The plane finally touches down with a soft thud, the cabin lights brightening as the flight attendants welcome us to Hokkaido.
I stretch out in my seat, shaking the stiffness out of my arms and legs. The hum of excitement I’ve been holding in for hours starts bubbling to the surface.
“We’re here!” I say under my breath, unable to stop the grin spreading across my face.
Gemini, calm as ever, closes his book and tucks it neatly into his bag. “Finally.”
The others are already making noise. Satang cheers like we’ve just won a world championship, Pond and Perth argue about who’s getting off the plane first, and Winny looks like he’s still half-asleep as he yawns and grabs his carry-on.
I glance at the overhead compartment, where Gemini and I stowed our bags. The difference is comical—my Miffy-themed suitcase and matching white bag stand out like a cartoon next to Gemini’s sleek, black luggage.
“You’re such a kid.” Gemini mutters, catching me staring at the contrast.
“I call it personality!” I shoot back, slinging my white backpack over my shoulder.
“Khab~” He grabs his own black backpack effortlessly, stepping aside to let me pull my suitcase down.
The second we step out of the airport, the cold air hits me like a shock.
I freeze (literally), eyes wide as I take in the snow-covered streets stretching out ahead of us. Flakes are still falling softly from the gray sky, coating everything in white.
“Shia...” I breathe out, my voice fogging up in front of me. “It’s freezing.”
“You’ll survive.” Gemini says, though he pulls the collar of his black coat higher around his neck.
“This is amazing!!!” I mumble, pulling out my digital camera immediately. I flick it on, adjusting the focus quickly before turning it on Gemini.
He blinks at me, his dark hair dusted faintly with snow, and gives me a flat look.
“What are you doing?”
“Vlogging!” I reply, grinning behind the camera. “Say hi, Gemini. First day in Japan.”
He sighs, though I catch the slight twitch of a smile. “Sawasdee Khab~ First trip with my lover.”
“And there's gonna be more.” I reply cheerfully, turning the camera toward myself. “Ok! We just landed in Hokkaido khab!! It’s freezing, but look at this!”
I pan the camera around, capturing the snow-blanketed streets, the rooftops glistening white, and the soft flakes falling through the air. “This is my first time seeing snow. This is insane.”
Behind me, Satang’s voice cuts through the quiet. “Ai'Fot! Don’t stand there too long, you’ll turn into a snowman!”
I spin the camera toward him and the others, who are all huddled together, already complaining about the cold.
Pond has his hood pulled all the way over his head, Perth looks unbothered as usual, and Winny is muttering something about needing a hot drink immediately.
“This is going to be a disaster...” Gemini mutters beside me, though he’s watching the group with an amused expression.
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