It was a typical day – you met Heath in front of Starless after work, and the two of you were on your way to his apartment. The snow-littered streets were empty, aside from occasional wanders here and there. As you silently treaded through a thin layer of undisturbed white, you failed to notice Heath staring at you.

“How are you doing?” He asked, breaking the silence, despite knowing what you would say.

“I am okay.” You replied while rubbing your gloved hands together.

Heath inaudibly sighed as he wrapped one arm around your shoulder, drawing you closer to his body. “Want to get something to drink?”

With the nod of your head, the two of you headed to a well-known café around the corner. As soon as you opened the door, a warm waft greeted you, accompanied by the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. The shop was small but cozy, with large windows, wooden furniture, and colorful paintings hanging on the walls.

You headed to an empty table near the window and began removing your navy-blue felt jacket, ebony gloves, and blue plaid scarf. In a few minutes, Heath returned with the beverages, but the moment he saw your face, the rapper stopped in his tracks. Red lines crept on the white of your sclera, a ghostly tint stained your skin, and a streak of ebony danced under your eyes. Did your face also look thinner, or was it his imagination?

Biting down on his pale lower lip, your boyfriend set a green holiday-themed cup in front of you. He quietly observed as you curled both your hands around the paper cup as if to soak up the heat emitting from it. As you took a couple of cautious sips of your favorite drink, you felt Heath’s gaze watching your every move. Why was he quieter than usual? Was he mad at you, or was there something he wanted to say but couldn’t find the words?

“Do you have any plans for the holidays?” He finally asked, breaking the stale silence.

“Not really. Why?” His question had piqued your curiosity, and you impatiently waited for him to reply.

“My teammates at Starless want me to take a break, and they even went out of their way to plan a vacation for me, so,” Heath gave a timid smile and met your eyes, “would you like to join me?”

You gave him a shy nod as a spark of happiness traveled through your weary heart and mind. Spending your holidays with Heath sounded too good to be true, and you wondered if you were dreaming. 

“Make sure to bring warm clothes…”

—-

The unfamiliar sound of soft crunching, followed by laughter, tickled your ears, forcing your eyes open. Bright light greeted your eyes, making you regret your sudden actions. While your vision adjusted to the brightness of the room, you heard an incoherent whisper in your left ear. You shifted your gaze from the ceiling to see Heath peacefully sleeping beside you. For some reason, you began feeling disoriented and slowly got out of bed before grabbing your coat and heading outside.

The moment you stepped out of the main door, a chilly but refreshing air grazed your skin.  You and Heath arrived at the vacation home the night before, but neither one of you had the strength to look around.

“This is…,” the corner of your lips tugged up as you scanned the traditional houses nestled amidst tree-covered mountains. A thick layer of fresh snow painted the village and the surrounding area, making it feel as though you stepped into a fantasy world.

“Beautiful.” A groggy voice mumbled from behind, finishing your sentence. Heath snaked his arms around your waist from behind and buried his face in your right shoulder. “I have a request.”

“Request?” You whispered while studying a nearby tree with bent snow-decorated branches.

“Can you please leave your stress behind and relax? I know you have not been okay for a while…even the times when you told me you were fine.” Heath lifted his head and chuckled after seeing your wide eyes, “What kind of a boyfriend would I be if I didn’t know how you were feeling? Please leave your worries behind and enjoy your time here.”

And that’s exactly what you did – closed your eyes, took a deep breath, and pressed the pause button on your racing thoughts. You explored various locations in the village, tasted the authentic and delicious food, and bought locally made souvenirs for your loved ones. The villagers were friendly people, and both of you felt right at home.

Towards the end of your vacation, you stood alongside Heath on a hill overlooking the village. The sun had set, and bright decorative lights illuminated the houses and roads. As you examined the radiant village, Heath watched you from his peripheral vision with a satisfied smile on his lips.

Your boyfriend had no plans of confessing this, but he lied to you. His friends didn’t ask him to go on a vacation; instead, he was the one who asked them for time off. As soon as the rapper told his teammates about you and his concerns with your health, Team B readily agreed to help. Mizuki officially announced that Heath would be going on a vacation and worked B’s schedule out with Kei. Ran suggested the vacation spot and arranged for the house and plane tickets. Rico gave tips on how to help you feel better, and Kongou decided to take over Heath’s duties during his absence.

A few weeks before the vacation, Heath worked hard to make extra money and was even willing to take on additional shifts, but his team members stopped him and made contributions to the vacation funds. His hard work paid off in the end as your face had regained color, your dark circles were nowhere in sight, and you finally looked relaxed. Not to mention, you had slept peacefully every night. How does Heath know? He woke up multiple times each night to check on you.

The rapper leaned in closer and pressed his lips on your cheek in an attempt to get your attention. When your eyes met his gaze, he smiled gently, “I like seeing this you much better. I…get worried when I see you stressed out and hiding things from me. Know that I will always be there for you when you need me, so please trust me to help you.”

Heath planted a soft kiss on your slightly parted lips and whispered in a low voice, “I love you.”

A shade of scarlet stained your cheeks as fireworks set off in your heart. You slowly encircled your hands around Heath’s arm and pressed your body closer to his side. A chilly breeze blew past the two of you, carrying your words with it. “I love you too.”