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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Monday–Friday: 11:00PM/23:00 GMT+8

-AURORA ACADEMY OF EXCELLENCE, SAPPORO, HOKKAIDO, JAPAN-


The final bell echoed through the halls, sharp and freeing.


Students poured out of classrooms in clusters, plans spilling from their mouths—weekend dinners, rehearsals, family trips. Winter coats were pulled on in a hurry, excitement warming the cold air.


Ichika Komori stepped into the hallway with her bag held close, her pace unhurried.


But today, there was something else beneath it.


Down the hall, Rikuu Arakawa exited Class 1-A, hands in his pockets, expression unreadable as ever. A few students glanced his way—some curious, some wary—but he didn't notice any of it.


"After rehearsal," she replied, then added carefully, "I wanted to watch again. If that's okay."


Rikuu exhaled through his nose. "You don't get tired of it?"


Someone played music from their phone. Laughter came easier. The director let scenes run longer, letting actors experiment.


Rikuu stood under the lights once more.


This time, his role was quieter—a boy sitting alone, waiting for someone who might never come.


When the scene ended, the room was silent before applause broke out.


Ichika noticed the way his shoulders finally dropped once the lights dimmed.


"You don't act like someone who's pretending," Ichika said quietly.


She hesitated. "What happens after this? After rehearsal?"


"No reason," she said quickly. "I was just curious."


Her eyes flickered—not disappointed, just thoughtful.


He studied her face. "…You don't have to wait."


Yet she stayed until he picked up his jacket.


When he walked past her, she felt it—something unspoken, something held back.


Ichika watched from across the street as Rikuu disappeared into the flow of people heading downtown.


She turned toward her waiting car, warmth and light just a few steps away.


And far across the city, Rikuu walked deeper into the cold—toward places untouched by stage lights or applause.


But the distance between after school and nightfall—


was slowly becoming the space where their lives would collide.


Chapter 50 - Between After School and Nightfall