The expensive hotel truly lived up to its reputation.
The high-rise tower shut the outside world away. No traffic. No city noise. Only silence.
The night had settled deep, and the only sound inside the room was the soft hum of the air conditioner, a steady white noise for their temporary home.
Ice was already half asleep.
He turned onto his side, eyes still closed, listening to the rustle of his blanket.
A faint sound slipped into the silence. Tiny.Muffled.He ignored it.
A few seconds later, it came again.
"...Sniff."
His eyes slowly opened.
The bedside lamp cast a warm orange glow across the room. As his vision adjusted, another tiny sniff reached his ears.
He looked toward Fire's bed.
A suspicious lump hid beneath the blanket from head to toe.
...Did she hear something?
Scared already?
Ice quietly sat up.
Another sound. Concern grew. Is she crying?
Another sniff.
Maybe it came from the next room... but either way, it would definitely scare her.
Ice quietly got out of bed, his feet sinking into the thick carpet as he walked between their beds.
He almost chuckled.
This already looked suspicious enough. Standing beside a sleeping girl's bed in the middle of the night? If anyone saw him now, he would never be able to explain it.
The bedside lamp bathed the room in a soft orange glow. The edge of Fire's blanket was slightly lifted, just enough to grab.
Without another thought, Ice pulled it away in one swift motion.
He waited for the inevitable scream.
Instead—
Fire froze.
Her face was illuminated by the warm light, eyes still damp with tears, nose slightly red. Both hands tightly held her phone, wired earphones still plugged into her ears as she lay flat on her stomach like a child caught sneaking snacks after bedtime.
The anime was still playing.
"..."
"..."
Without a word, Fire slowly pulled the blanket back over herself.
Ice remained standing there.
The silence became awkward.
Not even a minute later, the blanket lowered again.
Only her guilty eyes peeked out.
"I told you we'd have an early morning tomorrow."
Ice looked visibly annoyed, although the sleepy look on his face somehow made him less intimidating.
"I'll sleep now! I promise!"
Fire immediately sat up and raised her right hand like she was taking an oath.
"I'll lower the volume too!"
Ice gave her a long look.
"N-No! I mean... I'll sleep! Spare meee!"
She bowed over and over.
"It wasn't the volume that woke me."
"...Eh?"
"It was you."
"..."
"It's because!" Fire burst out of her blanket and sat cross-legged on the bed.
"This anime is so good! The protagonist is kind of like you... except..."
She looked around, searching for the perfect word.
"Ah!"
She pointed at him proudly.
"It's like you... but kind!"
The next sound to echo through the room was Fire's loud cry.
The roles had completely reversed.
Ice lay on his bed with his back facing her, eyes closed, pretending to sleep.
In one hand...
Fire's phone.
"Icyyyyy!"
Fire stood behind him with watery eyes, desperately shaking his shoulder.
"Just one more episode, please!!"
No response.
"My phoneee! Last episode!"
Still nothing.
"I'll keep quiet! I promise!"
She looked like she had just lost the most precious thing in her life.
"I'm finally at the best arc..."
Her voice became muffled as she buried her face against his shoulder.
"Pleeease..."
"It's midnight."
Ice didn't even open his eyes.
"This is confiscated."
"..."
"..."
"...Cruel."
Five minutes later...
Fire finally accepted defeat.
She shuffled back toward her bed like a zombie whose soul had already left her body.
Her heart had been broken for many reasons today.
But the greatest tragedy?
Her anime.
Curse youuuuu, Iceberg!!
Next Morning . . .
INT. Function Hall
Professor Murasaki appeared on the projector screen.
"Due to the approaching typhoon, today's outdoor activities are cancelled. Everyone is strictly forbidden from leaving the hotel."
The next slide appeared.
"Meals will be delivered to each room. Please rest for today."
"Yahooooo!"
Fire threw both hands into the air in celebration.
Nearly everyone in the room turned to look at her.
Ice slowly closed his eyes.
Then quietly shook his head.
Somehow...
Being trapped inside the hotel with Fire for an entire day suddenly sounded far more dangerous than the typhoon itself.
Next:
One room. One bed. One pair of earphones.
I thought tonight would be nothing but another ridiculous movie night with Ice.
Apparently, I was wrong.