Snow fell on Gensokyo, covering the land in a blanket of pure white as faint, warm light illuminated the streets.
On this night, there were just two souls out in the bitter cold. The snow around their feet gently piled up, and the tranquility of the air swallowed the sound of their shallow breaths. Shoulder to shoulder, they pressed on through winter’s chill.
And with snowflakes drifting all around them, their tale began…

“That was such a fun day, wasn’t it, Eldest Daughter?” said the Dragon Palace Envoy to the celestial beside her, who nodded subtly in agreement. Ordinarily, she’d have responded with more enthusiasm, but for some reason, she was acting rather subdued today. The Dragon Palace Envoy, on the other hand, was uncharacteristically excited, guiding Tenshi to different spots all over town.
Even after the sun had set, Iku’s enthusiasm lingered. “Where should we go next? …I know! I heard the kappa decorated some of the trees with beautiful winter lights. Shall we take a look?!” she asked with childlike glee. For her part, Tenshi wasn’t opposed to staying out a little longer, but all she could muster in response was a small nod.

Iku wasn’t used to Tenshi behaving like this, so with a reassuring smile, she asked her what was wrong. Tenshi opened her lips to respond, but out of either shame or embarrassment, closed them again without uttering a word.
“It’s OK, Tenshi. There’s hardly anyone else around.”
They say if you’ve known someone long enough, you no longer need words to communicate. It wasn’t hard for Iku to see Tenshi’s hesitation to speak came from a fear of being overheard.
“A-All right,” replied Tenshi, this time nodding confidently.

Winter’s Charm
Surely you’ve thought to yourself how much better life would be if everyone shared their true feelings with those they care for. But being completely honest and acting wholly in the interest of others is more difficult than you might expect. Deeds done with good intentions can backfire, just as opportunities can be missed. However, you must not lose the courage required to take that first step. If you do, you’ll never make real connections.

“Well, the thing is…” began Tenshi, nervously. “C-Can we warm up somewhere? I’m so cold…”
At that moment, Iku realized Tenshi’s hands were shaking. Tenshi seemed grateful to Iku for showing her so many great places and didn’t want to ruin her fun.
“You should’ve just told me!” chuckled Iku, grabbing Tenshi by the hand.
As Iku scoured the streets for a suitable teahouse, Tenshi couldn’t help but ask why she’d gone through so much effort to guide her around today.
“We had the whole day to ourselves today, so I suppose I got a little carried away,” laughed Iku, her cheeks appearing to turn ever so slightly red. It could’ve been because of the streetlights, or maybe…
Either way, it seemed Iku and Tenshi’s day of fun in the snow wasn’t over yet.