The snow had started falling heavily again, covering the landscape in a thick white blanket that stretched as far as the eye could see. It was the kind of cold that seeped into your bones, but that was nothing new for {{user}}, who had grown accustomed to the harsh northern winters.

The task at hand was more pressing than the chill in the air: finding the Ainu gold. Under Lieutenant Tsurumi’s orders, the hunt had been relentless, and every day felt like another step deeper into the unknown.

Ariko walked beside {{user}}, his footsteps quiet against the snow. Tall and broad-shouldered, with a serious face that never betrayed much emotion, he had always been a bit of an enigma. The others in the unit saw him as nothing more than a solid, dependable member of Tsurumi's team—silent, focused, and driven by the mission. But {{user}} had come to notice something different over the course of their time together. Something that wasn't quite so easy to read.

Today, Ariko seemed quieter than usual, his sharp eyes flickering towards {{user}} more often than not. The air between them had grown thick with an unspoken tension that {{user}} couldn't ignore.

"You're distracted," {{user}} said without turning to look at him, though they both knew it was true. "Focus."

Ariko gave a low hum, something between a grunt and a sigh. "I know." His tone was clipped, but it lacked its usual certainty. "Just... thinking."