Chapter 187 - 185

Words : 1318 Updated : Oct 12th, 2025

The Night the Snow Fell Anxiety. Unease. Guilt. Toshika could feel it—every time Takaki glanced at his watch, it was like the seconds dragged on forever. He was barely holding it together. He'd already been blaming himself for losing his temper during that last call with Akari. On the night of her transfer, of all times, he hadn't been kind. And now, even though he'd spent two whole weeks writing a letter—pouring everything he wanted to say into it and it was gone. The wind had taken it while switching trains. Just like that. As if the delay from the snowstorm wasn't enough. Toshika couldn't help but mutter, "This guy's seriously unlucky." They were supposed to meet at seven. It was past eight-thirty. He was still stuck on the train. No one knew when he'd arrive. The letter was lost. Two weeks of buildup ruined in a single night. The snow was falling harder, and it was bitterly cold. There was no way Akari was still waiting... right? It was the '90s—no smartphones, no easy way to contact each other. A normal person would've assumed they'd been stood up. That's what made it worse. And then, just when things couldn't get any more frustrating after Takaki had finally transferred again the train stopped. Not at a station. Just in the middle of nowhere. No estimated time for it to resume. "..." Toshika stared blankly at the screen. Seriously? The author's messing with us, right? They were just two sweet middle school kids, reconnecting after being apart for over a year. They finally gathered the courage to meet... and now this? Takaki checked his watch again. Nine o'clock. Then ten. He sat there in silence. The train had been stuck in the snowy countryside for nearly two hours. "Even a minute feels endless... but time just keeps slipping away." "I can only hold back the tears..." "Akari... If you've already gone home... I'd understand." His quiet narration pierced through Toshika. You could feel how much he cared. Is this really a romance? she thought. It's starting to feel more like a tragedy. Finally, at 11:15 PM, Takaki arrived. Nearly four and a half hours late. Toshika snorted, "As if she's still there. In this weather? She definitely went home." The station was nearly deserted. You could hear each of Takaki's footsteps echoing through the empty platform. He didn't expect her to wait. He really didn't. But he had promised he'd come. No matter what, he had to try. And when he stepped into the waiting room... Dim lights. A quiet space. And in the corner—someone was there. Toshika's heart stopped. No way. Soft piano music began to play. There, sitting alone with her head down, was Akari. She'd been waiting... the entire time. Almost five hours. In the freezing cold. Toshika blinked hard. This girl... she's serious. "That's love," she whispered. Takaki walked toward her. "Akari..." Akari lifted her head slowly. Her face showed disbelief—like she'd given up hope, but still couldn't bring herself to leave. She had waited anyway. Because some part of her still believed he would come. Because if she left—maybe that fragile connection they still had would vanish completely. So when she finally saw him, she reached out without thinking, her hand gripping the edge of his coat tightly, and tears fell. Inside the waiting room, Takaki quietly ate the tea-flavored onigiri and bento Akari had brought. She wasn't upset. Not even a little. They talked about ordinary things—school, the train ride, silly memories. Nothing deep. But the air around them felt warm. Later, they walked together beneath the snowy sky. They stopped beneath a giant cherry tree, its branches bare in the dead of winter. Then, softly, Akari said, "Don't you think... it looks like snow?" Takaki nodded. "Yeah." On screen, the falling snow morphed into petals—pale pink, fluttering gently—like time itself had shifted to spring. Her words echoed what she'd said at the beginning: Cherry blossoms fall like snow... but maybe snowflakes are a little like cherry blossoms too. Takaki understood what she meant. In that quiet moment, he leaned in. They kissed. And yet, beneath the sweetness, a deep sadness lingered. Because both of them knew—this was fleeting. Takaki was moving even farther away. Soon, it would no longer be possible to visit—not easily, not at their age, not without money or time. Their hug on the roadside that night was quiet and desperate. A goodbye without saying the word. Early the next morning, Takaki stood at the train doors. Akari watched him from the platform. He opened his mouth to say something but stopped midway, then smiled softly. "Take care, Akari." The doors closed. As the train pulled away, Akari stood motionless. Then, from her bag, she pulled out a letter. One she had written for Takaki. She had planned to give it to him. But in the end... she didn't. The screen faded to black. The same line from the beginning appeared: "If cherry blossoms fall at five centimeters per second..." End of Part One. Toshika sat frozen, unsure how much time had passed. The story wasn't complicated. But she had been moved—again and again—by its quiet moments. And now, she felt... empty. What happened to them later? If Takaki hadn't lost the letter... if they had exchanged messages... could they have stayed close, even with the distance? There were so many unanswered questions. The visuals were breathtaking. The music, gentle and haunting. Even though it was only 25 minutes long, it had more emotional depth than most full-length series. She was glad she hadn't hesitated over the 150 yen. No wonder it scored a 9.3. Toshika immediately clicked the "subscribe" button. It was just a short series, but she was committed now. There are three parts total, right? She quickly searched for more info and let out a quiet sigh. At that moment, online fan forums were buzzing. Especially among Haruki's followers. "As expected from Mizushiro. Nothing flashy, no fanservice—just raw, emotional storytelling. Right up my alley." "That station scene broke me. Why can't I meet someone like Akari?" "I'm betting this becomes a bittersweet long-distance story with a reunion in the end. The words 'astronaut' and '5 centimeters per second' must be hints, right?" "Maybe. The second part's probably gonna hit even harder..." "I've already shared it with all my friends. Even if the story doesn't land for everyone, the animation alone is worth every yen." The 9.3 score hadn't gone unnoticed in the industry either. One studio head in particular—Nakamura, from City of Echoes's production team—was visibly tense. After all, both 5 Centimeters per Second and his company's own anime had aired on the same night, targeting the same audience. When the day's viewership and purchase data rolled in... There was a moment of stunned silence. People had assumed Haruki's film wouldn't even crack one million views. That it would quietly fade. But thanks to word of mouth and the loyal fanbase he'd built the numbers told a different story. Just one episode, titled Cherry Blossom, had already sold 1.1 million paid streams. Even Frozen Witch only pulled in 1.4 million. And suddenly, the so-called "Big Four" of this spring's original anime season didn't look so secure anymore. [TL:- Just one chapter for the next 3–4 days, since I'm reworking the whole story.] Shout out to morald, Mikhail, zwarrior0596, Sondre - Asumodeus, Abram for joining my p-atreon! your support means everything to me. (TL:- if you want even more content, check out p-atreon.com/Alioth23 for 60+ advanced chapters)

Chapter 187 - 185

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