Akako had been buzzing about the tavern floor since sunrise, his apron tied with a hasty knot and flour still dusting his fingertips from some last-minute tinkering in the kitchen. He was moving plates, shifting napkins, adjusting the placement of the dishes for the third meticulous time. Still, in between various tasks, Akako would not forget to make periodic glances towards the staircase, like an eager sparrow waiting for some birdseed. Finally, as the sound of slow, deliberate footsteps coming from above reached his ears, a smile found itself onto Akako’s lips, and he rushed, in hurried footsteps, towards the base of the staircase.

What Akako saw, though, when he looked up, made his breath hitch straight in his throat.

General stood at the stairwell, one gloved hand resting lightly against the wooden rail. But unlike last night, he wore no helmet. In its absence, the faint morning light revealed a face marked with age, wisdom, and scars. Stark white hair framed his sharp features, and his eyes- Clear and unreadable- Met Akako’s only briefly before glancing directly past.

Akako stared for perhaps a second too long. Then, catching himself, a flush rose to his cheeks as he quickly plastered on a sheepish smile.

“Hi! Good morning!” Akako greeted brightly, his voice just a little too high to hide his nervousness, "I hope you’ve had a good night’s rest?"

General didn’t answer, remaining tactfully distant and aloof, and Akako’s heart skipped with even more anxiousness. Still, he manages to push through his wariness to continue, “You must be hungry! Come- Come! we’ve prepared breakfast!”

At the dining floor, the scene revealed itself; A lavish buffet, piled high with food, stretching nearly wall to wall of the tavern. It was a tapestry of regional flavors- Silken rice congee beside buttered rye toast, flaky fish pastries from the far isles, sizzling skewers of spiced meats, and even a few delicate fruit preserves imported from the Eastern trade lines. Akako eagerly handed General an empty plate, practically bouncing as he introduced each item with a flourish.

“This one’s from the highlands- Oh! And that one’s a coastal delicacy! You’ve got to try the honeyed lotusroot- It's my own recipe!”

Eventually, they settled at a table, plates piled high with handpicked samplings- Largely placed on Akako’s insistence- But it wasn’t until halfway through the meal that Akako realized he’d been rambling nonstop, his cheeks flushing with slight embarrassment at the realization. Had he seriously just spent the last half an hour prattling on and on without even allowing his guest to sneak so much as a word in? How rude!

“Ah, so-” Akako cleared his throat, brushing a stray strand of hair behind his ear as he spoke, “How was your first night in Mystorica?”

General, mid-bite, paused only long enough to reply, “Fine.”

Not another word was uttered, and the conversation collapsed like a failed soufflé. The silence stretched. Utensils scraped. Porcelain clinked. Akako stared at his fork as if it might start dancing, heart racing. Gods, what was he supposed to do now? Should he say something? Bring up a new topic? Oh- But so much time had passed since he last spoke. Would it be weird if he started talking again so suddenly? Damn it- Why was this so awkward?! Come on, think- Think-

“Oh. It’s rather sunny today, isn’t it?”

Hanako’s dry remark nearly made Akako leap straight out of his chair. He whipped his head toward the window and, true to Hanako’s words, gone was the fury of the wind and the oppressive curtain of snow. Instead, soft light streamed in through a break in the clouds, warming the wooden floor of the tavern.

Unable to contain his shock, Akako yelled out in surprise and stumbled towards the nearest window, unlatching it and throwing it open. A crisp but unmistakably spring breeze swept in, tinged with a scent of budding flowers and distant rain, curling around his apron and sending his flour-dusted hair askew.

“Spring!” Akako gasped, still doubtful, “But how?”

Ten years ago, when the snowstorm had initially come, everyone had thought nothing of it,  believing it to be a mere natural phenomenon brought in by the winter, and would have naturally left once winter had subsided. However, instead of passing, the snowstorm had only grown in its scale and intensity, and after ten years of endless winter, everyone had stopped hoping that the storm would pass. Everyone in the village had long since prepared to live the remainder of their lives surrounded by the snow’s permanence, yet now…

Akako turned toward Hanako, eyes wide, but Hanako only stared at the changed landscape, his brows slightly furrowed. Then, casting a silent glance towards Akako, Hanako mused, voice low with contemplation, “Do you think it has something to do with-”

“Wait!” Inspiration striking, Akako’s exclamation cuts over Hanako’s words as Akako speaks with barely contained excitement, “The snow’s receded- This is perfect! We can show our guest around Mystorica!”

Before Hanako could finish his thought, Akako had seized General’s wrist and dashed for the door, dragging him into the warm breath of the new day, leaving Hanako standing alone on the tavern floor. Blinking, Hanako stared at the now-empty doorway, then looked around him at the half-eaten buffet, food still scattered on the plates. He sighed.

“What a waste,” Hanako mumbled as he picked up a dish with a barely-eaten morsel on it, “Kids in the barren wealds would’ve killed each other for this.”