Episode:3

Yuki leaned slightly to his right, peeking curiously at the book Ren was holding. It was thick, full of small text and diagrams that made no sense to him. The title was in French. Or was it German?

He blinked.

"Are you even human?" he murmured to himself, watching Ren’s eyes move swiftly across the page.

Ren didn’t respond, his earphones still in place, as if the world outside didn’t exist.

Yuki turned back to the frosted window and exhaled, watching the bear he drew slowly melt away. His eyelids grew heavy. The steady hum of the bus, the soft warmth, the unreadable boy beside him — it all lulled him slowly into a haze.

His head bumped against the window with a quiet thud.

Ren glanced sideways.

Absurd.

Without a word, he shifted slightly and guided Yuki’s head away from the glass, letting it rest gently against his own shoulder. He didn’t sigh. He didn’t smile. But he turned the page more slowly after that.

The snow thickened outside as the bus cut through the mountains, the trees white and silent.

Yuki slept on.

---

The bus pulled to a halt hours later.

Students yawned, stretched, and began to unload their things. One by one, voices filled the chilly mountain air.

Yuki blinked awake, groggy and blinking against the light. He felt the sudden rush of cold on his cheek and realized Ren had moved.

He scrambled off the bus, still clutching his bag loosely.

“So cold…” he mumbled.

A woolen scarf hit him in the chest.

“Wrap it properly,” Ren said, already walking ahead with one hand in his pocket.

Yuki fumbled with the scarf. “Thanks…”

Ren adjusted the strap of his backpack over one shoulder — the other hung loosely, his arm a little stiff.

“You sure are a heavy sleeper,” he said flatly, though not unkindly.

Yuki chuckled. “Sorry… I didn’t mean to—”

“It’s fine.”

For a moment, Yuki stared at him through the falling snow. Ren’s figure was blurred around the edges, distant even while standing close.

At that time, Yuki thought, I didn’t understand this feeling. What those moments meant.

By the time I did…

He was already gone from my memory.

Several years later...

Rain clung to the windows like blurred memories as Yuki stepped out of his small silver car, rubbing the back of his neck with a sigh. The engine had been making odd noises for days — low rattles and stubborn starts. He didn’t have the money to replace it, but this repair shop had decent reviews and didn’t overcharge.

He walked toward the open garage, flipping up his hood against the drizzle. The air smelled of gasoline, wet pavement, and something vaguely familiar. A mechanic was crouched beside an SUV, his back turned.

Yuki spoke first.

“Hey, uh, I have an appointment. Yuki Kisaragi. The silver hatchback over there—engine trouble, I think.”

The mechanic didn’t look up at first. Just gave a brief nod.

“I’ll take a look. Give me a minute.”

Yuki paused. Something about the voice caught him off guard — calm, quiet, low… familiar.

As the mechanic stood and turned, wiping his hands with a cloth, Yuki froze.

The world narrowed in.

Tall. Tousled dark hair. Eyes like fading winter.

Even under the stained overalls, Yuki could see it — could feel it.

That was him.

Ren.

No… he went by Ran now. The name tag on his uniform read it clearly in plain white embroidery.