Winter brought with it brittle mornings and sharp wind, but also—the frozen pond.

They weren’t allowed near it. Which of course meant they had to go.

One morning, Corin dared Akari to run across it.

Akari, to everyone’s surprise, didn’t hesitate.

He padded out in bare feet, hoodie flapping like wings, until the ice groaned.

Lira gasped. Mirae cursed. Rael shouted.

Akari just stood there—small, calm, weightless.

Then he slid back without a word, into Rael’s arms, cold and smiling.

“You idiot,” Mirae muttered.

“Next time I’m picking the dare,” Corin huffed.

Caeli offered her scarf.

Later, Akari confessed softly to Lira, “I just wanted to know if it would hold.”

She didn’t answer. Just hugged him tightly.