Winter came quietly.
At first, people did not notice the change. But day by day, the air became colder. The warm days of autumn slowly disappeared. Cold wind started blowing through the streets and the trees.
Students began wearing warm jackets, sweaters, and scarves to school. Some students even wore gloves and wool hats. In the morning, white mist could sometimes be seen in the air when people breathed.
Everyone knew winter had arrived.
Soon, the long winter vacation began. Students were happy because they could rest from school, spend time with friends, and enjoy the cold season.
One morning, I woke up earlier than usual.
My room was quiet. When I looked outside the window, the sky looked pale and gray. The sunlight was soft and weak. It did not feel warm like in summer.
I slowly got out of bed and wore my warm jacket. When I opened the door and stepped outside, the cold air touched my face.
It felt freezing.
My breath turned into white smoke in the air. I rubbed my hands together to keep them warm.
Later that day, I went to meet Ritou near a small park close to our neighborhood.
The park looked calm and peaceful. There were not many people there because of the cold weather.
After a few minutes, I saw Ritou standing near a bench.
She was wearing a warm brown coat and a soft white scarf around her neck. Her hair moved slightly in the cold wind.
When she noticed me, she smiled gently.
"You came early," she said with a small smile.
"I didn't want to keep you waiting," I replied.
She laughed softly.
"You always say that," she said.
Soon, Purmodo arrived. He walked quickly toward us while rubbing his hands together.
"It's so cold!" he complained loudly.
His nose was a little red because of the cold wind.
"Why did we meet outside today?" he added dramatically.
Ritou laughed.
"You are always complaining," she said.
Purmodo shook his head.
"You say that because you are wearing a warm coat."
A little later, Aarihito arrived. As usual, he looked calm and relaxed. His girlfriend was walking beside him.
"Sorry we are late," Aarihito said politely.
"No problem," I replied.
When everyone saw Purmodo shivering, they started laughing.
"Look at him," Ritou said, trying not to laugh.
Purmodo crossed his arms.
"You guys are terrible friends," he said.
After talking for a while, we started walking slowly through the park together.
The park looked different in winter. The trees were quiet and almost empty. Most of their leaves had already fallen.
The cold wind moved gently through the branches.
The ground was covered with dry leaves that made soft sounds when we stepped on them.
The sky above us looked pale blue, and the sunlight was soft and weak.
Even though the weather was cold, the peaceful atmosphere made the park feel beautiful.
After some time, Purmodo suddenly stopped walking.
"I can't take this anymore," he said dramatically.
"We need somewhere warm."
Everyone laughed again.
Then Ritou pointed toward a small café near the corner of the street.
"Let's go there," she suggested.
"That sounds perfect," Aarihito said.
So we walked toward the café together.
When we opened the door, a warm wave of air welcomed us inside.
The cafe was small but comfortable. Soft yellow lights filled the room, and the smell of coffee and chocolate made the place feel warm and relaxing.
We sat around a table near the window.
Soon, we ordered hot chocolate and tea.
When the drinks arrived, everyone held their warm cups carefully.
The warmth slowly spread through our hands.
Ritou held her cup with both hands and smiled.
"This feels nice," she said softly.
I nodded.
"Yes, it does."
Outside the window, the cold wind was still blowing. People walked quickly through the streets while wearing heavy coats.
Inside the cafe, however, everything felt warm and peaceful.
We talked about many things. We joked about school, shared funny stories, and laughed together.
Time passed quickly without us noticing.
Outside the window, the sky slowly began turning orange as the sun started to set.
The evening light painted the streets and buildings with soft golden colors.
For a moment, everything felt calm and peaceful.
No one wanted to leave.
But soon, it was time to go home.
We finished our drinks and stood up.
When we stepped outside again, the cold air greeted us once more.
The sky was slowly becoming darker.
Before leaving, Ritou looked at me and smiled.
"Today was fun," she said.
"It really was," I replied.
Everyone waved goodbye and started walking toward their homes.
As I walked back, the cold winter wind brushed past me.
But somehow, I did not feel cold anymore.
Even though winter was a cold season, moments like this felt warm.