Winter drapes the city of Sapporo in silence—snow on rooftops, frost on windows, and secrets beneath every breath of cold air. It is in this frozen landscape that two lives on opposite ends of the city begin to move toward each other.

Ichika Komori lives a life built on elegance and expectations. Surrounded by luxury and perfection, she is admired like a snow sculpture—beautiful, delicate, and cold to the touch. Her heart, long protected by ice, has forgotten what warmth feels like.

Across the city, Rikuu Arakawa survives a world far less forgiving. Raised by hardship and night fights in back alleys, his emotions burn hot—anger, loyalty, fear, and a past that left its mark. The fire inside him keeps him alive, yet also threatens to consume him.

When their paths cross, something impossible begins:

Rikuu becomes the spark that melts the frost around Ichika’s guarded heart—and Ichika becomes the snow that cools the burning storms inside Rikuu.

Their worlds should never have met. Yet winter has a way of changing everything.

The Winter That Burned is a story of unlikely connection, slow and inevitable as falling snow, where fire learns to soften, and ice discovers how to feel again. In a city of silence and secrets, they will learn that some hearts freeze to survive… and some flames burn not to destroy, but to heal.

Additional Notes:
• No need to worry about errors on this novel (except for plot errors), each chapter is checked thrice by the author and by another person (a friend) before being uploaded.
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-SCHOOL COURTYARD, AURORA ACADEMY OF EXCELLENCE, SAPPORO, HOKKAIDO, JAPAN-


Winter sunlight hovered weakly over the courtyard, reflecting off thin layers of frost that clung to the stone paths. Students filled the space in clusters—laughing, sharing food, passing time before afternoon classes resumed.


Ichika sat on a bench near the edge of the courtyard, lunch neatly arranged beside her. Misuzu Kanzaki read quietly, while Kiyomi Mizuhara swung her legs back and forth, humming without a care.


"You've been quiet," Kiyomi said suddenly, leaning closer. "Like… extra quiet."


Misuzu glanced up from her book. "A little. You seem distracted."


"I'm not distracted," Ichika replied gently. "…Just thinking."


Before Ichika could respond, movement near the gate caught her attention.


Rikuu Arakawa crossed the courtyard with a few students from Class 1-A, hands in his pockets, steps unhurried. He wasn't talking. He rarely did.


Ichika's breath caught before she could stop it.


Rikuu looked away almost instantly, continuing on as if nothing had happened. Yet the space he left behind felt… altered.


"You know," Kiyomi said slowly, eyes narrowing with interest, "you've been looking in that direction a lot lately."


Heat rose to Ichika's cheeks. "It's nothing like that."


The bell rang soon after, pulling students back toward their buildings. Ichika packed her things carefully, her heart still unsettled.


As she stood, someone stopped in front of her.


Rikuu stood there—closer than she expected, close enough that she could see the faint shadows beneath his eyes.


"Oh—thank you," Ichika said, taking it. Their fingers brushed, just barely.


Rikuu pulled his hand back immediately.


"…See you at club," he added, already turning away.


Ichika watched him leave, heart beating a little faster than before.


"You don't chase," she said. "But you don't pull away either."


Ichika tightened her grip on the notebook.


Chapter 39 - The Space That Narrows