“I should’ve put more layers on”, Rio watched a flake of snow glide down her glasses while feeling the cool Febraury breeze pierce through her thin jumper. She pulled her turtleneck up to her chin, hoping this will at least give warmth on her cheeks but instead of heat, it consequently made her sneeze.

“Yama-chan sure is late”, after looking at her watch the nth time, she bumped her boots together to shake off the freckles of snow piling up on the leather.

--

“Rio-chan?”, a sweet subtle voice toppled over the sound of the winter wind freezing her earlobes, “What are you doing outside? Aren’t you cold?”, the tall boy walked slowly towards Rio while minding the frozen pavement. He eyed the girl up and down, while subtly judging her choice of clothes during this unforgiving weather. 

While minding the snow underneath her feet, Rio looked up and saw her childhood friend’s worried expression, “Hey, Yuto”, she greeted with a soft smile, “I’m waiting for Yama-chan. Last time I went in, your manager didn’t look so happy, so I rather wait here than get anyone in trouble”.

“You’ll look like a snowman before your boyfriend even recognize you”, the boy chuckled in response while removing his thick woven sweater and dumping it on the short girl’s head like she was a coat hanger.

“Hey!”, Rio flinched while removing the piece of heavy fabric off her face.

“Does Yama-chan know that you’re waiting out here in the cold?”

“No, he said he'll be late today so he asked me to wait in the apartment. I was already on the way so I just went ahead”, Rio explained while handing Yuto’s jacket back, “I don’t need it”, she lied before noticing a frown from the boy’s face as if not taking a ‘no’ for an answer.

“Is it possible you’ve become more stubborn since you started dating Yama-chan?”, Yuto chuckled and insisted for the girl to wear it. When Rio shook her head for the second time, he waved the jacket up and wrapped it securely around Rio’s shoulders. “I wouldn’t need it anyway. I’ll be picking up Sayuri from work and will be in the car the whole time”, he explained. This is only when the girl sighed in defeat and accepted the piece of clothing.

“That reminds me, don’t tell Sayu I went out without a coat. Knowing that girl, she’ll grill me alive”, Rio shrugged, but this time, it’s not because of the cold. It’s because of the thought of her friend lecturing her for something as simple as not bringing a jacket outside.

The tall boy nodded and chuckled at the thought of her girlfriend, Sayuri. The two shared a few more banters before Yuto felt the need to say his goodbye, “Are you sure I can’t invite you to wait inside?”, he asked and wasn’t surprised when his friend shook her head once again.

“You go ahead, I’m fine right here. Besides, you wouldn’t want Sayu to wait