether to be angry or confused. "I don’t need your help. I never did."

Ren’s eyes darkened, the arrogant mask more visual. "I never said you did." His voice steady, the words coming out with a strange intensity. "But don’t think I’m going to watch you get crushed, either."

Hana stared at him, disbelief flooding her chest. "What’s your deal, Takahashi? One minute you ignore me, the next minute you’re acting like some kind of… protector?"

Ren’s gaze was steady, unwavering. "I don’t do pity. If you think I’m playing some kind of game with you, you’re wrong. But I also don’t like watching someone who could actually stand up to this place… crumble."

Hana’s heart skipped a beat at his words. He was looking at her like… he understood her. But that didn’t make sense, did it?

She shook her head, frustrated. "You’re impossible, you know that?"

Ren didn’t reply immediately. Instead, he just watched her, his expression unreadable. And for a moment, Hana saw it—the fleeting flicker of something in his eyes, something almost vulnerable. But it was gone before she could even grasp it.

"Maybe," he said quietly, "I’ll stop being a jerk for once."

"Maybe."

Hana didn’t know what to make of his words. But she did know one thing: Ren Takahashi was starting to get under her skin in a way she didn’t expect.

Later that evening, as Hana walked home, her thoughts were a tangled mess. The school, the bullying, her growing confusion about Ren’s behavior—it was all becoming too much to handle.

She stopped at the corner, staring out into the busy streets. The lights flickered in the distance, and for a moment, she closed her eyes, trying to sort through the chaos in her head.

It was then that she heard it—his voice, soft and uncharacteristically warm.

"Don’t do anything stupid, Moriyama."

Hana turned, finding Ren standing a few feet behind her. His expression was still cold, but there was something in his gaze—something almost protective.

"I can take care of myself," she muttered, but she didn’t move away.

Ren said nothing for a long moment, just watching her. And then, before she could process it, he nodded and turned to leave.

But as he walked away, he called back, his voice almost like a whisper.

"You’re stronger than you think."

Hana didn’t know what to say. She didn’t know what to think.

But for the first time, she felt like maybe—just maybe—there was a crack in the ice.

Summary

This episode starts to introduce the beginning of a slow, complicated romance between Ren and Hana. It’s subtle, not overtly romantic, but there’s a growing sense of protectiveness and mutual respect forming. Ren’s seemingly indifferent attitude begins to crack, showing moments where he genuinely wants to protect her from the cruelty around her. Hana, too, starts to recognize that Ren might not be the heartless person he portrays.

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