At school, their teacher clapped her hands to get everyone's attention before making an announcement.
"A trip to the mountains!" she declared. "Cold weather, camping under the stars… Sounds dangerous? It's not! Professional climbers will be with you at all times."
The class immediately erupted into excited chatter, students buzzing about the upcoming adventure.
"A camping trip, huh?" Rei muttered, resting his chin on his hand. "Sounds like a death flag waiting to happen…"
Sera nudged his arm. "Come on, Rei. It'll be fun. Imagine waking up to the sunrise over the mountains, the fresh air, the peaceful silence…"
"You had me until 'silence,'" Rei sighed. "I bet the guys are gonna scream all night."
Sera giggled. "Well, at least we'll freeze to death together."
The teacher smirked. "Anyway, only a few days until the trip! So start preparing!"
---
At recess, Rei was absolutely dead. He slumped over his desk like a lifeless corpse, his soul barely hanging on.
Then—clink.
A cup of coffee landed softly on his table.
"Low sugar… just how you like it."
Rei blinked slowly, lifting his head with what little strength he had left. His tired eyes met Sera's.
"Sera…?" he mumbled.
She rested her chin on her hand, smiling at him. "I thought it was my turn to serve coffee."
Rei stared at the cup, processing her words like a lagging computer. Then, a small, tired smile formed on his lips.
"Thanks… with this, I think I'll survive till the end."
Sera chuckled. "Good, because I'm not carrying you up a mountain."
Rei took a sip, letting the warmth spread through him. Maybe today wouldn't be so bad after all.
---
To be continued
~Rei